SFB 'Continuum' reviews SFB 'Sandpaper Ballet' reviews 'Sandpaper Ballet' reviews Feijoo in reviews Maffre in reviews recent SFB reviews more Paul A reviews

Continuum dates from 4 April this year and it is very much in the globular, amoeba like style of movement that Wheeldon gave us in Tryst. Costumes are bottle green bating costumes. A cast of eight (a mix of soloists and principals) are stretched and contorted into some very sculptural shapes. Whilst I don't recall any specific images (ten days on) it was very satisfying, pushing the classical vocabulary in a challenging, pleasing way. The Liget piani music is not as difficult as you might expect and the dance sits nicely on it. Definitely a work for the Royal ballet to acquire.

Damned allegedly tells the story of Medea and Jason - but I've forgotten my mythology and the choreography didn't help. Pure melodramatic tosh and a waste of the music. It opens with the pavane pour une infante defunte as a droopy duet for Jason and a princess. Medea (Lorena Feijo very a la a flailing younger Joan Collins in Rank melodrama) arrives to the sound of the left handed concerto. She shrieks around backed by a corps of emoting, masked, topless figures who look as though they had strayed in from The Lion King. Nice set of a blasted tree. The audience loved it.

I loved Sandpaper Ballet as many did when this came to London. Inventive and happy - crisply performed particularly by Peter Brandenhoff and Stephen Legate. Any chance of this coming to the Royal Ballet.

Paquita/ Makarova/ Minkus Night/ Julia Adam/ Matthew Pierce Solo/ van Manen/ Bach Rubies/ Balanchine/ Stravinsky

The company did not look so strong in the third bill. It opened with Makarova's new staging (from this September) of a Paquita divertissement. The only other version I know was Samsova's for SWRB and this version was different, using a pas de tros couple in addition to the leads. Crisp corps of 14, in orange lampshade tutus framed the action.There were fourstrong soloists. Again not struck by Lorena Feijo as the ballerina - a very severe authority, too harsh and grand and way off (40 degrees) balance in one supported pirouette. Bland cavalier from vadim Solomakha but he had all the steps. The pas detrois of Katita Waldo, Gonzalo Garcia and Vanessa Zahorian had more panache and style. Old fashioned fun - but still a great classical showcase.

I must admit I have no memory of Night! Sorry - it held the attention as quite clever for a cast of 11 - but obviously pressure of a cultural weekend and a heavy business schedule have taken their toll.

I don't normally like van Manen's droopiness so was surprised at the energy of three men fizzing through the Bach in Solo. It's a series of challenging solos as each man does beter, goes faster than the last in sort of kick boxing rituals.

Kirsten Long, Yuri Possokhov and Muriel Maffre led Rubies. They had a spangly set - but somehow this did not really glitter. It did not have the taut, crystalline precision that the Kirov gave it. It looked less than it can be (comparable to the Royal's attack on it).

But altogether a very together, confident, strong company enjoying their dancing. Great value.