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Royal BalletFebruary 2006 London, Linbury by John Mallinson |
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"One of the main requirements of soloists in the Royal Ballet is to be a trooper. On Saturday we saw Alexandra Ansanelli demonstrating just that. In the course of a study day devoted to MacMillan's Romeo and Juliet there was an hour's session in which Monica Mason took her through three excerpts from Juliet's role. Nothing special about that, except that it was a ballet that she had neither learned nor even seen on stage. It takes a trooper and a sport to make your first steps in a new part in front of an audience however benevolent, partisan and enthusiastic. Monica Mason introduced her to warm applause as as principal from New York who had come to London to be more involved in narrative ballet. The three chosen extracts were that of the childish Juliet with her nurse (Gillian Revie) from Act I, and two Act III scenes – the first where Juliet refuses to marry Paris, then flies from the stage (à la Ulanova) to Friar Laurence, and the second when she takes the sleeping draught. They were selected as all having a large element of naturalistic acting. For a Balanchine dancer this was new territory especially as MacMillan allowed his dancers considerable leeway in how they expressed themselves. It was surprising to hear Monica Mason saying "don't worry about your feet" and "walk heels first", to emphasise that natural movement as opposed to balletic stylisation was what MacMillan wanted in Romeo. For this event the Linbury theatre stage seemed scarcely big enough, especially as more than a couple of Ansanelli-sized jetés across the stage and she risked ending up inside the piano, but that did not deter the intrepid duo. Mason's dancing may not be what it was forty years ago but the enthusiasm and commitment are still there and she did not spare herself as she lead Ansanelli through the steps. As always Monica Mason treated her dancers with affection, care and respect, and maintained a good-humoured atmosphere. That interaction alone is a source of great pleasure to the onlooker. Everyone enjoyed themselves.
From these first tentative (and some not so tentative) steps it looks as if Ansanelli will be a Juliet to be reckoned with. Unfortunately, given that the ballet is in rep this season, it may be omitted next year and we could have to wait some long time before we see her debut.
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