© Erik Tomasson SFB 'Nutcracker' reviews 'Nutcracker' reviews Blanco in SFB reviews recent SFB reviews more Renee Renouf reviews Discuss this review (Open for at least 6 months)

The Nutcracker serves to preview corps members in solo experience and artistic assessments for the spring season. Kepley’s attack was very strong and assured. Spaulding seemed concentrated on his partnering technicalities. Tall, he displayed Kepley well, but she seemed to push the partnership while he, perhaps nervous, came across a legato performer.

Deivison’s variation enjoyed strong impetus and high elevation, somewhat forced, determined to give it his best shot. Cruz, exaggerated the imbalances of the limber toy, steering clear of the Hohenstein somersaults, looked nonetheless impressive. Miner provided a trouper’s rendition for the Sugar Plum, some phrases and gestures authoritative, utterly musical, other parts showing clearly her a demi-charactere creature, so fabulous in the Morris reading of Sylvia.

Gennadi Nedvigin has not danced much in the 2007 season; I’ve been told he was injured but lack details. One would never know it; what a rock-solid, elegant artist! Carlos Carvajal, in the de Cuevas company when Nureyev defected, exclaimed, “oh, my God, a blond Nureyev!” The gallantry, the elegance, a certain en retard musicality is all there, a line echoing, emphasizing his partner’s movements, alongside the height of jumps and the precision of his allegro.
 

Clara Blanco caught my eye the year she entered the corps de ballet in 2001. She left the company to spend a season with the Birmingham Royal Ballet, but rejoined for the 2007 fall season. She previously danced Nutcracker’s first act Doll with aplomb; at one Gala appearing with Gonzalo Garcia in Lew Christensen’s Norwegian Moods, but featured roles did not follow.

Her grand pas with Nedvigin was very impressive. First there is that cameo face with its large dark eyes, sloping shoulders and beautiful, simple port de bras which ripple when felt effective. Her hands are hands, rather than an aggregate of fingers, palms and wrists, so the line throughout was delivered in service to the choreography and not to personal temperament. Of a size complimentary to Nedvigin, Blanco never forgot for a moment her partner, her eyes acknowledging him when a turn placed him in her line of vision for a moment, grasping his hand for an attitude or an arabesque. Throughout, one sensed the concentration of the dancer, the intense pleasure of the assignment and her full awareness this was a pas de deux, what such a collaboration was all about. I found myself thinking, “Oooooh, another Danilova in the making,” there was such je ne sais qua in her performance, without and with Neviguin.

It was a great performance and the audience felt the same way. I hope the artistic management agrees.