Ballet.co Summer 2010 Magazine (August/September)

Reviews - UK

Bolshoi Ballet

'Don Quixote': Bruce Marriott

"As has become abundantly clear over this Bolshoi season, Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev might still be young but they are no longer rising stars but by any measure are risen, fully baked and at the pinnacle of their profession. And in Don Quixote they took all their high-art, bodily wonderfulness and added the hugest dollops of carefree, human, devilish fun you can imagine."

'Don Quixote': Ian Palmer

"...I found the Osipova / Vasiliev cast too much like circus, over-played to the point of bawdy and as subtle as a punch in the face. How much different was Saturday evening! Marianna Ryzhkina ...danced it entirely true to the part and with a real ballerina's distinction. Nothing was showy or flash, everything was beautifully proportioned and phrased heavenly..."

'Grand Pas from ballet Paquita' bill: Jeffery Taylor

"Petipa's Grand Pas From Paquita (1882), closed the evening, performed with the Bolshoi's typical reverence for the past laced with the famous aplomb."

'Grand Pas from ballet Paquita' bill: Azulynn

"The participation of the ever-popular Nikolai Tsiskaridze and of the undoubted stars of this tour, Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev, may have helped matters, but whatever the merits of individual dancers, this essentially Russian program is most overwhelming in the breadth of talent on display in the music, choreography and sets."

'Le Corsaire': Lynette Halewood

"Inspiring central performances can animate the creaking machinery of the plot to deliver a real thrill. We were fortunate in many ways in the cast for the first two evenings. ...It would take a long time to do justice to all the supporting players in this production ...the standard of the company is astonishing high."

'Le Corsaire': Jeffery Taylor

"There are many wildly wonderful talents currently in the Bolshoi, but Alexandrova bridges the cultural gap between tradition and right now with staggering ease. What a dancer."

'Coppelia': Ian Palmer

"Is there anything that the Bolshoi's Natalia Osipova cannot do? I ask that in the knowledge that she probably cannot assemble the perfect Croquembouche, or whistle the 'Volga Boat Song' backwards, but in matters balletic she can do no wrong, as her performance in that sun-lit ballet Coppélia last Thursday most justifiably showed."

'Spartacus': Charlotte Kasner

"...carp no longer: this Spartacus has come of age. Previous performances have had technique and energy aplenty but this had the lot - a deep understanding of the work that is necessary to develop beyond mere spectacle. Almost from the outset, the audience seemed to hold its breath..."

'Giselle, Serenade' bill: Bruce Marriott

"Osipova is a force of nature and gives her all... I ended as I started - reflecting on how wonderful the world is with art of this calibre living and breathing before us."

more reviews in Postings Reviews section

Mikhailovsky Ballet

'Laurencia', 'Cipollino': Ian Palmer

"As a ballet for children, Cipollino is a delight, clear in the construction of its action, inventive in the portrayal of the vegetable characters it depicts and a work vivacious and fun and wont to encourage us to cheer or boo. ...Laurencia is a ballet that also demands bold dancing, to adequately convey its Hispanic setting. To Mikhailovsky dancers I suspect bold comes naturally..."

'Giselle': Jane Simpson

"The Mikhailovsky Ballet's production of Giselle won many friends for the company on its first London showing a couple of years ago, and it's easy to see why. Nikita Dolgusin's staging is simple, sincere and traditional, with a nostalgic charm that makes it quite a surprise to discover that it's actually only three years old."

'Swan Lake': Jeffery Taylor

"But the evening was Rojo's. I went expecting much and received far more than I anticipated. What a star."

'Swan Lake': Bruce Marriott

"First thing to say is that it is a good production. It's Russian, so you get a jester and a happy ending, but they actually seem far more natural than in many such productions. I think this is the first time ever that a Jester (Denis Tolmachev) has not come over as a depressing little oik that ought to be tossed in the nearest moat... As Swan Lakes go this is a good'un."

'Triple Bill': Bruce Marriott

"Although it wouldn't have sold beforehand the reality is that most occasional ballet goers (and they pay the bills really) would have got far more out of this bill than the Swan Lake. I really do like the way the company 'sell' their ballets - they understand it's about entertaining people and are not at all precious - bravo to that."

David Michalek

'Slow Dancing': John Mallinson

"There is much that could be said about the aesthetics and ideas behind Slow Dancing, but it's much best to go see it yourself. Anyone with any interest in dance will find it engrossing. Also we should treasure these free public art projects whilst they can still be afforded."

Hofesh Shechter

'Political Mother': Lynette Halewood

"This is definitely something to see again, to unravel some of the details, and I am fascinated to know what Shechter does next."

Paco Pena

'Flamenco Sin Fronteras': Graham Watts

"I suspect that this is too hard-core to be a suitable introduction to flamenco but for those with an expert eye and ear it is at a level of excellence rarely seen even with the proliferation of flamenco now available in London."

'Flamenco Sin Fronteras': Jeffery Taylor

"Worthy and oh so politically correct sentiments in the programme notes attempt to justify Paco Pena's colossal miscalculation with his new show. ...Sorry Paco, don't try so hard next time."

Nederlands Dans Theater

'Memoires d’Oubliettes' bill: Lynette Halewood

"NDT's dancers are impressive as ever but the tone of the evening overall was far from celebratory. The overall mood of the works was sombre and far from joyful. All were imaginatively staged and performed with commitment but the newer works seemed less resonant than the old."

English National Ballet

'Cinderella': Jeffery Taylor

" 'Daria Klimentova's Cinderell sails through the choreographic obstacles with dash and clarity... She also throws in some seriously virtuoso turns. Klimentova alone is worth the price of a ticket.'"

'Cinderella': Kevin Ng

"On Friday night I caught one more performance with the same cast. Daria Klimentova and Vadim Muntagirov surpassed their opening night performance, especially in their glorious dancing in the pas de deux and solos in the ballroom in Act 2. Klimentsova is certainly dancing better than ever. Muntagirov's acting in Act 3 was also superb."

more reviews in Postings Reviews section

Carlos Acosta

'Premieres': Wulff

"I think that a show like this needs more people on stage and a better defined choreographic structure, as well as more colour and variety in order to succeed. Throughout the evening lighting levels were generally low and costumes drab, which created a somewhat gloomy atmosphere. Regrettably this was not for me something I would include in my roll of great evenings in the theatre."

Caracalla Dance Theatre

'Zayed and the Dream': Charlotte Kasner

"No one can fault Zayed and the Dream on slickness, professional production values and sheer spectacle. Think Bollywood meets Lawrence of Arabia and you will pretty much have it. On that level, Caracalla Dance Theatre delivered in spades."

English National Ballet School

'Annual School show': Bruce Marriott

"The ENB School show is very different and more grown up because they only teach older students. It's also nicely split with a first half of 4 shorter works (3 of which were new) and a second half comprising Giselle Act 2 - a lengthy slice of tradition for all the students to get their teeth into. It's the ENB Mary Skeaping version, which I find very believable..."

Royal Ballet School

'Annual Matinee + Linbury' shows: Bruce Marriott

"For inventive twist you had to see Alastair Marriott's Schrumpf, again only on view in the earlier Linbury performances. For me it was the best piece that Marriott has ever done and the talk of the interval. For one girl and three boys, it was upbeat and constantly engaging rather than introverted and trying to be a bit too clever. Of the new RBS commissions it was the best by some margin."

'Annual Matinee on Main Stage': Ian Macmillan

"Last Sunday's Royal Ballet School Matinee, given on the Royal Opera House's main stage, was a resounding success on various levels. First, and most importantly, it showcased the pupils in the most favourable of conditions - space, staging, lighting... Next, it was enormous value. In some two hours of dance, we saw at least one normal RB Triple Bill's worth in 'Lilac Garden,' 'Concerto,' and any one of the other three Upper School items, plus four others..."

Elmhurst School for Dance

'End of Year Show': Julie Woodhams

"My next comment is linked in to that - please, please Mr Kelly, try to get them in a theatre for a gala performance. I thought it was a very strong programme this year, but I spent lots of time thinking how wonderful they would've looked on a "proper" stage with a live orchestra and a big audience to perform to. I want people from all round the country to be able to come and watch them, not just parents/families..."

Cloud Dance Festival 'Hush'...

Jarkko Lehmus

'Da Enstunde Ein Engel': Bruce Marriott

"It's not great choreography as such but it is a great, great, production (it would do well in galas I think) and as arresting and unexpected in its joy as one of Jarkko's blogs. Lehmus remains one to follow, be he dancer or dance-creator."

Dicembre Dance Group

'Kensington Gardens': Bruce Marriott

"piece about childhood and growing up, set in a park. ...an interesting 2-hander I'd like to see again."

Taciturn

'Hang your coat up, and stay a while': Bruce Marriott

"A charmingly quirky piece about cameraderie and swapping cardies for 4 girls to Bob Dylan tracks. This was well-rehearsed dance ...Want to see again."

Mary Sherwin

'Over': Bruce Marriott

"he most overtly commercial/accessible piece in the bill and it got great applause."

Cambridge Contemporary Dance

'Please please please': Bruce Marriott

"I didn't connect with any of this but towards the end the music became more danceable and there were flickers of interesting contemporary movement."

Julia Pond Dance

'the little difference words make': Bruce Marriott

"...but in the second part the narrator does some free movement à la Isadora Duncan - pleasant if no revelations."

Kinisi Dance Company

'Crease': Bruce Marriott

"Overall it felt more like a school show and might do better with fewer people on stage, rehearsed more strongly and confident in what they were doing."

SuperB Dance Theatre

'In between us': Bruce Marriott

"...there was an awful lot of walking or sitting rather than dance movement."

Boy Blue Entertainment

'Over the Edge': Ian Palmer

"Occasional flashes of brilliance appeared but then retreated, and Over The Edge never actually got near it."

Burn the Floor

'Burn the Floor': Jeffery Taylor

"Energy and adrenalin flood the theatre as the irresistible performers rip through at least 25 high octane numbers."

Tanguera

'Tanguera': Jeffery Taylor

"The cast work flat out at what proves to be too thin a diet to satisfy ...Only singer Marianella makes real contact."