Ballet Nights 05

Lanterns Studio Theatre, London
June 29, 2024

What we’ve come to expect from Ballet Nights is quality, variety and difference. This was evident in spades at the fifth presentation. The range spanned top professionals, Sangeun Lee and Gareth Haw of English National Ballet, where the latter has just been promoted to principal dancer, to students from the Rambert School of Ballet & Contemporary Dance, but the quality was consistently top notch.

Recently I’d seen Lee and Haw dance the White Swan pas de deux in company of sixty swans on the gigantic arena at the Royal Albert Hall but now the shift was to dramatic close-up. Here their flawless interpretation was breathtakingly visible. Even taken out of context in this austere studio setting, nothing mattered but the privilege of watching the flow of this love poem told in classical perfection.

The pair returned to close the show now clad in silvery grey tights to dance TERRA|ASTRA, a premiere by Jordan James Bridge. Choreographed in contemporary ballet style, it was well suited to the dancers who had enjoyed a rep of Forsythe and Dawson in Dresden, their previous company. Haw had the opportunity to show his proficiency in fluid modern style in his opening solo before he was joined by Lee in a duet of extended lines and aerial lifts. The music by Hans Zimmer was arranged and played by Viktor Erik Emanuel, the resident pianist who also treated us to classical virtuosity at the start of each act.

Watching shows over the years at the Rambert school, the student choreography has always impressed. This year, Grace O’Brien has delivered a hugely impressive piece, Set Fast. The cast of seven grasped her intention and held fast in extraordinarily committed performances. The tense, edgy choreography was expertly structured as tight groups alternate with break out runs, twitching hands and staccato bourrées. The throbbing score by Zoe Keating made a match as did the lighting which kept a sense of mystery.  

Peter Darrell, who founded Scottish Ballet, was remembered in a solo from his Five Rückert Songs, sung by Mezzo Soprano Dana Mays and danced by Eve Mutso, a former principal with the company. The song: ‘I am lost to the world,’ music by Gustav Mahler, was played by Emanuel is sombre but with spiritual intensity. Mutso’s powerful presence embodied the sentiment in the stillness of sculptural shapes and the flow of intense movement.

Equally fierce in a very different portrayal was One, performed and choreographed by Kennedy Junior Muntanga. He leapt onto the stage to be confronted by a barrage of sound from percussionist Guy Salim and the battle ensued. The moves were thrilling as Muntanga jumped and rolled countering the drums in a competitive spirit. I think we can call it a draw.

There were two solos from Minju Kang, First Artist with English National Ballet. Her Giselle Act 1 was filled such joy, it made you wish you could see her full performance. Her second solo, After A Dream choreographed by fellow ENB dancer, Rentaro Nakaaki, to music by Gabriel Fauré was gentle and sorrowful, an ode to loss. There was innovative use of the floor and Kang’s expressive arms were shown to good advantage.

Also from Scottish Ballet, Associate Choreographer Nicholas Shoesmith offered Insomnia danced by Sophie Quay, Felicity Chadwick and Iván Merino Gaspar. It gave a taste of his very physical style as the three made desperate moves to try to get restful sleep.

James Cousins has a distinctive manner of working. In Jealousy he wraps two bodies as intimately as Rodin’s The Kiss, then keeps the contact as they unwrap and rewrap in the work develops. Dancers, Brenda Lee Grech and Tom David Dunn, were remarkable in their expression of emotion allowing subtle nuances to filter through in what was no small feat of strength and ingenuity. It was riveting to watch.

Being Ballet Nights, an element of surprise is expected. We got it with the Cocktail Duet danced by Eileih Muir, a fine dancer in a beautifully cut cocktail dress, and Izzac Carroll. They managed to dance and even harness centrifugal force to twirl at high speed with drinks in hand. It was a bit of light-hearted fun, and the cocktails (quite delicious,) were available at interval.

Congratulations to Artistic Director, Jamiel Devernay-Laurence who continues to pull magic rabbits out of his hat.