A programme that has extracts from two Kenneth MacMillan pieces, two classical (Fokine and Petipa), three contemporary and Steven McRae’s tap shoe Czárdás is a big come-on. A pianist, Viktor Erik Emanuel, to put us in the mood before each half and a compère to talk us through it—a variety show of sorts—is a novelty in an evening of dance, which usually speaks for itself.
The compère, former Scottish Ballet soloist Jamiel Devernay-Laurence, has come home, so to speak, where his mother, Janet Viola, is founder and director of Lanterns Centre for the Arts and Education, which includes a performing arts school, an arts & educational nursery and a studio theatre, with ideas to capitalise on that space, the Lanterns Studio Theatre.
Largely used by major production companies as a rehearsal space, it has a large sprung dance floor. He sees its potential to bring dance to the East End. To open it up to those maybe too timid about going to ballet shows in town. And he has many people to thank.
To that end, his notion is to be a compère, who fills in the details for first-timers. The trouble tonight is that the mic fails from time to time and I don't always catch what he is saying. Neither does my companion. No matter, I’m not sure having a compère over-explaining is a good thing. For me, his spiel detracts rather than attracts.
Chopin’s Variation Brilliantes, Op.12 warms us up for The Dying Swan (Saint-Saëns) danced by Royal Ballet’s soloist Melissa Hamilton (expressive hands) with Emanuel on piano and Moira Hartley on cello. Later Hamilton will partner RB principal Ryoichi Hirano in the Second Movement Pas de Deux from MacMillan’s Concerto (Shostakovich), the evening ending on a high for me.
Earlier in the programme Macmillan’s 1981 Isadora, performed by Luke Ahmet and Amy Thake of the Yorke Dance Project, is a beautiful duet, erotic, her legs like pincers around him, lingering kisses, the two of them as one… Wonderful.
Gavin McCaig’s brief You Will Get Your Wants, a palate cleanser between The Dying Swan and Isadora, is neo-classical, danced convincingly by Joseph Taylor and Julie Nunès of Northern Ballet, he tall, she small, in acrobatic lifts and angular poses.
McRae ends the first half with his own choreographed sexy, slinky czardas, tap shoes blazing (more a Gene Kelly than a Fred Astaire), body spinning, arms akimbo but not losing their classical form, legs prepare in fourth position... Vasko Vassilev and his violin dance alongside him… fabulous.
After the interval, another piano piece, longer this time, Liszt’s Ballade No 2. In B Minor, then Constance Devernay-Laurence follows in a very short Gamzatti’s Variation from La Bayadère. She is recovering from a broken foot, so kudos to her for braving it.
Between this and the final thrilling Concerto, we have two very different new contemporary pieces. New Commission, a sinuous, sway-backed, disjointed shoulder blades solo, choreographed and beautifully performed by Jordan James Bridge, in which and in whom you can see major Wayne McGregor influences and some Michael Clarke, for whose companies he has performed.
Peter Leung’s All in Passing, danced by New English Ballet Theatre, is for a group of seven, three females, four males, all dressed in shades of blue. What it’s about I can’t tell. My companion, not a regular ballet goer, is moved by it. I less so. Though the grounded dancing is committed and intense, there’s a randomness to it with much flow and changing of partners. It feels robotic—are they AI trying out different styles?
In a recent interview, Jamiel observed, “young choreographers are really feeling the pinch… The first thing I did… was to launch an intensive programme for professional dancers and the response to that was hugely overwhelming—there’s a real gap right now in contemporary dance for professional development.”
He is hoping to provide the opportunities. “After spending a decade learning how to put on those shows and seeing the companies in action, I decided it was my go.” There are two more Ballet Nights with very interesting programmes to come end of October and November, 002 and 003—sounds very James Bond… His mission is, “world-class dancers, emerging artists, modern masterpieces, new creations, legacy works, and live music up close and personal.”
We are up close and intimate, which I might add is very exposing for the brave dancers, but the seating is barely raked and a large person or head can obscure half the stage (as in my case). Would it be possible to resolve sightline issues?
It feels like a corporate entertainment event tonight, the arts and business in obliging hand in necessary glove. Strange to see tutus in a black studio box environment rather than under a gilded proscenium arch: but why not, if Pavlova could perform in any venue…