This year, for the first time, Ballet Central graced the stage of Norwich Playhouse with their annual tour. The tour celebrates dance from some of the most renowned and influential choreographers and is performed by the talented final year students at the Central School of Ballet in London.
The performance opened with an excerpt from House of Birds (Kenneth MacMillian), which included bird-like movements and a slightly aggressive feel. I really liked the use of cages as part of the costume, even if it was a slightly unsettling look.
Read more – Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake
My favourite piece was the Dying Swan (Calvin Richardson). It contained an edgy contemporary feel but retained the graceful air and emotion we know and love from the classic ballet Swan Lake. I enjoyed the contrast between the audio and the visual in this piece – a modern costume of ripped jeans and a vest top against the classical music.
(in between) (Jasmin Vardimon) was a testament to the dancers’ energy and synchronicity – it was captivating to watch. A dance portraying the relationship between humans and the natural world. Sounds and armography helped portray the trees and I particularly liked the use of tree stumps to get the dancers upside down for the opening sequence.
Read more – Joshua Harriet, Richard Alston Dance Company
Valses Nobles et Sentimentales (except) (Frederick Ashton) was a classical piece with pointe work and pas de deux, this showcased the traditional aspects of ballet – the elegance of the female dancer with the strength of the male.
The performance concluded with a bright and colourful piece Carousel Dances (Christopher Marney). Set within the big top it included plenty of characters and a lovely story to end the evening with.
You can read more about Ballet Central here and a see a full list of tour dates here.
Theatre thoughts... 