Bruce Marriott is editor of DanceTabs
Under are the articles written for DanceTabs. Reviews on Balletco
Ballet Central – 2017 Tour – London
★★★✰✰ At the end of the evening was what you might call the blockbuster piece of the tour – 30 minutes of Matthew Bourne in the form of Act II of his “Highland Fling”. Bourne’s take on “La Sylphide” is a wonderful piece of work, full of wit, style and pathos…
Royal Danish Ballet – Dangerous Liaisons (premiere) – Copenhagen
★★★★✰ …I was again struck by just how effortlessly a story can be communicated and emotions laid bare by ballet – it was a triumph.
5 Questions to Eleanor Sikorski and Flora Wellesley Wesley of Nora
We talk to two of the three artistic directors of Nora about what makes them tick and touring their latest bill – “Nora invites Aggiss, Burrows, Fargion and Tanguy”.
English National Ballet’s Emerging Dancer 2017 Competition – 5 Questions to 4 Finalists
English National Ballet’s Emerging Dancer Competition is unique in British ballet in throwing the spotlight on more junior dancers or “tomorrow’s stars” as ENB put it. This year’s competition is on the 25 May and ahead of the that we talk to 4 of the 6 finalists – Isabelle Brouwers, Rina Kanehara, Madison Keesler and Guilherme Menezes…
Birmingham Royal Ballet – Arcadia (premiere), Wink – Cheltenham
★★★✰✰ The South tour is particularly interesting this year because it features a new piece by Ruth Brill, a first artist within the company, and this is her first major commission.
Scottish Ballet – Each Other (premiere) – Glasgow
★★★★✰ Each Other makes you reflect and think – and it deserves to be seen much more widely.
Northern Ballet – Casanova – Leeds
★★★★✰ This is Northern Ballet firing on all dramatic cylinders – a fine show made great by the entire company.
Vanessa Fenton – Bouncing back and new works presented in Siobhan Davies and Clore Studios
After a few years below the radar Vanessa Fenton has been quietly bouncing back choreographically and this month presented her own double bill at Siobhan Davies Dance Studies and once again contributed a piece to the Royal Ballet’s latest Draft Works bill.
Rosie Kay Dance Company – MK Ultra – Birmingham
★★★✰✰ Overall I came away impressed by an intelligent multimedia show that really makes you think about your views and how they have been influenced by what you see and hear…
Company Wayne McGregor / Paris Opera Ballet – Tree of Codes – London
★★★★✰ Tree of Codes …shows McGregor as an out-and-out showman who dazzles us senseless with design, music, dancers and dance. I’m not sure if he really planned it that way, but I’ll take it every time.
Ballet Black – House of Dreams, Captured, Red Riding Hood – London
★★★✰✰ It’s rather a scandal that Ballet Black get no regular Arts Council support and yet proportionally they do far more to put new work out there and also before a public that is not your usual ballet crowd.
5 Questions to Julie Cunningham, about choreographing, her link to Rambert and starting her own company…
Julie Cunningham on Twitter www.rambert.org.uk Julie Cunningham and Company make their debut at the Barbican Theatre on the 8-11 March 2017. Full Details A busy time for Julie Cunningham – this last year…
Watts Dance, John Livingston Dance, Alice Weber and Ben Saffer – Place Resolution 2017
★★★✰✰ The one thing you can be assured of when you step over the threshold of the Place’s Resolution season is surprise.
Shobana Jeyasingh Dance – Material Man Redux – Nottingham
★★★✰✰ Material Man redux is a fascinating work that combines disparate dance styles and commonwealth history into a seamless piece of work that really makes you think about where we have come from and might go.
5 Questions to Hagit Yakira about her latest tour and approach to creating dance
Founded eight years ago Hagit Yakira Dance are steadily becoming more widely known as they tour increasingly – which is what they are currently doing. We have a word with the boss about this particular tour and her approach to creating accessible and entertaining work…
5 Questions to Noluyanda Mqulwana, dancer and choreographer with Mother Africa
Tanzania-based Circus of the Senses are presenting their internationally-toured Mother Africa at London’s Peacock in February/March. We have a word with dancer and choreographer Noluyanda Mqulwana (Nolly)…
5 Questions to Mavin Khoo – Artistic Director ŻfinMalta Dance Ensemble, choreographer, rehearsal director
Malta’s national contemporary dance company, ŻfinMalta Dance Ensemble, are touring to the UK for the first time – we have a word with Artistic Director Mavin Khoo…
English National Ballet – Giselle – London
★★★✰✰ Elisa Badenes and Cesar Corrales delivered a good professional show, if it was not the runaway success I had perhaps hoped for.
Scottish Ballet – Hansel and Gretel – Glasgow
★★★★✰ …a great communal effort by the whole company and one that stretches out to embrace kids in the cities it plays to – showing new generations how relevant and effortlessly entertaining ballet can be.
ZooNation – The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party – London
★★★★✰ ZooNation’s “The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party” has come a long way as a thoughtful Royal Opera House alternative to the Royal Ballet’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”.
