American Ballet Theatre – Hong Kong Arts Festival Season – Hong Kong
The season began with a high-energy mixed bill which showed the company on sparkling form.
Shanghai Ballet – White-Haired Girl – Hong Kong
Ideological qualms aside, White Haired Girl is an odd bird. The choreography is a hybrid between textbook classical vocabulary and Chinese opera, an idea interesting in itself but here executed with a lack of imagination…
City Contemporary Dance Company – The Comedy Of K – Hong Kong
City Contemporary Dance Company’s closing show of 2012 was a welcome revival of Helen Lai’s 2004 The Comedy of K, a seminal work which shows this celebrated choreographer at the height of her powers.
Hong Kong Ballet – The Nutcracker – Hong Kong
This new production of Nutcracker is ambitious with a complicated but intelligent libretto which makes a welcome change for the audience.
Imperial Ice Stars – The Nutcracker on Ice – Hong Kong
“While this may not be a Nutcracker for those looking for subtlety or sophistication, it’s a fun show designed to thrill adults as well as children.
Hong Kong Ballet – An International Celebration of Ballet – Hong Kong
Hong Kong Ballet presented a diverse and well-balanced mixed programme in early November, consisting of two premieres and a revival of a major work.
Tang Shu-Wing Theatre Studio – Thunderstorm – Hong Kong
…an outstanding production which deserves to be seen again.
Rambert Dance Company – Hush, Monolith, Faune, What Wild Ecstasy – Hong Kong
The choice of programme was something of a curate’s egg – disappointingly so in view of the company’s rich repertoire – but two out of the four works were excellent and the dancing was spectacular.
Hong Kong Ballet – Cinderella – Hong Kong
I saw the first cast led by Jin Yao, the top ballerina in the company. Her acting was superb, and her dancing too had a warm glow throughout.
Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan – Nine Songs – Hong Kong
The whole troupe’s dedication and excellence in performance was most commendable, if only there were brighter sections to provide a better contrast to the pervasively dark and mournful tone of this piece.
Hong Kong Dance Company – Spring Ritual-Eulogy – Hong Kong
Overall, this thoughtful piece confirms Yang as a choreographer of intelligence and originality. Design, lighting and music are all excellent, as is the dancing from this fine ensemble company.
Estonian National Ballet – Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs – Hong Kong
The story is clearly narrated and easy to follow. Harangozo’s choreography is proficient overall though not particularly inventive. The two pas de deux are warm though lacking emotional depth.
Hong Kong Ballet – Giselle – Hong Kong
Keshyshev made a remarkable debut as Albrecht, partnering Zhang Si Yuan who was also dancing Giselle for the very first time. Both dancers were so confident, and assured, that it was hard to believe that they were actually making debuts…
Bordeaux Opera Ballet – In The Steps Of Petipa and 4 Tendances – Hong Kong
The company brought two contrasting programmes, one classical, In the Steps of Petipa, and one modern, 4 Tendances (Four Tendencies). Of the two, the dancers looked far more at home in the contemporary pieces…
Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch – Der Fensterputzer – London
Underpinning all of these familiar devices is the remarkable, intoxicating charisma of this extended family of performers, many of whom have been with the company for 30+ years. They continue to represent, with a comfortable faultless ease, Bausch’s unique cultural legacy…
City Contemporary Dance Company – Blind Chance – Hong Kong
Dominic Wong is one of Hong Kong’s more unpredictable choreographers. Each new work he creates seems to explore a new direction and Blind Chance, his latest creation for City Contemporary Dance Company (CCDC), is no exception.
Hong Kong Ballet – Turandot – Hong Kong
…in late March the troupe revived Turandot, created in 2003 by the Australian choreographer, Natalie Weir, and one of the best works premiered during the tenure of the former artistic director, Stephen Jefferies.
Hong Kong Arts Festival – Lyon Opera Ballet, Les Ballets De Monte Carlo and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui
Local audiences also saw the return of the Lyon Opera Ballet. Their mixed programme consisted of two ballets by Benjamin Millepied, a ballet by Maguy Marin, and best of all, Balanchine’s masterpiece, Concerto Barocco, staged by Nanette Glushak.
Les Ballets De Monte Carlo – Le Songe – Hong Kong
Anyone who went to Les Ballets de Monte Carlo’s Le Songe, artistic director Jean-Christophe Maillot’s version of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream expecting a family show will have been in for a shock. Packed with graphic sexual imagery from start to finish, this is the kind of production that has small children asking “What are they doing, Mummy?”…
Lyon Opera Ballet – Hong Kong Arts Festival quad bill – Hong Kong
Grosse Fugue by Maguy Marin… Performed with energy by the dancers and received with rapturous applause by some of the audience, this is either genius at work or less fun than watching paint dry, depending on your point of view.
