If the choreography was a mixed bag there was a clear flip side, or rather two. This year's standard, particularly on the boys' side, gave cause for celebration at the strength on show...
Tag - Valentino Zucchetti
6 pictures of a unique Rite of Spring danced by thirty 9-10 year olds. Pictures by Sim Canetty-Clarke, courtesy the Royal Opera House.
The most unexpectedly delightful piece for me, and one looking rounded and finished in its 10 minutes, came from Mayuri Boonham... She joined Indian and ballet traditions...
For Immediate Release The Royal Ballet’s Ryoichi Hirano and Alexander Campbell have been promoted to First Soloists in the recent Company promotions. Ryoichi, 28 from Japan, joined The Royal Ballet in 2002 and was promoted to Soloist in 2008. Sydney-born Alexander, 25, joined the Company as a Soloist at the beginning of this season . Congratulations also go to Beatriz Stix-Brunell, Claire...
The compere of the evening was Anthony Dowell, in fine voice. He spoke the narration, enacted several of the characters and gallantly danced the ‘Fred step’ from Pavlova’s 'Gavotte' with Ursula Hageli as Anna.
This is turning out to be a very good season for Kenneth MacMillan's Song of the Earth. We saw a deeply moving interpretation from Scottish Ballet at Sadler's Wells a couple of months ago, and last night, as the second half of a Royal Ballet double bill, it again looked like a masterpiece.
Good to see Draft Works in the larger Linbury Theatre and as ever much fun to spot rising choreographic and dance stars closer than normal...