15 Oct 2024
Deborah Heath checks out the New English Ballet’s Alban Arena show…
New English Ballet Theatre, founded in 2010 by artistic director Karen Pilkington-Miksa MBE, aims to create ballet to “appeal to everyone”. Karen elaborates: “We are dedicated to producing new commissions that represent the versatility and significance of ballet.”
This show, ‘Baroque & Roll’ is the perfect example of their intentions with a range of music from baroque to pop with short pieces of choreography that tell stories, make political comments or simply arise from beautiful music. I applaud their ethos of nurturing young talent in their troupe with many dancers only recently out of training but incredibly proficient. Those of us gathered at the Alban Arena were in for a treat, especially because we don’t get a great deal of dance coming our way!
The show began with ‘Baroque Encounters’, choreographed by Daniela Cardim to Bach Harpsichord Concerto No. 7 and Sonata for Violin and Continuo.
Daniela explains: “I’m always inspired by music to make work…Baroque Encounters explores how the richness and the layers of Bach’s music translate into contemporary ballet, how they can inspire steps, moods and relationships on stage.” The results are the perfect demonstration of strength and grace from her very talented performers.
Bedecked in rich red swathes of layered fabric which were beautifully lit, the dancers used their costumes to great effect during the piece. A particularly haunting moment for me was how they created bird-like shapes in the final movement. I also loved the end tableaux of the first section. There was a great sense of courtly manners throughout which proved how well Daniela’s choreography had been shaped by the music.
Following this was a more light-hearted piece by Constant Vigier entitled ‘Mendelssohn Unbridled’ to Violi Concerto No1 in D minor. The bright blue-lit background set off the costume well and I particularly liked the end position. I didn’t feel the message of this piece came across as clearly as some of the others in this show but the dancing was extremely well composed and executed.
Act II, entirely choreographed by Kristen McNally, had a modern feel and in the case of opening piece ‘Lonesome Gun’ had a story to tell. We were transported into a Western film with the help of music (including ‘The Good, The Bad and the Ugly’), costumes and backdrops but the real praise of course goes to the choreography and six dancers for creating real impact through dance. For instance, moving in unison as horses which was very atmospheric.
The highlight of the whole evening for me was ‘Mad Women’ in which Kristen challenges the idea of the “ideal woman”.
She explains: “I was inspired by an exhibition of photos by British photographer Miles Aldridge in which he created a dream world populated by modified women… These women have evolved into flesh and blood Stepford Wives and men are assumed to be their consumers. Mad Women is me wanting to comment that this isn’t a man’s world, it’s very much a woman’s one.”
Her objectives certainly come across strongly throughout this challenging piece as the women shake off their restrictions. The use of mirrors in the dance was a stroke of genius which really challenged the role of advertising. At the end, when the women gained control, leaving the man to sweep the stage, the message was complete!
Kristen’s final pieces used the music of Genesis to explore relationships. In the two-hander, ‘Invisible Touch’, we could sense the feeling of closeness and rejection without the dancers actually touching each other. ‘I Can’t Dance’ used a larger ensemble and was a high energy feat which demonstrated a masterclass in unison movement.
New English Ballet Theatre certainly live up to their name by commissioning new work and using a young cast to present ballet in new and exciting ways to prove its significance in today’s world. However, it is the ‘Theatre’ that is the icing on the cake because this programme uses dance to tell stories – whether they are Westerns, relationship issues or political allegories.
With their forward-thinking attitude and talented creatives, I believe NEBT have the power to unlock appreciation of ballet in even the most reluctant of viewers. I thoroughly enjoyed this eclectic show and wish NEBT every success. I hope they will grace our Arena again before too long.
