A watercolour, a tango and a feud – and not a dancer out of step!
Northern Ballet presents a new work and two revivals so different in tone as to suggest three separate evenings, though the dancers navigate deftly from one to the other.
Grandes Études, by Tiler Peck (principal of New York City Ballet and its new choreographic associate), a typically neoclassical plotless ballet of about 30 minutes set to Liszt’s Grande Etudes by pianist Rose McLachlan. Peck takes his cue from the piano music, which sets the tempo for turns, the changing of positions and a witty fluttering of the women’s hands as repeated motifs as the movement from one formation to another keeps the plotless going punctuated by some light-hearted exchanges. The programme notes by Carly Marsh for the costumes are also a delight; her use of gentle pastel colours and flowing dresses for the women and loose trousers and sleeveless shirts for the men creates the illusion of a watercolour painting, the performance played with a fluid touch and answered by dancing that seems to run like water.
Hans van Manen’s 5 Tangos, created in 1977 to the music of Astor Piazzolla, is the most dramatic work of the programme. The late Dutch choreographer manages to combine the poise of classical ballet to the tension of the Argentine tango. The piece opens with a single woman ringed by men in black, their tops tucked in at the waist and loose around the ribs so that the fabric lifts and billows each time they spin – the woman’s movements suggest she is both the object of the men’s desire and their challenger. Van Manen then introduces a male soloist, whose whirling, fast pirouettes and bent poses punctuate the music, demonstrating the Argentinian dance’s characteristic sensuality.The partnering becomes more intense as the piece progresses, and the overall effect is one of tightly controlled energy that leaves little room for the tangos’s usual fiery passion. Those expecting the full heat of the tango may find the restraint more admirable than incendiary, though the company’s synchronisation is exemplary.
The programme closes with Fools, Mthuthuzeli November’s 2024 work, depicts the classic doomed love story between two young people from feuding communities. Set in South Africa, the set is complete with corrugated-iron panels, a washing line and a single street lamp hanging over a barrel managing to evoke a sense of claustrophobia as the performers keep invading and dividing the space. November’s movement language is unrelenting – dancers leap and drive into the floor as the rhythm accumulates and derived movement sits naturally alongside ballet and contemporary dance. Traditional Nguni fighting sticks appear in the battle scenes while the women fight with short straw brooms. The sound design follows the drama, moving from spoken narration to prayer-like singing and a closing song that turns toward grief. Harris Beattie and Sarah Chun are convincing as the central pair and Antoni Cañellas Artigues brings menace as her brother but the entire production is so well crafted that every member of the cast seems to possess a personality.
Three very different choreographers, three very different ballets and one amazingly versatile company that makes every one of them a world away. The dancers remain compelling throughout the evening,an incredible achievement given the short length of the performance, and an impressive display of the company’s range.
Three Short Ballets runs at the Royal Opera House, London until Friday 2nd October.