Ballet Black
Cambridge Arts Theatre
Black is the new white.
by Lucy Al-Zoghibi
Ballet is a globally recognised dance form. It is derived from the European royal court grounds with a wealth of history whilst the image of the ballerina epitomises all that is typically feminine. Ballet holds a strong grasp on the idealised: the idealised body and the idealized audience. Ballet Black’s artistic intentions lie within promoting ballet as a multi-ethnic dance form that is not exclusive to white dancers. With this in mind, Ballet Black provides a refreshing insight into the ballet form and some of its possibilities.
Da Gamba is the first piece of the evening’s mixed bill programme. Choreographed by Henri Oguike, the piece features the full company in three male/female couples. Oguike is perhaps out of his more familiar artistic territory, given his status as a leading choreographer in Britain’s contemporary dance scene. An interesting relationship between visual and aural is established through the accompanying Bach suite. A continual conflict between linear and curve, parallel and turnout frequents the movement vocabulary with some intriguing lift work.
To follow, Raymond Chai’s And Thereafter is a quartet. The musical accompaniment is comprised of two movements, which appear disconnected. A howling wind begins and ends the piece. Interestingly, this piece experiments with society’s gender codes. Male dancers show sensitivity to the movement through some intricate arm gestures, whilst the female dancers demonstrate their strength, becoming equal to the partners that they lift.
Human Revolution provides a fusion between ballet and modern dance influences. Hip-hop styles shape the male/female duet into a ‘dance-off’ scene. There is equally matched skill from both dancers as they pop and lock their way around the stage. They fearlessly perform acrobatic stunt work with every sense of style. The piece, in its essence, is aesthetically strong. However, in line with the programme note, the source and meaning of the piece is somewhat lost.
Sextet provides an appropriate conclusion to the programme as Christopher Hampson uses the full company. Athletes, dancers, and lovers characterise and structure the piece as small glimpses into how each element contributes to make a dancer a dancer.
Throughout the bill, music becomes a recurring theme, reinforcing the bold aesthetic. Stylistically, contemporary ballet borders on lyrical jazz as the dancers ooze with soulful interplay between themselves and their movement. Bold lighting frames the black dancing body, accentuating it and, indeed celebrating it.
Ballet Black provides an intense and captivating performance through virtuosic performance skill and a great presence on stage. A memorable performance, challenging ballet as we know it.
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- Ballet Black | Dance review (guardian.co.uk)
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