Giant Steps:
Wayne McGregor:
”Infra”
Jiri Kylian:
“Falling Angels”
Akram Kahn:
“Vertical Road”
Royal Danish Ballet
The Old Stage
March 10. 2017
Last Season Nikolaj Hübbe took the risk and used the autumn season to present modern ballets, created on the company. Unfortunately, none of the three works created were very good, so it is understandable that this year’s major modern-themed night consists of ballets created elsewhere by top notch choreographers Wayne McGregor, Jiri Kylian and Akram Khan. The Royal Danish Ballet has a long record of Kylian ballets including “Silk & Knife”, a whole evening of primarily never Kylian works. They have also danced McGregor’s “Chroma”. Akram Khan has not worked with the company before, but he has performed his solo work “Desh” at The Royal Theatre in 2013.
Walking in Sorrow
Last week audiences were invited to see a rehearsal of “Infra”, led by McGregor’s assistant Jenny Tattersall. She explains McGregor’s working methods and she was determined that she did not wanted the RDB´dancers to ad interpretations and personality. That made me a bit worried, because frankly that is one of the core qualities in the ensemble. McGregor joined the team for the last week of rehearsals and I can now put my fears at rest. The RDB cast turned out a beautiful and touching performance while delivering the sharp and edgy choreography. McGregor’s inspiration is the terror attacks on London traffic in 2007 and the effect of the population.
The ballet is constructed around 12 dancers who pairs up in various combinations, duos, trios and ensemble dancing. At one point of the ballet the 12 dancers are surrounded by a large corps dressed in everyday wear waking across the stage, creating the London feeling. Following that in the final part of the ballet the theme really turns to the loss and sorrows. And here the RDB dancers really put out their trademarks dramatic skills with very fine performances by J’aime Crandall, Gregory Dean, Ida Praetorius, Andreas Kaas and Stephanie Chen-Gundorph. So, it turned out to be a happy merger between technic and interpretation.
Drummer Girls
The Kylian contribution was “Falling Angels” from 1989, unfortunately not one of his bests works. It actually looks more like an occasion piece. 8 female dancers are all on stage for the full ballets in various combinations working hard to get the semi-comical work across. The have to battle rather unbecoming costumes and monotone music, and they give it their all. But neither the commitment nor energy can cover, that concept and choreography fails to deliver a celebration of strong women.
Considering the depth and quality of the Kylian portfolio, another work could have added more depth, quality and opportunity for the company.
Eastern Promise
Akram Khan is a unique gift to the dance world and a truly original. He can turn “Giselle” into the current refugee situation, he can explain the complex history of Bangladesh in a solo performance and with “Vertical Road” take the RDB audience to an Arcadian desert tribe.
The RDB production of “Vertical Road”, originally created in 2010, includes an updated and absolutely stunning lighting design and as I understand some choreographic additions. The work is inspired by Sufism and the Persian poet Jalad ad-Din Rumi, who lived in the 12th century. It is based on the meeting of a group and a stranger. The group originally appears as an army and moving in tandem, but during the conflict with the stranger, some members gains individuality. The stranger is danced by Sebastian Haynes, who brings his strength, dramatic force and stage appeal to the character. Tobias Praetorius, probably the best modern dancer in the company, is equally impressing as his aggressive counterpart. Stephanie Chen-Gundorph and Astrid Elbo each engage with the stranger. The meeting between the group and the stranger do not end happy although it might look like some magical connection is created.
What Kahn does so well is to move groups of dancers originally. After bringing the group to ground they moves as one organism and later he almost make them into a mechanical machine. The combination of dance, lightning, design and music creates real magic. He can unroyal the RDB- dancers and at the same time makes them even stronger. It is magic in front of your eyes.
How Modern should a Classical Company Be?
Two out of three good ballets in a combo can be considered as an over-average result for RDB. However, what is more important to discuss is how modern should the company be, and should the contemporary works be bought or tailormade?
The RDB has a long track record of mediocre ballets made on the company by first rate choreographers. There are two answers to this fact. Choreographers normally makes the best works on dancers the know well and that the RDB is not used to being choregraphed on. Luckily, since Nikolaj Hübbe decided to buy ready-made solutions for the modern repertoire this season, a miracle has happened. There has been made two outstanding works on the company. Kim Brandrup’s “Shaken Mirror” and Oliver Starpov’s “Beginning and Ending”. It is still early days, but a light has been turned on. Without closing the door on existing choreography, RDB and Nikolaj Hübbe now has a track record and a license to choreograph. Off course the company should still dance existing good modern ballet, but they can be chosen as a supplement to in-house work, not as the only opportunity.
Photos by Costin Radu (Copyright (c) Royal Danish Ballet
- Ida Praetorius and Gregory Dean in "Infra"
- Andreas Kaas in "Infra"
- Ensemble in "Fallen Angels"
- Tobias Praetorius in "Vertical Road"
- Sebastian Haynes and Stephanie Chen-Gundorph in Vertical Roads
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