Eva Kistrup: Same Procedure as Last Year?

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The Hübbery

Royal Danish Ballet

The Old Stage

May 6, 2017

In all this season is one of the bests season, during Nikolaj Hübbe’s reign at the Royal Danish Ballet. We have been able to enjoy a long list of fine and impressive productions like “Swan Lake”, “Giselle”, “Alice”, “Beginning and Ending”, “Infra”, “Vertical Road” and a healthy dose of Balanchine, including “Jewels”, “Theme & Variations” and “Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux”. One can almost forgive that Bournonville practically is sitting this season out.

However, one standard component is in need of resurrection and that is the concept “The Hübbery”, originally started as an aim to bring in non-converted ballet ignorants by mixing ballet with other forms of arts and entertainments, thereby hoping to broaden the ballet audience base.

The concept has run out of steam several seasons ago. Apperantly there is no longer finance to bring in leading pop and stand up stars. Instead the non-ballet components is filled by little known acts, forced concepts and promos for other Royal Theatre events. The performances are struggling to match the chosen theme.

Regarding the ballet components, one also gets the feeling of hasty last minutes decisions and easy solutions. Tying the ballet components to the chosen theme often is done by almost non-existing arguments.

I do understand the reasons for not using all the company energy on a one-evening-only performance. However, there is no reason why Nikolaj Hübbe should stick to this concept. There are so many other options to fill three or four evenings. Make another batch of Dance2Go evenings. Use the space to promote upcoming productions. Why did we not get a taste of Cathy Marston’s “Liason Dangereux “, currently being created on the RDB?

Leading Man Leaving

This evening’s ballet components was Jiri Kylian’s “Falling Angels” which was a part of recent “Giant Steps” program, The Pas de Deux from “Rubies” and the tarantella from “Napoli 3 act”. Every item was danced to perfection by the best of RDB’s stars. However, it did seems like the easy options.

In addition, Nikolaj Hübbe did a run through of James solo from “La Sylphide” with Principal Ulrik Birkkjær.

Birkkjær has dance the role as James for a decade, but last night he was not allowed a voice on how he would interpret the role. Hübbe wanted the solo danced with as much panache as possible and he kept pushing for bigger moves and shared tricks on how to appear grander on stage.

On the same day, Ulrik Birkkjær has announced on his facebook account that he will take a longer break from RDB to pursue other options.

The decision will leave the RDB without one of its strongest card and as importantly a star, who knows and love the Danish tradition. Ulrik Birkkjær has not only taken part in international tours, he has also directed and organized Bournonville tours to UK and USA with fellow RDB dancers with great success. He has performed regularly with Los Angeles Ballet.

Ulrik Birkkjær has danced almost all leading roles in the Danish and international repertoire. Six month after he was made principal, young Alban Lendorf got his breakthrough, and that redefined male dancing at RDB. The repertoire was then tailored to Lendorf’s streghts and needs, and the other leading male dancers often found themselves relegated to second and third cast or to supporting roles.

Birkkjær did some of his best work in the RDB’s Neumeier ballets, especially as Armand in “Lady of the Camelias” with Gudrun Bojesen. He was also Romeo in Neumeiers version. In the last run Neumeier decided to use Birkkjær as Lord Capulet, a role usually reserved for older character dancers. Nevertheless, it became one of his strongest performances.

One thing I feel he has been denied is the possibility to form a great partnership. He has danced with most ballerinas, especially the taller ones, but has seldom been allowed to continue the partnership over time. In Diamonds, Birkkjær was very successfully paired with Caroline Baldwin, and it looked a partnership with a high potential.

Over the last seasons, Birkkjær has developed into a fine mature dancer, also in modern works like Kim Brandstrup’s “Shaken Mirrors” and Liam Scarlett’s “Viscera.”

Hopefully, the new move will offer him strong artistic challenges.

Photos of Ulrik Birkkjær as James in "La Sylphide" and "The Lady of the Camelias" by Costin Radu (Copyright(c) Royal Danish Ballet"