Danish Dance Theatre:
Copenhagen Summer Dance
August 9, 2019
Ofelia Beach
I cannot remember a year where the Danish ballet companies put up so many summer performance and tours. In top of two international tours, organized by Royal Danish Ballet dancers to New York and Mongolia and the annual “Copenhagen Summer Dance” produced by Danish Dance Theatre, there is also ”World Ballet” primarily featuring British Royal Ballet dancers and Royal Danish Ballet´s own annual tour to the Danish provinces. The Pantomime Theatre in TIVOLI is also presenting small-scale ballets on top of the classic pantomimes.
Oon top of these we will get an another helping from “The Chamber Ballet” produced by RDB dancer Tobias Praetorius and a ballet created by Alban Lendorf at the Bellevue Theatre. This ballet is inspired by world leading Danish architects. I will review these two productions next week.
Copenhagen Summer Dance has been a mainstay on the Copenhagen summer scene for more than a decade. Until last year, CSD took place in one of the most beautiful outdoor rooms in Denmark, the rotunda at the Police headquarters. Unfortunately, terror treats made it impossible to continue the free flow of people into the heart of the police quarters.
Dancing on the Water
It became necessary to find a new venue for Copenhagen Summer Dance. The solution was Ofelia Beach a large area next to the Royal Theatres new drama house with beautiful views over the harbor. Compared to the police yard, the stage lack definition and at times the many sailors passing by get more attention than the dancers do. Last year’s performance even included a small collision between two sails ships. The dancers have to work harder to keep the publics attention.
Last season, DDT leader for many years Tim Rushton decided to retire, and Swedish choreographer Pontus Lidberg took over the company. On this year’s program, he presented two of his own works.
Classical Virtues
The pas de deux “Daybreak” to Samuel Barber´s String Quartet in B Minor originally choreographed by Pontus Lidberg for Bridgett Zear.
At Ofelia Beach, RDB ballerina Ida Praetorius and Ulrik Birkkjær, who left RDB last year and is now a very successful principal at “San Francisco Ballet" created a magic performance of the piece.
Ulrik Birkkjær has also organized a tour to New York this summer, primarily featuring Bournonville high lights. In this oeuvre, he is taken on the responsibility for our national heritage. A heritage which is a present neglected by Artistic Director, Nikolaj Hübbe.
Pontus Lindbergh’s second contribution was a preview of his upcoming ballet “River” for the DDT Company. We only got a short glimpse, but was we saw was very dynamic and interesting.
Getting it almost Right
Pontus Lindberg has also in the good DDT manner invited two other chorographers to show their stuff. However, both Ionnis Mandafouris and Roy Assaf who both presented interesting work do not know when to stop. Both ballets simple runs much too long and ends up killing what could have been very good.
Mandafouris is showing remarkable energy in “Make sure you have exhausted all that is communicated through stillness and silence” but becomes to repetitive.
“The Hill” by Roy Assaf start out very well focusing on three men, whom we soon understand is soldiers. The choreography in inventive and funny in places. It just go on too long.
Compared to last season´s performances at Ofelia Beach, this was a much stronger performance where especially Pontus Lidberg gave us confidence in his leadership and choreography.
Photos by Søren Meisner- Copyright(c) Danish Dance Theatre:
- DDT ensemple in "River"
- Ida Praetorius and Ulrik Birkkjær in "Daybreak"
- IoannisMandafounis in "ake Sure.....
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