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An evening of excellence with some of the dance world’s most exciting talentSummary
Rating
Excellent
Canary Wharf is not the first place that comes to mind when you think ‘world-class dance’. Banking, yes; ballet, maybe not. But tucked behind the Docklands Museum is Lanterns Studio Theatre, a performance space where dancers from the upper echelons of ballet and contemporary dance grace the stage with talent that is rarely seen at such close range.
The small scale of the venue makes Ballet Nights: A Grand Finale a startlingly intimate experience. The dancers’ breath can be heard, the contortions of their bodies seen in greater focus. It’s not that the performance aspect is lacking – far from it – but rather that the physical exertion and skill of the art is more apparent than it may be on a more traditional stage.
It helps that the studio is designed without distractions. There’s nowhere to look but the dancers; no backdrops, no tricks of the light. While this may be nerve wracking for the performers who have nowhere to hide, it serves to enhance the audience’s appreciation for the sheer force of talent mere metres from their seats.
Programming for the night has been carefully thought out, bouncing between contemporary and traditional, staccato and fluid in a way that brings out the best in each piece. There’s also an interesting balance of highly personal modern compositions, such as Acosta Danza alumnus Yasser D’Oquendo’s UTOPIA (The Way Is Inside), and Joshua Junker’s 324a, performed by Felicity Chadwick, along with more widely recognised works such as the Esmerelda variation (Marius Petipa) from Ivana Bueno.
Introducing each piece and sharing further information on the company and its work throughout the evening, compère Jamiel Devernay-Laurence (former soloist at Scottish Ballet) explains that the dancers choose what they want to perform. This freedom accounts not only for the eclectic mix, but also for the sheer enthusiasm and care from the performers during their chosen pieces.
The music, too, never risks monotony. Each act opens with a captivating solo performance from pianist Viktor Erik Emanuel, who accompanies a number of the dancers throughout the evening. Heisei 9 stands out as an especially vibrant collaboration, danced to the unexpected soundtrack of Nobuo Uematsu’s score for Final Fantasy VII. This piece, performed by Constance Devernay‑Laurence, in a stylish purple bodysuit designed by Stevie Stewart, matches the exciting, adventurous tone of the music. Sharp movements and precise hand gestures create a compelling sequence that’s difficult to draw your eyes away from.
Particular highlights come at the end of both acts, the first concluding with In The Middle, Somewhat Elevated and the second with the famed Don Quixote suite. The latter is billed as ‘a Ballet Nights favourite’, and Katja Khaniukova and Aitor Arrieta Coca’s skilled, meticulous performance is certainly well-received by the applauding crowd.
In The Middle…, Devernay-Laurence tells the audience, is a somewhat last-minute addition to the programme following Steven McRae, principal dancer at The Royal Ballet, sustaining an injury. In his stead, English National Ballet’s Sangeun Lee and Gareth Haw step in with an immaculate rendition of William Forsythe’s tense, push-pull pas de deux. The dancers’ connection is incredible, the two moving as a unit and balancing one another perfectly throughout the notoriously challenging piece.
What really ties the night together is the passion – from the dancers, from Devernay-Laurence and from the audience.
A Grand Finale is the last of the company’s three-show autumn season, and many of those seated in front of the sprung floor are return guests. With plans for the 2024 season well underway, those same ballet fanatics are sure to be clearing their diaries for whatever comes next – and advising their friends to do the same.
Ballet Nights: A Grand Finale has now completed its run.
