Review: Ballet Nights New Voices, Ministry of Sound

Review: Ballet Nights New Voices, Ministry of Sound

Summary

Rating

60

Good

The usually reliable dance showcase loses its magic in a new location.

Having a dance show in a club is a fun idea, but there’s a reason that it hasn’t yet caught on as a format.

At Ballet Nights New Voices, the obvious issue with the location emerges almost immediately: it’s impossible to see the dancers. Gathered around on the dance floor, those in the audience who aren’t in the front row are left to peer over the heads of others, trying to catch a glimpse of the performances going on just metres from where they stand. It’s hard to take in any of the opening pieces in their entirety; the second act of the night, from Ballet Nights protegees Cydney Watson and Liam Woodvine, is staged between the balcony and the main space. If audience members aren’t at the right angle, it’s easy to miss half of what is a striking and engaging duet.

Because the pieces haven’t been choreographed to fit the setting, the proportion of the audience who will actually be able to see each performance is minimal. Attempts are made to use the space to its fullest, but these seem like afterthoughts most of the time. In the third performance of the night, ‘Gathering Rhythms’, some of the dancers are elevated on the bar — but they’re standing behind most of the audience, facing their counterparts on the makeshift stage. It’s neither an immersive experience nor a traditional one, and ends up just being slightly frustrating.

Moving into the second room of the club, which has an elevated stage at the front of the room, is a slight improvement. The majority of the performances take place here, and while the location makes it a little easier to see it’s unignorable that this venue simply isn’t set up for dance. The sightlines are off no matter where you stand, and with the constant jostling and bobbing heads it’s difficult to appreciate the work being done on stage.

When it is possible to see them, the dancers are stunning to watch. James Cousins’ ‘Jealousy’, a sensuous and strenuous portrayal of an imagined affair between two lovers, is immensely ambitious. Performed by Brenda Lee Grecht and Tom Davis Dunn, the physical toll it takes on its performers occasionally detracts from the artistry of the piece but, equally, enhances the narrative.

In a complete change of tone, this is swiftly followed by ‘Splice’ from Hannah Ekholm and Faye Steoser (together Ekleido), a piece that wouldn’t seem out of place at Cirque du Soleil. The pair contort and intertwine in a hypnotic, almost haunting depiction of a digital puzzle, their sharp and coordinated movements and strong narrative extremely engaging. Ekleido are certainly one to look out for, and perfectly fit the New Voices intention of bringing truly contemporary works to the stage.

A regular of Ballet Nights, Felicity Chadwick is consistently a delight to watch. At this instalment she takes on Nicholas Shoesmith’s ‘Insomnia’, a short piece which highlights her ability to truly inhabit a dance and its narrative. At previous Ballet Nights events Chadwick has danced Joshua Junker’s ‘324a’, which the choreographer himself takes to the stage to perform this evening. Watching a choreographer dance their own work is always a special experience, and this is no exception —Junker’s connection to his piece is mesmeric, and adds another layer to what is already a beautiful work.

As usual, Ballet Nights serves to highlight incredible work from incredible dancers. It’s a shame that, as they branch out into a new location, their skill has become more difficult to appreciate.

---

Ballet Nights Founder & Artistic Director: Jamiel Devernay-Laurence

Music by: Guy Salim (One) and Ben Frost (Jealousy)

Choreography by:

Joshua Junker (324a)

James Pett & Travis Clausen-Knight (Nerve Wire)

James Cousins Company (Jealousy)

Jamiel Laurence Creation (Spirit of the Machine)

Nicholas Shoesmith (Insomnia)

Ekleido (Splice)

Kennedy Junior Muntanga (One)

Watson & Woodwine (Your Ghost)

Manon Servage, Sophie Quay, Zach Parkin & Ivan Merino Gaspar (Gathering Rhythms)

Ballets Nights New Voices was a one night only perfomance at Ministry of Sound.

You can find out more about Ballet Nights here.