This year’s programme celebrated both the classical tradition and the creativity of today’s choreographers, bringing together an exciting mix of established repertoire and original works created especially for English National Ballet School students.
Audiences enjoyed excerpts from The Sleeping Beauty, newly choreographed by Lynne Charles with the assistance of Character teacher Kate Swainston. The classical repertoire sat alongside a diverse collection of new works that highlighted the versatility and artistry of our students.
The programme also featured Before Jupiter, choreographed by Third Year Men’s Tutor Juan Eymar, an all-male work inspired by Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7, exploring themes of masculinity in dance. The piece was performed by men from across all three levels of the school.
“The first piece, Jupiter, by Third Year Men’s tutor Juan Eymar, puts his men through their paces to one of Beethoven’s most accessible symphonies, his seventh. Collective, perky, full of flight and geometric patterning.” Vera Liber, British Theatre Guide
Artistic Director Lynne Charles presented Waltz for Eight, a lyrical work for eight female dancers set to Johann Strauss II’s The Blue Danube, while Guest Choreographer Liam Blair created a new contemporary work especially for the School, Thrum of Bones.
“Choreographed by Liam Blair to vocal and percussive music, and focused on rhythm, with increasingly complex structures, by turns athletic and gentle. It was a demanding ensemble piece and Year 3 did it justice.” – London Unattached
Continuing the School’s commitment to broadening our students’ contemporary experiences, Sarah Sulemanji choreographed Say What?, giving Second Year students the opportunity to explore movement and expression, building on their first year of Graham technique.
” … a fun short piece choreographed by Martha Graham specialist Sarah Sulemanji to music set to Funky Wiggly Lines by Harrison Chang Goldsmith and Alan Watts. Year 2 students in soft shoes, black trousers and white shirts over differently coloured leotards, clearly enjoyed letting their hair down to a funky contemporary piece that seemed to speak to them.” – London Unattached
Following the outstanding response to our performances at the Next Generation Festival at the Linbury Theatre, we were delighted to include Winter by Demis Volpi and Fleeting by Bridget Breiner in our Friday and Saturday performances. Performed by our graduating students, these critically acclaimed works gave Bloomsbury audiences another opportunity to experience two of the festival’s standout performances.
See the gallery from the Next Generation Festival here.