ToThePointe's Top 5 Highlights of 2016

Joint 5th Position: Francesca Hayward, Marcelino Sambe and James Hay all master Ashton

2016 saw Francesca Hayward promoted to Principal at the Royal Ballet. It was quite a year for the rising star and she returned to the new season following the summer break with a stellar performance alongside the great Marcelino Sambe in Frederick Ashton’s La Fille mal gardee. The performance received roars of applause and standing ovations from the audience, rightly so, as the two leaped and laughed their way through this sunny ballet. Any audience member who’d had a bad day would have left smiling and not only was I blown away by the humour and affection between Hayward and Sambe, but I was also struck by their developed technique. Each lift and hold was executed brilliantly and both seemed to understand the Ashton style of dancing. It was bright and uplifting and I haven’t heard a bad word said about it. Another highlight from Hayward was her role in Ashton’s Rhapsody with James Hay. I wrote at the time that I didn’t have words to describe their performance and even now I have a limited vocabulary to use. Their performance can only been seen, you have to feel what they do on stage and live through it with them. A ballet without a narrative, they had the ability to move me and bring me to tears, to evoke passion, romance and solace just through the clarity of their movement and care towards each other. I hope this returns and I hope they dance it together again as it was serenely beautiful.

4th Place: Brandon Lawrence and Delia Mathews in Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Nutcracker

The beauty in this budding partnership is that both Lawrence and Mathews dance for each other. Their grand pas de deux in The Nutcracker was so classy and elegant and they really presented themselves to each other. When they both do their solos there is no bravado or ‘look at me’ ego, in fact you don’t really feel that they are aware of the audience, instead it’s as if they are presenting a gift to their partner; it’s a very warm and romantic thing to watch. Lawrence places Mathews around the stage as if she is delicate glass; he seems to take very good care of her and shows strength as her partner. They are clearly comfortable dancing with each other which puts the audience at ease as we can just sit back and enjoy the beauty of their dancing. I loved that when they re-join each other after their solos, there is a joyous connection as they lock eyes with each other and finish it all off with energy and ease. It reminded me of a moment in Singing in the Rain during the bizarre section of the ‘Broadway Melody’ where Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse romantically dance together. The camera blurs all of the surrounding dancers out until eventually no-one else is in shot other than Kelly and Charisse, highlighting that they only have eyes for each other. Something similar seems to happen when Lawrence and Mathews dance together. You get a sense that everyone else on stage and in the auditorium fades away and the focus is purely on each other. This type of chemistry and elegance in ballet is pure class, and to see it in a ballet such as The Nutcracker is quite simply breathtaking.

3rd Place: Graeme Murphy's Swan Lake with The Australian Ballet

Graeme Murphy’s production of Swan Lake was one of the best things I had seen for a long time. The costumes and sets were stylish, the reworking of the story made total sense and his choreographic language was fresh and exciting. Everything about it was incredible from the talent of the company (I would love to see more of them over here) to the mash up of the score (Murphy cuts and chops the order of the music which worked exceptionally well in telling his story). I like that he delves into the psychology of the characters, the swans appearing as a vision to symbolise the deterioration of Odette’s mental state. As the Royal Ballet’s classic production of Swan Lake hung up its feathers last year, I would happily watch Murphy’s modern production any day and I think Liam Scarlett has pretty giant shoes to fill when he tackles the new production of this ballet for the Royal Ballet. It’s been done so many times and new re-workings and productions ceaselessly appear in company repertoires across the globe. Murphy need not worry, however, as what he has done with this classic will stand the test of time.

2nd Place: Akram Khan Tackles Giselle for English National Ballet

Commissioning renowned choreographer Akram Khan to do a re-working of the timeless classic Giselle was a bold and risky move for ENB’s Artistic Director, Tamara Rojo. His experience with contemporary styles of dance and his training in traditional Indian Kathak dancing doesn’t naturally conjure up storytelling of the peasants and Wilis found in Giselle; however, Khan cleverly took elements of the story and choreographed an exceptional new version of the ballet. The ballet was rich in choreography and Khan was able to convey the same themes of betrayal and tragedy as found in the classic version. The music was also fabulous and snippets from the original score were elongated and set to an Indian style, making a haunting and energetic composition for the company to dance to. Cesar Corrales stole the show for me in the opening night’s cast and I was blown away by his talent and his cool demeanour. I would watch this guy perform every night of the week and can’t wait to catch him in something more classical to see his range. The only problem with Khan’s Giselle is that the run was too short as I have already wailed when I first wrote about it. It’s a ballet that everyone should see, whether a ballet newbie or an experienced watcher, as it brings out something for everyone.

1st Place: Backstage at the Bolshoi

I think that my favourite moment from the past year has to be sitting in the wings during the Bolshoi’s performance of Swan Lake. Sure the Russian version of the ballet isn’t the best in the world, contrary to popular belief, but experiencing it all up close, behind the curtain, was something I will never forget. It was the first time I had ever sat in the wings and what a place to start, at the Royal Opera House with the Bolshoi Ballet. I was with my mum who couldn’t believe it either; having grown up in 70s New York she explained to me that seeing the Russian Ballet used to be like gold dust due to the infrequency of their visits during that period. Mum told me how we take it for granted that we can see them freely and regularly now and she almost had to pinch herself that the company were running on and off stage right before her. I was equally excited but more so to get a sense of the rush of performing. I loved watching the tutued girls stretching out, legs by their ears, having a giggle with each other before running onto the stage. All conversations were then picked up once back in the wings and you start to understand how the art of performing is second nature for them. What is also shocking is how athletic each dancer is. You really notice it up close as they run off, grunting and breathing heavily, each muscle pulsating and each breath immense. You really feel the struggle and push that their bodies are going through and the dedication they all have. I didn’t envy them as I sat comfortably in my chair, warm and snug. It’s such an incredible sight to watch as the swans run on and off the stage, and we were so fortunate to have Olga Smirnova walking around right in front of us. She epitomises those artists who take their craft very seriously and with every pass by our seats, I was in awe of her statuesque presence. The opportunity to witness not only the Bolshoi up close, but the workings of the stage managers and technical guys was a treat I will replay in my memory for years to come; I only wish I could do it again soon!