ToThePointe's Ones to Watch in 2018
It’s a new year which means more dance and ballet yippee! I found it too difficult this year to choose my highlights from 2017 so have chosen instead to look forward to some of the talent that I think you should be noticing in 2018. Here is my list of ones to watch this year…
Tiffany Hedman, English National Ballet Currently dancing as a junior soloist at English National Ballet, Tiffany is quite possibly the coolest dancer in the company. With a trademark sharp blonde bob and tall limbs she is hard to miss on a stage. I recently saw her dance in Song of the Earth and thought she was stylish and graceful and also quite cheery which I liked. So often this ballet can go wrong and feel unbelievably heavy and depressing but I think it naturally calls for moments of hope and serenity which are sometimes overlooked. Not by Hedman. She danced her way through her segment with positivity and grace. The first time I really noticed her though was in William Forsythe's In The Middle Somewhat Elevated, a piece of dance that I actually don’t like. I find the music and the choreography too repetitive and I really think it needs some American pizazz to make it watchable. In walk Tiffany Hedman. She made this ballet cool and current, bending and twisting her body just like a Forsythe dancer. She gave the role some attitude and matched, if not topped, the bravado of others on stage (looking at you Corrales). There’s something about Hedman that I really like. She may not be your typical classical ballerina, but she’s bringing something fresh to the art form which I’ll always support.
Isabelle Brouwers, English National Ballet I first noticed Isabelle when she danced the role of Myrtha in Mary Skeaping’s version of Giselle. Not a bad way to get noticed and the decision to give her what I consider one of the great roles in classical ballet really paid off. Technically she was so impressive with high jumps, light landings and fast pirouettes. She also mastered the character, frequently smirking but always looking firm and frightening. I later caught sight of Isabelle as one of the girls in Pina Bausch’s Rite of Spring. She proved her acting talent throughout and she was the only one I saw who looked completely terrorised by the sacrificial situation. She made it all even more harrowing and I would like to see her again but this time as the lead female. In fact, I’d like to see her in more leading roles full stop. Maureya Lebowitz, Birmingham Royal Ballet
Maureya Lebowitz has all of the makings of becoming a big name at Birmingham Royal Ballet. I always seem to notice her in the corps, but it was her turn as the Ram in Still Life at the Penguin Café that made me sit up a bit more and take notice. She was elegant, with a super cool demeanour. I think that the Ram scene is actually my favourite part of Still Life but Maureya elevated it even more. She’s edgy and cool but it looks to me like she’s going to be lovely in leading classical roles. Watch this space…
William Bracewell, The Royal Ballet
This is William Bracewell’s first season at the Royal Ballet and so far he’s made a good impression. He was given the opportunity to dance the Prince in The Nutcracker alongside Fumi Kaneko’s Sugar Plum Fairy *swoon* and although a little too hasty and eager to please at times, he showed why he was hired as a Soloist within the company. He came onto the stage raring to go, but he doesn’t actually need to prove himself – he’s already there. I think with more experience in bigger roles and more opportunities to practice his partnering, we are going to be watching a budding Principal. I also hope to see him dance more with Kaneko as together they were quite special.
Calvin Richardson, The Royal Ballet
Calvin Richardson is currently one of my favourite male dancers to watch. He is unbelievably stylish and elegant, with beautiful arms and a tall frame, this guy is going far. I think this is a dancer who will be able to master an array of styles. He’s wonderful in contemporary pieces, but also has such a classical frame. He could be a Prince one night and a McGregor pretzel the next. I think it’s time he starts getting more roles as it’s pretty clear he can do them all. I’d like to see him in a princely role, I’d like to see him in MacMillan and I’d like to see him in Ashton. Actually scrap that. I think I’d just like to see him in everything!
Isabella Gasparini, The Royal Ballet
If you’re having a crap day at work, if it’s dark outside when you wake up and your hair gets soaked in the rain and everything is just seeming a bit blurgh, think about Isabella Gasparini’s smile and it will be sure to cheer you up. She gives Marianela Nunez’s beam a run for its money. She is so warm and cheery and clearly just loves to dance. It’s special to see. She’s also a lovely dancer and very comfortable and confident on stage as shown when she dances Clara in The Nutcracker. I want to watch this dancer more and more and I want to see what else she is capable of. I hope that we start to see her in some soloist roles over the next few months, because no matter what happens, if Gasparini’s smiling on stage then so am I. Whatever the weather.