'She Persisted' at English National Ballet

It’s almost surprising that a ballet about Frida Kahlo’s life wasn’t created earlier than 2016 when Annabelle Lopez Ochoa created ‘Broken Wings’. Kahlo’s life was colourful in every sense of the word so to apply this to dance seems like a no brainer. I had only ever heard great things about ‘Broken Wings’ and so was excited to see it for the first time in this wonderful programme ‘She Persisted’ from English National Ballet. The role was originally created on Tamara Rojo so Katja Khaniukova had some pretty big shoes to fill for her début on opening night at Sadler’s Wells. I had only really seen Khaniukova in one other leading part and that was as Lescaut’s Mistress in Manon earlier this season. I liked her but didn’t think too much else, but as Kahlo she completely shone. She was small and cheeky but powerful and strong willed. I found her very emotional actually, as she brilliantly conveyed the difficult struggles the painter faced throughout her life. I absolutely loved watching Irek Mukhamedov on stage again as he danced the role of Diego Rivera, Khalo’s lifelong lover and partner. Mukhamedov proves that once a dancer, always a dancer. He is so expressive in his face and I felt that the moments between him and Khaniukova were very tender and emotional. He has such a strong stage presence but Khaniukova definitely took the limelight with her intelligent portrayal. I really like ‘Broken Wings’ – it’s funny in parts, and I loved the skeleton chorus always surrounding Kahlo, proving reminding her that death was never too far away from her. It was also incredibly colourful and paid homage to Kahlo’s work and talent as a painter. I don’t think it has the most ambitious choreography I’ve ever seen but I liked it and I especially found the final scenes where Kahlo is clearly hallucinating and her life is ending, extremely moving. This is a great way to kick off this bill and definitely a ballet to watch more than once. Funnily enough, my mum said that since seeing the recent Kahlo exhibition at the V&A she understood so much more about Broken Wings. Unfortunately I missed the exhibition but the more I read about Kahlo, I think the more and more I will fall in love with Ochoa’s work.

Katja Khaniukova and English National Ballet in 'Broken Wings' photo by Laurent Liotardo

As far as I’m concerned, Stina Quagebeur should quit the dancing and take up choreography full time. Her talent is very clear to see and the way she depicts a story is beautifully told through some extremely impressive choreography. Her piece ‘Nora’ is based on Ibsen’s play ‘A Doll’s House’ - a work I know nothing about. I briefly read the synopsis in the programme (which I think needs a bit of work actually for all three pieces) and panicked slightly that Quagebeur was going to be telling an entire book in a half hour dance slot. Instead she really honed in and focused on the relationship between Nora and her husband and the conflict that ensues over finances. With only three characters on stage as part of the main narrative, it was much easier to follow. I really thought it was clever to focus on their relationship because exploring a range of emotions is clearly Quagebeur’s strength. I completely fell in love with her choreography and the way she told a story. She was able to explain an entire marriage and every emotion that goes with it through her movement. The cast is also perfect. Jeffrey Cirio is on fire in this ballet, whizzing around the stage during bursts of anger. He adds a lot of depth and flavour to the role and is perfectly matched by Crystal Costa. They make a fine pairing and bounce so well off each other during their moments together. Costa brings a real elegance to Nora and makes her character so real. We can understand every emotion she is feeling and she is clear and convincing in her depiction of the role character. Junor Souza has long been an ENB favourite of mine and he too brought so much life to the character of Krogstad. He was passionate and expressive and really beautiful to watch. Something I really enjoyed about the performance was the inclusion of a ‘chorus’ - a group of dancers present on stage who were depicting the thoughts and worries in Nora’s mind. Although Quagebeur’s choreography on its own is sophisticated enough to detail the emotions between the couple, the inclusion of the chorus adds another layer to the piece, making it more about the psychology of Nora’s character and the journey she goes through, rather than the larger narrative of the story. This is a refined and grown-up work and you’d assume it was created by a choreographer who had many years of experience under her belt. I look forward to seeing its revival soon as I have no doubt this will become cemented in the company’s repertoire.

Crystal Costa and English National Ballet in 'Nora' photo by Laurent Liotardo

I’ve seen a fair few versions of the Rite of Spring, all of which I’ve liked, but none is more literal, brutal and terrifying than Pina Bausch’s take: ‘Le Sacre du Printemps’. Never was there a clearer depiction of sacrificial ceremony than in this work. She is able to terrify her audience through her exceptional choreography. Stravinsky’s music completely sets the scene; right from that opening note you can feel tension brewing in the air. I love the paths of light on stage during the opening of these bars of music with the women running across the stage. It reminded me of running deer, afraid of noises they could hear coming for them. Bausch cleverly builds up her choreography alongside the crescendo of Stravinsky’s score and when it reaches its climactic moment we cannot think of anything other than what is unfolding on stage. There is such brutality to the piece and I think you could interpret it all in many ways. It tells a story we know very well - one of human nature and the tests we face. What is so great about stories like, say, ‘Lord of the Flies’, is that they can so easily be applied to modern day life. I’ve met a few ‘Piggys’ in my time and you don’t need to go further than numerous offices to find that humans left to their own devices can act in questionable ways. Bausch’s ‘Le Sacre du Printemps’ is in the same category. On the surface we have a collective of people in earthy surroundings (literally, the stage is covered in dirt that is kicked, trampled and flung) where one member of the pack must be sacrificed. It seems it must be a female and it must be once they have become women (when the women cup their breasts and terror flashes across their faces, we assume they have realised that the fate for one of their own has been decided). Beneath all of this though we find a story of human nature and the relationship between men and women in its most basic form. Imposing and violent men versus fertile and oppressed women. We don’t need to step too far out of Sadler’s Wells to know that this can still apply. The more I see this work not only do I like it more but I feel I understand it more. Perhaps this also has something to do with being older each time I watch it. I’d never seen Francesca Velicu as the Chosen One but had previously heard many great things so I was extremely happy when she was chosen on stage. Velicu says it all in her face about the terror and fear she is feeling. She must dance until her death and the choreography for this is so visceral and exhausting. I was tired just watching her and that had nothing to do with the glasses of wine I downed during the interval. She put every centimetre of energy she had into the performance and her shaking, tranced body depicted the strain the sacrifice was taking on her. She was truly incredible to watch and looked so terrified and small in comparison to James Streeter who played the ‘chooser’, shall we say, in all of his macho and dominating glory. I’d go so far as to argue that this work should be seen by everyone. The story it tells is completely timeless, the choreography will never age and that music will always be the most haunting you will ever hear.

Francesca Velicu and English National Ballet in 'Le Sacre du Printemps' photo by Laurent Liotardo

This is a great triple bill and one that all should see. A programme dedicated to female choreographers is an important reason to go in itself, but what a treat to find that such talent is present on the stage too. Sometimes triple bills can leave you feeling a bit bewildered or disappointed but 'She Persisted' is worth every penny and will leave you feeling full and nourished. A night spent with rich art, dance and music can only ever be wonderful for the soul and that’s exactly how I felt after leaving Sadler’s Wells.

*With thanks to Laura Nixon and English National Ballet