English National Ballet: 'The Forsythe Evening'

To The Pointe sent Simonetta Dixon along to English National Ballet's 'Forsythe Evening' at Sadler's Wells and what an impression it made! Simonetta shares her thoughts on the evening below...

I went along to Sadler’s Wells to see this programme with a mix of trepidation and curiosity. I have always waxed and waned when it comes to William Forsythe’s choreography. Some of it I have really enjoyed, some of it I thought wasn’t much more than gymnastics set to ear-shredding ‘music’. So I am delighted to report that the two halves of this show were joyous examples of the best that Forsythe has to offer.

The first piece, Blake Works 1, is set to music by, you guessed it, James Blake. I had never heard of this singer/songwriter before, and my personal view is that I haven’t been missing much. It’s just not for me…dirge-y and sameish and I was grateful when the interval came that I wouldn’t have to hear any more of it. It wasn’t as bad as a lot of stuff I’ve heard, but it was nowhere near as good, either. But….to each their own. Forsythe obviously likes it as he choreographed this piece using seven of Blake’s songs.

The choreography and, more importantly, its interpretation, were a delight. Excellent dancing to a fascinating treatment of classical ballet steps; some a little off kilter, some with different twists and turns…but all very respectful to the mother of modern dance, and to the music.

The second piece, Play List (EP) is a ballet that was originally created on the men of the company. I saw it during the pandemic, in a half-empty Royal Festival Hall (we were separated from each other because of rules governing how we could attend a theatre, not because the interest wasn’t there) and its fizzing energy made me very happy back then. Now, Forsythe has extended the piece to include women, and to last longer (thus the addition of (EP) to the title). This was a great idea because in its original form, Play List ended way too quickly. Now, it has become a company ensemble piece that is strong, forthright and fun. This is the company saying “we have endured the pandemic. We have survived the pandemic. We are strong. We are in great shape. We are dancing better than ever. We are a cohesive unit.” I loved the choreography. Here is a chance for the company’s men to really show what they can do. Add in the women, all sassy and sexy and sinuous…and what a whole it made. All the dancers kept to the varied music and danced in sync with each other. Such perfect timing; they had clearly worked very hard to get every single step right. Classical steps, again with a twist and to music that we would never normally associate with ballet. Barry White anyone?!

As mentioned, this is a wonderful ensemble piece. Any egos have to be left in the wings. All levels of company artist, from Lead Principal to Artist, share the stage. There is no superiority or pecking order here. Forsythe has chosen dancers he likes and who he could see were going to do beautiful justice to his steps. He doesn’t stand on ceremony and you don’t have to be in the higher ranks to be singled out for a solo or a pas de deux. I love this about Forsythe and it gives the audience a chance to see dancers of all levels shine. Everyone was so good across both performances that it seems almost churlish to single any out, but of particular impact on me were Jeffrey Cirio, Isaac Hernandez, Julia Conway, Emily Suzuki, Shiori Kase, Junor Souza, Francesca Velicu (who always puts her heart and soul into everything she does), Katja Khaniukova, Fernando Carratala Coloma and Erik Woolhouse, whose amazing onstage magnetism and personality always draw my eye. Here it was clear how much he was enjoying himself. Actually, everyone was enjoying themselves. The final piece of music, Natalie Cole’s This Will Be, ended with the whole cast onstage just improvising and having a huge amount of fun. The audience whooped and hollered from the moment the curtain came up and the light made fluorescent the mens’ blue trousered costumes. This was the case over both performances that I saw…a loud and delighted audience from start to finish. If there were any ‘newbies’ to dance then if this didn’t make them want to see classical ballet, I don’t know what will! This whole evening provided spontaneous, uplifting joy, and showed what ballet can do for all of us no matter how it is danced, if it is danced properly, as it was in this programme.

A couple of melancholy thoughts: I felt sad when Jeffrey Cirio and Isaac Hernandez shared the stage together, just the two of them, for a minute or two in Two Men Down (Blake Works). What an appropriate piece in which to appear together; they are both leaving the company at the end of the season and the performance on 9 April was their farewell to London. Anjuli Hudson is also leaving after 15 years with the company and is joining Jeffrey Cirio at Boston Ballet. She was given a bunch of flowers at the curtain call on the 10th and hoisted aloft by her fellow dancers. This was Tamara Rojo’s farewell from the company to us, and it bodes well for the future. Despite the loss of their Artistic Director and two lead male principal dancers, the company is in a good place.

As we still await the announcement of who is going to replace Ms Rojo, whoever it is inherits a seemingly happy and thriving company. Long may it continue, and best wishes for the future to all who are leaving.

Simonetta Dixon has written for Ballet.co.uk and is Chair of the BalletCoForum Committee. Simonetta was on the dance panel for the Olivier Awards for three years.

Thanks to ENB

To The Pointe.

English National Ballet: 'The Forsythe Evening'

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