English National Ballet School had its summer performance in the warmth of late July. There is something gently electric about a summer night at the ballet. This was one of those. The performers were both the graduating class and current students at the school under the direction of Lynne Charles.
The opening piece was Études on a Theme of Satie, choreographed by Charles herself. The work was also showcased at the Linbury's Next Generation Festival in June and was generally well-received. The short piece embodied Lynne's educational philosophy on classical training in the evolving industry. The visuals were chic and minimal—four dancers in blue beautifully synchronised at the barre—but the movement was classical and meticulous with a combination of careful pliés and extensions. In the centre, the leitmotif, Lois Fraiz masterfully executed a series of stretches and pointe exercises, creating directional tension, moving differently to the group. Her forms were spotless.
Coppélia, a ballet school staple, was enjoyable. The standouts were Soojin Luna Robert who led the corps and Haru Yokoo in pas de deux. Both were very clean and assured in execution. The clarity and consistency from the dancers were impressive. Tarantella was a personal favourite of mine. The pastel costumes were lovely. There was such sweetness inthe character dance which everyone seemed to enjoy. El Cid was another choreography by Charles. The piece showcased Spanish character dance, so of course, there were fans and capes, but only a few seemingly enjoyed the busy steps and panache. Nonetheless, it added an interesting mix to the evening.
Graduation Ball was the lengthy highlight. The ballet, choreographed by David Lichine in 1940, is one of the rarer works to see on stage, but it made a good showcase of the students' techniques. The story follows a dozen schoolgirls hosting a graduation ball attended by a group of well-dressed boys from a military school. The two main leads, Annabel Foster and Lyla Ireland, were incredibly strong performers. The contrast between the two characters—the good and the wild—was played out in both dance and expression. There were also some good solo performances of the Drummer Boy, Sylph and the Scotsman. The two fouetté girls, Viviana Guemez and Elisha Tan had tenacity and grit in their countless turns.
Pas de Six from Swan Lake was Charles's take on Act 1 Pas de Trois. Charles's version was neatly-paced and made sense for a school performance, but it felt somewhat diluted between the two pieces that came before and after. Nonetheless, the dancers gave their very best. The baton was then given to the guest performers from Brigham Young University, who put on a stunning performance of Rhizomatic, a new piece choreographed by Hilary Wolfley.
The final programme of the evening was Ruff Celts by Marguerite Donlon. It is most definitely an exciting,y climactic piece, inspired by Celtic music and rituals. Some dancers came off stronger than others in their flair and ability to digest a more aggressive modern genre. But overall the finish was strong with powerful chants and tight rhythmic movements from the dancers. Vigorous would be the word to describe—both the performance and the unseen effort and training which the summer gala attests to.
Review: Sam Lee Photo Credit: Pierre Tappon