Peoples Republic of South Devon

Birmingham Royal Ballet (dance review)

May 17th, 2008

To conincide with the Exeter Northcott Dance Festival, Dance in Devon and the theatre have worked with young dancers to review some of the best dance that’s on. The Dance Festival continues tonight (May 17) with Phoenix Dance

Birmingham Royal Ballet at the Exeter Northcott by Lucie Tullett

The newly refurbished Exeter Northcott kicked off its dance festival last Wednesday (May 6), with Birmingham Royal Ballet’s matinée performance as the opening show. Three ballets spanning the last 70 years of the company’s repertoire showcased works from two of the outstanding British choreographers of the last century. Pieces by Frederick Ashton, the company’s founder choreographer, and his successor Kenneth MacMillan, were shown alongside a new ballet by company dancer Kit Holder. All of these pieces were in the traditional ballet style, with recognizable traditional ballet steps, and it was heavily dependent on the live accompaniment.

This is in contrast to companies such as Rambert Dance Company (formerly Ballet Rambert). Having now expanded by working with contemporary choreographers, they have left behind what would be recognised as classic ballet and explored the capabilities of the human body for creative expression.

Birmingham Royal Ballet, on the other hand, keep up old traditions by maintaining their repertoire, and it still gets the audiences in. Nearly every seat of the Exeter Northcott auditorium was filled by a wide range of ages, from pensioners to groups of school children, and what appeared to be a few terrifying looking ballet teachers.

The Dance Festival continued with performances by ACE Dance and Music, and Phoenix Dance Theatre

picture: Artists of Birmingham Royal Ballet; photo: Brian Slater

Entry Filed under: Arts