Fanfare, to Music by Benjamin Britten, 1953
Britten's Fanfare, commissioned by the Sadler's Wells Ballet, was a commission that proved a true gift for the burgeoning company. This exhilarating and bold three-minute work was first performed in December 1953 and has remained a firm favourite for its dramatic, bold and technically challenging choreographic style, reflecting the changing times. The world had recently come to a close with the armistice agreement of the Korean War, so, much like Britten's War Requiem composed a year later, a deep, visceral feeling of uncertainty about what was to come prevailed.
A remarkable aspect of Fanfare lies in its dynamic portrayal of the power struggle that arises from clashing viewpoints. The choreography, often demanding, sees a dynamic shift in the weight distribution, moving from an aggressive and dominating stance, with sharp and dynamic shifts of the body in the lower limbs and back, to elegant, feminine arabesques and flowing adagio that demand an intense control and awareness of the body in space. It seems to reflect that power in 1953 could just as easily manifest as aggressive as it could be expressed through grace and elegance.
This was a ballet that gave ample scope to demonstrate individual qualities. Although a small ballet with a focus on ensemble work, it certainly demanded a technical command and precision to give life to this piece of choreographic storytelling. It is often a dance that we use as a warm up before rehearsals or performances. There are moments of pure dance with little reliance on traditional classical steps such as assemblés, fouetté and sissones but it certainly pushes us as dancers to work at the extremities of our flexibility and core strength with plenty of pliés and grand jeté en tournant. It’s certainly one for the connoisseur as this is a ballet for the ballet purists.
My ballet class began by learning the structure and core elements of the choreography before slowly integrating it with the music. Britten’s original composition features three distinct parts with a clear emphasis on rhythm, timing and tempo and demands from the dancers an immense technical precision, stamina and timing that few would achieve on the first run-through.
It certainly demanded a great deal from our ensemble but a work that always resulted in the most captivating ballet performances. Even as a ballet company in our youth we certainly found ourselves pushed to the limits. Every run through saw a unique sense of synergy develop between dancers in the ballet that seemed to evolve as if we were part of one larger, flowing body with distinct personalities and characters coming alive.
The opening sequence, set to the first section, begins with a bold, vigorous unison statement as dancers burst onto the stage. Britten’s fanfare for eight brass instruments sets a commanding and thrilling atmosphere that compels the dancers to move and gesture in a coordinated manner. The bold rhythms and sweeping tempos of this fanfare set a frenetic tempo to a visually dramatic introduction. It allows for little nuance in the early part of the piece, yet that restrained feeling quickly changes as the dancers move forward, drawing the audience into the ballet in a matter of moments.
The second section, slower, softer, almost tender and meditative, offers an interplay between individual and collective movement with some delicate pas de deux work. There’s a quiet grace that emanates from the stage, a subdued strength as individual characters emerge through their respective performances. The choreographic language used here is just as complex as it was in the opening part of the piece, yet demands a complete transformation of expression through the movements of the dancers. Each dancer must create a believable portrayal, of both emotion and internal thought.
This section then leads into the closing section which, like a wave, begins to crest, slowly rising and returning with greater ferocity. This dynamic section begins a long sequence of controlled adagio work which leads into an extremely technically challenging section of work featuring sissone jumps, fouettés and a dramatic final turn into the centre stage with the dancers arriving on relevé, or tip-toe.
From a stylistic point of view, the final tableau highlights the impact that both British and Soviet choreographers had in influencing dance in the post war era. In the opening sequence, we see the influence of contemporary, Soviet choreographic work where dancers perform bold movements that are almost military in precision, but also an elegant post war fluidity through the body which has been highly refined in the French school of ballet, all of which are evident in the closing section. There are also elements of classical balletic technique that the audience expects and admires which, in part, adds to the visual dynamism.
The third, or final, section is where the ensemble as a single unit performs the greatest number of demanding jumps. In that regard we, as a ballet company, had to push ourselves. The music demanded that we exhibit a tremendous degree of stamina and control. There was no opportunity to let up. The intensity of this final sequence required that every dancer remained vigilant, sharp, and absolutely focussed to achieve this finale.
Britten's music in this sequence provides an incredible soundtrack, adding a layer of depth that enriches the choreography. Its power is felt deeply and we, as dancers, have to convey the raw strength as it's performed in this short three-minute piece, which, in fact, leaves an imprint on the audience long after it's complete. This, indeed, is a perfect example of how music, choreography and an ensemble can unite to express an impactful narrative.
The 1953 work marked the start of a collaboration with the company which, after Britten's untimely death in 1976, saw a revival of interest in his work but it remains to this day a true staple in the world of contemporary dance. It remains an incredibly popular choice for contemporary ballet companies as it showcases a dynamic choreography that combines modern, neo-classical and classical ballet techniques.
One can not help but be captivated by the way the dancers move. This dance showcases strength and agility which is further emphasized by the tight costumes of the era, specifically the black and white, minimalist costumes of the early 50s that add a timeless and elegant touch, and a level of seriousness to this ballet.
This powerful ballet can also serve as a wonderful teaching tool, giving students an incredible amount of space to develop and hone their ballet technique. Fanfare demands so much of a dancer that one is always encouraged to strive for perfection, as this truly allows us to develop and enhance our strengths. There are many technical difficulties to navigate throughout this ballet so one can quickly learn where one may need further development, not only as an individual but also in collaboration as part of a larger ensemble. It demands so much from the performers that even the most confident of dancers can always discover ways to grow and push their boundaries.
I'm incredibly fortunate to have performed this short ballet. Fanfare has helped shape me into the ballet dancer that I am today. The combination of the technical rigor it demands, along with the stylistic combination of both classic and modern technique that Britten so adeptly managed to capture in the score and through the choreography. It leaves the audience breathless with a sensation of pure movement. This, to me, makes this ballet something very special.