Hello lovelies! It's Emma here, back with another blog post, this time, bursting with excitement for the winter ballet season! Yes, it's that glorious time of year again where our local dance companies whisk us away to a world of elegant tutus, captivating stories, and toe-tapping music.
As the mercury drops and the first frost settles on the ground, the theatres start to shimmer with anticipation for the enchanting performances that lie ahead. This year, Birmingham has outdone itself with a selection of ballet experiences that have truly had me on cloud nine (well, maybe more like cloud sixteen! ). So, grab a cup of hot chocolate, settle in, and get ready to dive into a whirl of dazzling dance with me.
A Classical Dream at The Hippodrome
Kicking off the season in style, the Birmingham Royal Ballet presented its annual production of The Nutcracker. This iconic classic, filled with snowflakes, sugar plums, and an endearingly mischievous Mouse King, was a real crowd-pleaser. The costumes were absolutely divine - sparkling gowns, plush, velvet-lined jackets for the gentlemen, and of course, those stunning white tutus for the snow fairies. Watching them glide across the stage, each snowflake twirl as light and ethereal as a winterās breeze, was truly mesmerising. The music was a delight too; Tchaikovsky's score just never gets old! I even caught a glimpse of Principal Dancer, [insert dancer's name here], who really captivated me with her beautiful, effortless, movements. I mean, letās be honest, the girls at the Royal Ballet are all absolutely stunning. And letās not forget the gorgeous Christmas tree which, after the magic of the show had finished, somehow, in what can only be described as true ballet magic, shrunk and shrunk and shrunk, and before you could say āsugar plum fairyā, was sitting beautifully at the top of the stage as a small Christmas tree ready to adorn the next theatre performance, an absolute Christmas ballet wonder. The Nutcracker was a definite must-see for the festive season. #tutuwinter #tutuseason
Flamenco Fever at The Birmingham Rep
Moving on to something a little more sizzling, I found myself completely mesmerized by the Spanish dance company, "Flamenco Fusion." They performed their captivating new show āDance Passionā at The Birmingham Repertory Theatre, where, under the soft amber glow of the stage lighting, their dancing radiated pure emotion. The rhythmic clicking of castanets, the expressive, fast footwork and, of course, those striking flamenco gowns, in bold shades of red, orange and black, were truly dazzling! It was like watching a beautiful fiery storm; powerful and dynamic, passionate and intense. It wasn't just about the moves, but the raw energy and palpable passion that flowed through every step. If you like to see the grit, the passion, and the sheer raw talent of the dance, then Dance Passion is the show for you. It will ignite something deep inside you, for sure. #tutuwinter #tutuseason
*The Dance is Back, and Better Than Ever! *
While both of those shows really did make an impact on me, what was quite honestly the absolute star of the Birmingham ballet scene for me was Birmingham Royal Balletās production of the Romeo and Juliet at the Birmingham Hippodrome. It's been such a while since I last experienced a production of Romeo and Juliet. I felt totally transported back to my favourite Shakespeare play. The combination of ballet and Shakespeare is an absolute triumph! Thereās nothing better. I particularly loved the way they used the sets and costumes to bring out the emotional depths of the story. I loved the way the choreography flowed effortlessly with the story. There are only a few moments that take the ballet a little bit out of the storyline of the play, but if anything they just heightened my enjoyment, especially when they chose a disco scene to express their emotional journeys in a different style, using vibrant colour, expressive movement and dance floor moves. Honestly, who would have thought you could fit disco in with Romeo and Juliet.
The End? Nah, Not A Chance!
You know what I say? The ballet season is just getting started. There's so much more to look forward to in the coming weeks. I've got my eye on Birminghamās very own dance company "The Dance Project" as they take centre stage with their contemporary work called āEchoesā - Iāve heard whispers of captivating movement and cutting edge storytelling. Keep an eye out for reviews of that! I've even heard tell that thereās a show by Birmingham Contemporary Dance Theatre at the end of January and thereās rumours swirling about something spectacular by the Royal Ballet coming at the beginning of February. Oh my, you know what that means? It's time to clear the diary, and start marking those theatre tickets off my festive to-do list. Because let's face it, thereās no place Iād rather be than curled up with my best friends, enjoying a fantastic evening of pure dance magic. #tutuwinter #tutuseason
A Pink Tutu Perfect
Okay, so I've been all about the twirling this week, But what I wouldnāt give to to be spinning my own pirouettes in my favourite tutu on a real ballet stage. This week I got my fix at The Royal Ballet School's Annual Dance Show, where, after an intense week of rehearsing (it's no easy feat, you know), I found myself part of a brilliant, energetic performance with a team of other dance lovers performing on stage - with full make up, hair, costumes, and our very own sparkly dance shoes.
*It wasnāt just about the beautiful pink tutus either, or the fact I absolutely love being on the stage ā because honestly itās pretty magic, isn't it? But it was the connection between each and every member of the group, the shared love for ballet and a common determination to push our skills to their very best! Oh, I couldn't have asked for a better end to an unforgettable ballet season in Birmingham! Iām counting down the days until the next tutu adventure! * #tutuwinter #tutuseason
