February - a month of divine performances
Darling, oh, how I love this time of year! It's just brimming with exciting, innovative dance performances and a sense of fresh beginnings after a rather torrid December and January. This year's ballets are especially exciting with a definite theme of passion running throughout; it's certainly a time to let your heart sing, both as an audience member and as a performer, and I know I am most certainly feeling that thrill. But without further ado, here are some of my highlights, some old favourites with a fresh twist and some new faces dancing their way into my heart!
Moscow
My darling friend Svetlana brought me along to see **Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake" at the Bolshoi Theatre** â a true highlight! Such power and grace! Such effortless elegance! It is still so very beautiful, and my dears, letâs not forget the wonderful choreography. One can easily become so enraptured by the technical feats of these performers but they really are able to take you to that mythical world. This version with its sumptuous costuming really has no equal â it was positively breathtaking!
And what's a trip to Moscow without a little taste of the new? Svetlana insisted that we venture beyond the grand, and of course, she knows best. She was determined I experience **âThe Soul of a Warriorâ** by the **Russian State Ballet**, and of course, I can never say no to such a thrill. The programme's modern ballet, with a powerful storyline around two men - one brave, one cowardly â I must say it didn't move me entirely. However, Svetlana swears that the programme is the ânew generationâ in ballet; one thing that cannot be denied is the intensity, passion, and athleticism of the dance, they truly left no breath unused. A modern interpretation but a touch of drama is missing in my opinion. There is plenty to enthrall the younger audience, I am sure!
Paris
Ah, the city of lights! Paris always does something special to me - you simply cannot deny the romance. This month the **OpĂ©ra de Paris**, as always, were pulling out all the stops and this year it's a brand-new production of **Prokofiev's "Romeo and Juliet"** â a tale I absolutely adore. Of course, there is a whole orchestra, full costumes, and the drama in this ballet is just extraordinary. There are also the little details: how Juliet uses the silk, and those gorgeous flowing silks for Juliet, to express both youthful passion and utter vulnerability. We are then transported back to a different kind of world altogether when we are taken into the fierce, brutal, and ultimately tragic world of Romeo and Juliet.
Now for some truly extraordinary dancers - it has to be **Marie-AgnĂšs Gillot and Mathias Heymann.** They moved, they breathed together in a way I just hadnât seen before and truly understood their relationship - it was very rare, almost unreal at times.
Then it was down to the legendary Palais Garnier for **âAlice's Adventures in Wonderlandâ,** a dance show that has left me completely bewitched! With a vibrant colour palette and dazzling visuals it transported me to Wonderland like nothing I had seen before - absolutely brilliant and I couldn't help but feel the child within myself bubble to the surface!
Berlin
This trip wasnât all about indulgence â a little education goes a long way, my dear! This yearâs festival at the **Berlin Staatsballet** is called **âWhat the body wantsâ** â a collection of some wonderfully provocative pieces. The idea was to investigate the power and physicality of contemporary dance, looking at new themes and exploring new, innovative choreography. And there was nothing less! A selection of dancers from around the world, a lot of them fairly unknown, giving some real performance with stunning interpretations of ballet and pushing the limits of how we think of ballet as a performance art.
A selection of short dances were presented â all different but all powerful â one of them was called **âThe Dark Worldâ**. For some, this piece really moved the heart with its dramatic performance and use of the space and choreography but it lacked some grace. In contrast to that was a piece **"Echoes"**. That was almost dream-like. Beautiful movement with such expressive energy from the performers, very beautiful indeed and it left me very moved by its ethereal quality.
The festival had many offerings this year - my particular favourites - a young, brilliant choreographer who you really must watch - heâs **Wayne McGregor** - one of the highlights this year with the stunning **"Tree of Codes".** This ballet, based on a work by Jonathan Safran Foer, was an unusual choice, a unique, moving exploration of a single, isolated tree which is constantly losing parts of itself but has the power of rejuvenation â like a powerful ballet in itself, it was thought-provoking but utterly captivating!
New York City
From the intellectual rigour of Berlin to the excitement and energy of New York! **American Ballet Theatre**, and their latest venture, **âThe Sleeping Beautyâ,** was as classic and enchanting as ever! This is of course one of those ballets youâve got to see if you have even the smallest appreciation for dance â but the dancing was quite exquisite - not for nothing is it the grand ballet of ballets!.
The main stage was just a stage set â an amazing set - and all eyes are drawn to the beautiful, delicate moves. All the performances were exceptional, I must confess to having my favourites - this year I have to say it's the very expressive and beautifully strong **Herman Cornejo** (I donât know if you've noticed my dear but heâs a particular favourite - we go back a whileâŠ). Of course **David Hallberg** brought the noble hero, Prince Desire, to life so beautifully with so much sensitivity. The dancing was, as ever, magical.
So you see, my dear, dance, especially the ballet is having its moment â what an absolute joy it is!