list.co.uk/theatre Previews | DANCE
MODERN BALLET CEDAR LAKE CONTEMPORARY BALLET Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Fri 11 & Sat 12 Oct
Walking through Manhattan can feel like you’ve stumbled onto a film set, especially when the lines between fiction and reality start to blur, as happened with Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet in 2011. Chosen by the makers of The Adjustment Bureau as the dance company actress Emily Blunt performs with, Cedar Lake was able to showcase to the world its dynamic approach to fusing the worlds of classical and contemporary dance.
Founded in 2002, the company is visiting Scotland for the first time. A quick look at the line-up of choreographers tells you almost all you need to know about Cedar Lake’s direction. Former Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT) boss, Jirí Kylián, Norwegian Jo Strømgren, and ex-Ballett Frankfurt dancer Crystal Pite (currently associate choreographer of NDT) all prove that although Cedar Lake is based in the centre of New York’s cultural scene, they have a distinctly European feel.
Much like its taste in choreographers, the dancers Cedar
Lake employs also bring their own unique qualities to the table. ‘We pride ourselves on being a very well rounded company,’ says performer Ebony Williams. ‘All the dancers come from very different backgrounds and styles of dance, because we don’t want to be a cookie-cutter company. We’re all so different.’ For her own part, Williams has worked alongside Beyoncé (she’s one of the two women either side of her in the ‘Single Ladies’ video), and finds that life at Cedar Lake affords her the challenge of diversity. ‘Dancing with the company allows me to step into several different worlds of dance, which is great,’ says Williams. ‘Especially when it happens in one evening, where we go from a very streamlined, classical feeling to a more contemporary style. That’s what you get from us; we like to be on the edge.’ (Kelly Apter)
BALLET DOUBLE-BILL SCOTTISH BALLET Theatre Royal, Glasgow, Thu 26–Sat 28 Sep
A bare white stage, minimal costume and just three dancers. On paper, Christopher Hampson’s The Rite of Spring looks a little underwhelming. In reality, it’s one of the most powerful pieces of dance you’ll see on a Scottish stage this year. A highlight of Scottish Ballet’s recent Dance Odysseys programme at the Edinburgh International Festival, The Rite of Spring takes its name from Stravinsky’s orchestral work – but Hampson has made it all his own. Set in an indefinable place and time, the work centres on two brothers, whose playful
relationship transforms into an aggressive prisoner/inquisitor dynamic – all the while looked over by a female dancer who represents ‘faith’. ‘It’s pretty brutal,’ says Christopher Harrison, who dances the older brother role, ‘but it’s also a joy to do. You can’t help but get carried away with Stravinsky’s music and get lost in the piece, like you’re in your own little world.’ A chilling figure in uniform during the second part, Harrison worked hard to get inside the mind of the character he’s playing. ‘It’s his job and he does it every day,’ he says, ‘but obviously it’s not a nice job, and it takes away a little bit of him each time he does it.’
In stark contrast, Kenneth MacMillan’s colourful Elite Syncopations completes the double-bill. Set to the ragtime music of Scott Joplin, and inspired by social dances of the 1920s, the piece brings light relief for all. ‘It’s very tongue in cheek,’ says Harrison. ‘And the music is so uplifting. We dance not just for the audience but for each other on stage. It’s so much fun.’ (Kelly Apter)
COMPETITION FINAL GENÉE INTERNATIONAL BALLET COMPETITON Theatre Royal, Glasgow, Sun 29 Sep
As judging panels go, it’s a bit of a dream team. Stepping out in front of Royal Ballet director Kevin O’Hare, Scottish Ballet’s artistic director Christopher Hampson, and the UK’s favourite prima ballerina, Darcey Bussell, is something most young dancers could only dream of.
Taking place in Scotland for the first time in its 82-year history, the Genée International Ballet Competition is one of the most prestigious dance contests in the world. This year, 61 participants from 13 countries will be hoping to impress the aforementioned judges and take home one of the coveted gold, silver or bronze medals.
‘The exposure the dancers get is fantastic,’ says Hampson. ‘And the Genée really sets itself apart from other competitions, because it offers the dancers a lot more creativity. All the candidates get ten days of coaching, and the opportunity to work with a choreographer, so a solo is created on them. They’re also able to perform something of their own, which they can either choreograph themselves or ask somebody to do for them.’
Both the semi-finals at the New Athenaeum Theatre on 26 and 27 Sep, and the final itself at the
Theatre Royal, are open to the public, where audiences can see O’Hare, Hampson and Bussell make a few dreams come true. What will Hampson be looking for from his judging hot seat? ‘They’re all technically at a good standard to even get to the Genée, so that doesn’t concern me so much,’ he says. ‘I tend to always look for an innate sense of performance.’ (Kelly Apter)
19 Sep–17 Oct 2013 THE LIST 99
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