REVIEW: Acosta Danza’s Evolution at Sadler’s Wells

Carlos Acosta, ex-Royal Ballet dancer and newly appointment Director of Birmingham Royal Ballet has brought his Cuban Dance company, Acosta Danza’s Evolution to London. A four-part performance, Artistic Director Acosta aims to boast about Cuban talent and has pulled in a range of choreographers to create a sharp, unique performance. 

Raúl Reinoso’s Satori features bare chested dancers tangled into one large piece of purple material; which is at one point strung from the ceiling. He combines contemporary, dramatic moves with the classical element of the striking dancer Zeleidy Crespo en pointe. Satori relies heavily on lighting and sound to build the theatrical atmosphere as discovery of ‘truth and spirituality’. Paysage, Soudain, La Nuit by Pontus Lidberg combines Cuban music with African roots, blended to produce a light, summery dance. The programme is a mixed bill of mostly contemporary dance-it makes you nostalgic of the summer seasons as it is followed by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui’s duet Faun. This is a master-piece, the dancers intertwine with each other like primeval creatures. Their animalistic, agile qualities against a forest background has the ability to stun an audience with their world-class performance.

REVIEW: Rambert at Sadler’s Wells

Celebrating the centenary of late Choreographer Merce Cunningham’s birth, Rambert have created an Event to showcase his contributions to the contemporary dance world. With live installations on each level of Sadler’s Wells, from the moment you walk through the doors you are greeted with Cunningham’s extraordinary works from previous pieces ‘Changing Steps’ and the Rambert Event itself. Radiohead’s Philip Selway has been commissioned to score the event and has collaborated with multi-instrumentalist Adem Ilham and musician Quinta to create what is described as a ‘modular electro-acoustic score’. It is perform live throughout the performance by Philip Selway, Quinta and Adrian Utley, blessing us with a range of textured vocal soundscapes, classical and electronic sound.

The hanging backdrops and costumes based off Gerhard Richter Cage’s paintings Cage (1)-(6) inspired by composer John Cage, Cunningham’s life partner- emphasise the strong connections between the performance and his life’s work. Rambert Event is a stunning piece of live art; it feels like a painting is brought to life. Every performer danced beautifully and commemorated Cunningham’s familiar isolated, angular movements with grace. The entire production is mesmerising; their interactions to each other fascinating and pleasing to the eye. Rambert’s diverse group of dancers tribute Cunningham’s significant work magnificently. Moments when the music ends and the dancers continue performing with nothing to hide behind really emphasise their abilities; truly astonishing. 

REVIEW: Natalia Osipova Pure Dance at Sadler’s Wells

Returning to Sadler’s Wells after a year of international touring, Royal Ballet Principal dancer, Natalia Osipova, handpicked 7 dances from a range of choreographers to showcase for worldwide audiences. Featuring solos and duets from Osipova, American Ballet Theatre’s David Hallberg, Jason Kittelberger and Jonathan Goddard, Pure Dance explores different ways to use the body in classical and contemporary dance celebrating human connection in various forms. 

Pure Dance opens with Antony Tudor’s The Leaves are Fading, partnered by American Ballet Theatre’s David Hallberg. This pas de deux is angelic and leans into the musicality to create a classical representation of drifting into the Winter seasons. Osipova and Hallberg dance beautifully together but it is not the strongest of opening dances.

The second piece, Left Behind by Kittelberger, shows off Osipova’s versatility into contemporary dance. Emotional and symbolic, the heavy door separates the two dancers. Kittelberger’s fluid movements are mesmerising and full of discomfort- crawling onto his head and shoulders- to show the effects of someone’s impact on you and the realisation coming to the surface when they’re gone. 

REVIEW: Crowd by Gisèle Vienne at Dance Umbrella, Sadler’s Wells

Sadler’s Wells has partnered with Dance Umbrella to bring the 19-day festival to London for its 41styear. Exploring shifting perceptions, human connections and cultural expectations, the festival brings choreographers from around the world to debut their art. Gisèle Vienne is Franco-Austrian artist, choreographer and director. Her piece, Crowd, made its world premiere on 8th November 2017 in Strasbourg and opens the festival at Sadler’s Wells this year. 

Vienne’s work captures stillness within motion and creates moving pictures onstage. She describes Crowdas a ‘collective euphoria of a committed party crowd’, set to a techno-trance soundtrack. It is 90 minutes long with no interval and takes you on an isolated journey following the intense interactions between dancers. We experience fighting, intimacy and a loss of control through slow-motion liquid movement that is scarily realistic at times.