Sunday, November 24

Tag: Mthuthuzeli November

Ballet Black: Heroes – Festival Theatre
Scotland

Ballet Black: Heroes – Festival Theatre

The theatre is packed, and full of anticipation. These artists have something new to say. I have enjoyed many ballet performances in my time, but I have never seen anything like this. Nevertheless, this double bill from Ballet Black is rooted in tradition. It is also technically excellent. This feels brand new, always ballet but with influences from other dance styles, and a dynamic soundtrack that recognises the modern and the classical. Throughout the double bill, the intention of the performers is expressed with a powerful intensity. I am always inspired by the ability of dance, and dancers, to cut through the busyness of words, and get to the guts of a story. If At First, choreographed by Sophie Laplane, is a meditation on power, which is represented by a crown. Initially one dan...
Northern Ballet announce 10 city autumn tour
NEWS

Northern Ballet announce 10 city autumn tour

Northern Ballet have announced a 10 city autumn tour will visit 10 cities revising The Little Mermaid and The Nutcracker, plus a première of new work Three Short Ballets 2022.   The season will open with performances of Three Short Ballets 2022 at Leeds Playhouse featuring three world premières by choreographers Dickson Mbi, Stina Quagebeur and Mthuthuzeli November. This new work will also be performed at the Linbury Theatre in London in October / November. Throughout September and October, The Little Mermaid will tour to Sheffield, Belfast, Southampton and Newcastle. This timeless classic fairy tale was David Nixon's last full-length work for the Company before announcing his retirement as Artistic Director in 2020. Photo: Emma Kauldhar It’s set to a Celtic-inspired score...
Ballet Black: Double Bill – The Lowry
North West

Ballet Black: Double Bill – The Lowry

Dance is often referred to as the performing art that provides a form of communication when words are no longer enough. However, this double bill from Ballet Black is performed to a soundtrack of poetry, spoken word performance, and songs with lyrics. Initially, this took a little getting used to; I am not used to ballet being performed to this kind of soundscape and, if I’m honest, I did find it difficult at the start to decide what to focus on: the meaning of the words or the movement... However, when I relaxed and watched these two pieces as a whole, they really were extremely impressive. The words and the choreography, at times underscored by music, ebbed and flowed and became beautifully complementary. Despite the company comprising only eight dancers, they had such a great presenc...
Northern Ballet announce new digital season
NEWS

Northern Ballet announce new digital season

Northern Ballet is launching a new dance digital season that includes What Used To, No Longer Is, an original dance film by Olivier Award-winning Mthuthuzeli November. The Leeds based company will also première two more original films, Northern Lights and Have Your Cake, both by Northern Ballet’s Artistic Director of Digital and Choreographer in Residence Kenneth Tindall. The season also includes Cathy Marston’s hit version of Victoria, which will be released on-demand, and as an added extra there’s an excerpt of Kenneth Tindall’s States of Mind, part of the BBC and Sadler’s Wells’ Dancing Nation. “Northern Ballet has turned a challenging situation into an incredibly creative and inspired time,” says Kenneth Tindall. “While we have not been to hold live performances due to Cov...