Mixed bill ‘simply stunning’
THE RNZB’s mixed bill, Bold Moves, was simply stunning.
These four very different works showcased the company’s vast skill and talent taking us on a journey of quintessential ballet to the modern and daring.
Balanchine’s iconic ballet
Serenade opens the evening’s programme. With flurries of blue tulle, the movements are measured, but still graceful and elegant. Mayu Tanigaito and Shaun James Kelly are a striking partnership with their perfect precision. Masterful lifts from Loughlin Prior were also a highlight, but the end lift of
Tanigaito was an exceptional treat.
Next up was the short, sharp
Flames of Paris pas de deux set during the French Revolution. Celebrating freedom, this work was performed with aplomb. Kihiro Kusukami’s agility was phenomenal, his jumps and turns all executed with such an apparent ease and Kate Kadow’s stunning fouettes. They made ballet looked effortless.
Andrea Schermoly’s Stand to Reason was another standout piece. Commissioned to celebrate women and suffrage, Schermoly took Kate Sheppard’s 10 reasons why New Zealand should have the vote and created something evocative and incredibly moving. Madeleine Graham excelled in this work. She was truly in her element. Katherine Skelton also shone in this piece, and Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata made this work even more beautiful.
Closing the evening was William Forsythe’s Artifact II. Where the other works had bare stages, this piece took it even further, removing the wings and exposing the inner workings of the stage. Forsythe’s use of lighting and the resulting shadows created the dramatic element, whilst the dancers were all dressed in striking yellow leotards and tights. The two couples, Katherine Precourt and Loughlin Prior and Katherine Minor with Kihiro Kusukami, flawlessly predominate the work in commanding the audience’s attention, only interrupted by the thud of the curtain crashing down to the floor punctuating the scenes (the first time slightly unnerving viewers).
Mixed bills are a brilliant way to showcase ballet, there is always something for someone and it really does let a company exercise all their enormous talents: more please!