Vikki Jane Vile - Page 7

Frederick Ashton's Sylvia was last seen as part of the Royal Ballet's repertoire back in 2010. And how this glittering, mythical tale of silliness has been missed! One cannot deny that the subject matter is hardly the most hard hitting, but this decorative ballet is full of delightful touches and romantic choreography that make for dreamy viewing.

Ballet Black continue to move from strength to strength. Having recently secured funding and completed work on a more spacious London studio, they now tour nationally with their acclaimed narrative ballet, Red Riding Hood as the main attraction in this varied triple bill.

Fresh from taking part in the dazzling nationwide celebration of Kenneth MacMillan's work, a severe change of gear is required as Birmingham Royal Ballet now turn their attention to Aladdin, for a brief run at Sadler's Wells.

The Opera House's new season continues with a joyful celebration of Kenneth MacMillan, seeing the Royal Ballet joined by the country's other top companies for a rare spectacle.

A flamenco show is always easy to spot when you take your seat at the theatre. The stage is stark except for a few unevenly placed chairs. The performers are left to do all the work here and that includes 75 year old Paco Peña along with his small but effective ensemble of singers, dancers and musicians.

Tango sensation, Tanguera first premiered fifteen years ago in Buenos Aires promising an authentic take on the provocative and sensual spectacle with a thirty strong ensemble cast. Unlike the frequently seen Tango showcases of recent times, Tanguera tells a story. It sometimes chooses to drop and pick up the narrative to suit its cause however its depiction of La Boca and the journey we are taken through it's various neighbourhoods, cafes and brothels make it unique and universally enjoyable.

After recent performances of new choreography from Crystal Pite, Wayne McGregor and Liam Scarlett, one could be forgiven for believing the Royal Ballet has dragged itself reluctantly into the 21st Century. Perhaps it's an overly emotional response, there is something wonderfully reassuring and warm in this Ashton triple bill that closes the current season. It's a return to what the Royal do best in these delicate works shine in their artistry and finesse.

This take on the Hollywood classic Thoroughly Modern Millie last played Broadway back in 2002. However, regardless of the casts plucky efforts to inject some New York panache to proceedings, 'Millie' emerges as a particularly poor choice for revisiting in 2017. The story features threads that sit uncomfortably in the present day. Mrs Meers with her chopstick clad hair and mock Chinese accent is amusing for ten minutes but after a couple of scenes just seems plain racist. Millie's chunk of the plot hangs on the idea that she needs to find a rich man to marry to get on in life. Where do I even start with that one?

English National Ballet's Emerging Dancer award is now in it's eighth year and this time was able to reach an even wider audience through a live streaming from Sadler's Wells Theatre which has had 50,000 views to date. Such an addition promoted this annual contest an even bigger opportunity for these young dancers to shine and demonstrate their capabilities in principal roles they have rarely, if ever, had the chance to dance.

Arthur Pita returns to The Place with the dark but thrilling double bill Stepmother/Stepfather. Stepfather is a revisit of the work Pita first created in 2007 for CandoCo Dance. He was approached by HeadSpaceDance to support a full evening's work and felt it would be the perfect time to resurrect this tale of selfishness, incest and murder. The evening is preceded by Stepmother, a new piece acting as a 'sister' work to the more established Stepfather.