BALLET NIGHTS

Two words can sum up the experience of Ballet Nights – truly exceptional. The word ‘ballet’ can, mistakenly in my view, strike fear in many a person. Not I, but then I was lucky enough to be introduced to the art from a very early age. And I say art because this is an art form that like all others is an ever growing joy. Dance in all its forms is not a fixed entity but one that changes, develops and grows – and Ballet Nights is the most perfect expression of this that I have ever seen, and no doubt it will and will have to grow.

Jamiel Devernay-Laurence and his company have created a curated evening of dance in a selection of its many manifestations. It’s a delicious chocolate box of terpsichoreal delights, a selection that encompasses sweet and also some hard centres. What I mean is that it doesn’t back away from the challenging whilst at the same time delivering a few pretty and witty confections. What better way to delight dance fans and at the same time introduce newcomers.

Devernay-Laurence presents each element with both charm and eloquence, each performance is clearly introduced with detail but without pretension, and each element seems to be just the right length too, nothing feels too long or too intimidating. That’s not to say that some of the works are not challenging, but they they are delivered in easily absorbed portions.

Quartet Concréte

The evening starts with the blisteringly dynamic Quartet Concréte, with a startling compostion  that has us on the edge of our seats.

Our first dancer is Constance Devernay-Laurence delivering flawlessly a striking piece danced to I Married Myself by Sparks. Wonderfully realised and an excellent way to open the dance elements of the evening,

Next Atlas a Rambert Platform Creation and a true example of why Brighton has always embraced the work of the Rambert company, (come back soon please, you are much missed). The energy displayed and at the same time elegance of James Rei and Vittoria Pennachinni is totally captivating.

String Theory is a fascinating work that bring viola player extraordinaire Dominic Stokes back to the stage with dancer Leila Wright, Wright responding to Stokes’ own composition as they circle the stage responding to each other.

Splice

Splice we are told has been seen at music festivals like Latitude and Glastonbury and in one sense it is easy to see why. But dance at this level and this complexity and genius deserves its place on every platform. The delicate flicks of wrists and fingers at the start, the gradual  intertwining of limbs, the perfect synchronicity and balance… to few words to cover what we are seeing, and even more amazing that a local dancer has stepped in at the last minute to do this is beyond credibility. Quite quite brilliant!

Les Bourgeois danced by Denys Cherevychko to the music of Jacques Brel, a witty and charming diversion, totally delightful but one I think would have been better placed before Splice.

After the interval we are treated to more of the talent of Dominic Stoke before Temperature danced by Guy Salim,  Salim has already made a name performing with Stomp and here he displays not only the finger clicking and clapping artistry of those shows, Brighton based I might add, but also a level of tap and shuffle dance that is simply breathtaking.

AE

Next AE danced by Isabelle Evans and Travis Clausen-Knight a wonderful collaboration with composer Sean Pett that showed the power of the tight knit collaborative work.

Blacbrik

Penultimately we get The Death Of The Bachelors performed by Blacbrik, a formidable team, Darius Drooh and Nahum McLean. Here we see swagger, we see swing, there is wit and charm, gentle humour and at the same time precision and elegance. And all with the promise of more to come with a full length work due here in November. Once to look out for certainly.

The evening closes with the return of Denys Cherevychko dancing Diamonds, the choreography of Balanchine, with Elina Cojucaru. Pure classical elegance here and perfectly placed in the programme to show so clearly that the classical tradition is the glue that holds the whole evening together, the discipline, the dedication… it’s all there.

A final word for the staging and lighting which throughout was excellent, each piece set in a black space immaculately and individually lit, bravo!

Andrew Kay

19 March

Theatre Royal Brighton

Rating: