English National Ballet is, of course, best known for its classical ballet productions – Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty and, albeit with a decidedly ghoulish twist, the Akram Khan retelling of Giselle. It does, though, also have a longstanding relationship with the work of the New York choreographer William Forsythe, whose love of classical technique is deconstructed and lovingly teased across the triple bill of his work currently on show at Sadler’s Wells.
This is a company packed with staggering technique. If you were ever in doubt of this, just watch the first piece, Rearray. Originally conceived as a duet for that renowned technical perfectionist Sylvie Guillem with Nicolas Le Riche in 2011, Forsythe has reworked it as a trio for two men (Henry Dowden and Rentaro Makaaki) and one woman, Sanguen Lee, who has such breath-taking extensions and balance, you even forget it was once a vehicle for Guillem.
This is – as indeed are all the pieces here – pure dance: simple costumes, no sets and a soundtrack that stops and starts, the dancers often performing in silence to their own inner rhythms, the stage suddenly plunged into blackness after which the dancers are found in different places and positions or have perhaps disappeared altogether.
Herman Schmerman goes way back into Forsythe’s choreographic history. It was the second work he created for New York City Ballet in 1988 and was one of the pieces that would bring international recognition to his work. A quintet for three women and two men, it’s a piece that showcases the company’s ballet technique super-charging it with speed and then, dazzling mission accomplished, leaving the dancers to stroll off, in a balletic so-what shrug. It’s a ballet that’s simply about dance. As Forsythe said of it: “It’s just five talented dancers dancing around – and that’s good, isn’t it?”
There are even more talented dancers dancing around in the final piece, Playlist (EP) – one of Forsythe’s most joyful works that has been expanded since its original version in 2018 with more music added. The music itself is middle of the road pop which may seem an unlikely pairing with classical ballet technique – but, believe me, this works.
A series of pieces are danced in groups, duets and the entire company to songs like Khalid’s “Location” and Barry White’s “Sha La La Means I Love You”. My absolute favourite, though, had to be Natalie Cole’s “This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)” sublimely danced by Precious Adams and Junor Souza who are gradually joined by the whole company for the grand finale.
One thing was clear – this was a company that was not only on top form but thoroughly enjoying itself. I can pretty much guarantee you’ll come out with a spring in your step, too.
The Forsythe Programme runs at Sadler’s Wells until 19th April. For more information, and for bookings, please visit www.sadlerswell.com.
Photography by ASH
