Ballet Black: Heroes
17th May 2024
Reviewer: Anuli Changa
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
My childhood memories of ballet shoes: pink, always pink. As Isabela Coracy begins to create the first moments of the show, I am staring at her brown pointe shoes, their existence is revolutionary. In fact, Ballet Black collaborated with Freed of London, to bring us the UK’s first pointe shoes inclusive of ‘Black, Asian, and mixed race skin tones’. Founder, Artistic Director and CEO Cassa Pancho continues to ensure that Ballet Black creates and embodies change, not just on stage but in the ballet world and beyond.
Barbican Commission If At First is inspired by Jean-Michel Basquiat’s Eroica and Beethoven’s Eroica Symphony, both exploring the complexities of heroism. Opening to Basquiat’s iconic crown hanging above the dancers, the performance is a series of vignettes punctuated by the chaotic fight for the crown. Laplane seeks to spotlight the unsung heroes and perseverance amongst the noise of those seeking to be seen as a hero.
This story is enhanced by David Plater’s lighting, shrinking and expanding the stage throughout, as the dancers use circular mirrors to manipulate the light. The most impressive use of the lighting is the shadow work, the audience is mesmerised by both the dancers and their towering silhouettes.
The dancers successfully juxtapose the light and shade of chaos with the intimate scenes. With a combination of contemporary and classic music throughout this piece, the audience is held in a scene and then pulled abruptly out into the drum-accented race. The Ballet Black dancers represent different body types and backgrounds, managing to also create one moving entity in their work, frequently appearing to break the bounds of human movement and take ballet further. With every move, the extension never stops where you expect, each moment feels emotional and spontaneous.
The dancers appear to be dressed identically in grey and white gradient mesh (Jessica Cabassa). They can represent anything and everything, feeling both genderless and the embodiment of all gender expressions simultaneously. At times the dancers do fall out of synchronicity with each other, this does not feel deliberate and does diminish the overall impact of certain ensemble moments.
Acaoã de Castro is a standout in his ability to hold the whole stage alone, his facial expressions portrayed as much emotion as his body. As he flew around the space and crumbled his crown to dust, the awe tension created was palpable, a magnificent artist. Additionally, Mother & Son (composer Tom Harrold) featuring Helga Paris-Morales and Love Kotiya was stunning. The push and pull of their bodies and the support Paris-Morales provides for Kotiya as she offers and places his crown was so loving. We see Paris-Morales die before our eyes and the grief Kotiya creates with his body surrounding hers as he attempts to hold her, carrying her and moving her to no avail, is heartbreaking.
Following the interval, November’s The Waiting Game returns with a new score (Alex Wilson). Exploring the mundane nature of everyday life and questioning whether we are all living in a simulation, November’s piece is brought to life through a fusion of African dance, contemporary ballet and Fosse-esque jazz. Overlaid with voiceovers recorded by Ballet Black Artists, this piece feels explosive and immediately more personal.
Led by Ebony Thomas, this choreography feels like it is coming from the dancers, living in their bones. With imaginative use of the door prop, (designed by Richard Bolton and Phil Christodoulou) The Waiting Game portrays the anxiety of waiting, whether because of the choice you make or that of someone else. As the ensemble repositions the door and creates obstacles for Thomas to overcome, we see him watching others race past him as he questions every move and what really matters. Thomas’ portrayal of the emotional turmoil of the wait is beautiful and feels all-consuming to watch. As hoped by November, this piece was relatably confusing, growing and blossoming into a whimsical exploration that joyfully includes the audience.
The synchronicity in this second piece was exceptional. November collaborated with the artists on the score and you can feel the ownership in their movements. If At First feels performed, The Waiting Game feels lived! The artists showed us their world, taking us behind the curtain in a lip-synced conversation questioning whether Thomas could even go out on stage. The glittering show dance that follows is wonderful, with all the power a finale deserves. But it feels different because of the conversation we overhear. As I enjoy the performance, I question my enjoyment and the mindset of the dancers. Is all of this real? Which parts were performed? Fascinating!
Ballet Black: Heroes is an amazing demonstration of Black excellence in dance, especially ballet, in which the triumphant return of The Waiting Game slightly overshadows the new piece.