My Night At Ballet Black: HEROES
By Mojisayo Robson
27 March 2024
Mojisayo Robson, one of our Creative Futures alumnae and now Training Practitioner tells us about her night experiencing Ballet Black, the ground-breaking ballet company that celebrates Black and Asian dancers – and who performed at Hackney Empire in March for the first time in 15 years!
“As a Hackney Empire veteran, I always have high expectations when it comes to the shows they put on: as always, I was not disappointed! I was lucky enough to see Ballet Black: HEROES; the new double bill that explores ‘humanity, heroism and self-acceptance’ – and it was incredible!
I’m a dedicated dance lover and watched the show with some friends who are big ballet fans, but I was also able to bring my mum, who had never seen a ballet before – safe to say, we started off strong! While we all started from a range of experiences it was easily 5 stars across the board. As a group of black women, it was so refreshing to see a ballet full of people who look like us.
If at First
I’ve been familiar with Ballet Black for some time but had yet to see them perform, and this show exceeded any preconceptions I had. The first piece, If at First (inspired by Basquiat’s Eroica) was profound in a way that wasn’t pretentious and brought to life the themes of heroism, humanity, and the complexities that arise as these concepts intertwine. It never fails to amaze me how clearly a story can be told through movement, when no words are said. It was beautiful.
The Waiting Game
The second piece, The Waiting Game felt like a fresh take on the type of performance you’d expect to see in ballet. As someone with a terrible attention span, I can confidently say my mind did not once wander; it was funny and conflicting, yet still so beautiful. It’s clear how much love has gone into this piece to get it to where it is today.
Take a bow!
Overall, the show was incredible. Ballet Black is not only a company full of tremendous artists, they’re a vehicle for change in a world that at times still tries to stifle human existence. To go to the theatre and see and feel seen by what’s on the stage is a luxury, and I felt blessed to experience that luxury because of this show. Of course, Hackney Empire is and has always been similarly incredible: time and time again we see Hackney Empire facilitating and highlighting stories and people that matter – long may it continue!”