Pointe shoes, tutus, and pirouettes. Ballerinas ooze grace and elegance whilst on stage. Is the world of ballet as refined as it looks on stage, or are there layers of ballet and ballet culture hidden behind the facade? Ballerinas train tirelessly and often have to decide at a young age to devote their life to the stage and to their craft. Putting in hours of … Continue reading Pointe Shoes and Pirouettes: The Dangerously Delicate
By Amelia Field Coming all the way from Cuba, International ballet star Carlos Acosta brings his superbly talented company to the Wales Millennium Centre. To give background to the company, Danza started up Acosta Danza in his home Havana where dancers are scouted and enter the company at the age of 12 to undergo eight years of training before they are ready at the age … Continue reading Acosta Danza Evolution | Review
Words by Saoirse O’Connor I spent my Saturdays through Sixth Form volunteering in an old country manor once owned by Queen VictoriaÔÇÖs favourite prime minster. The (bright yellow) bedroom was lined with gifts from the Queen to her prime minster including many, many pictures of her children each topped with its own golden crown. One of these was a portrait of Princess Beatrice, a woman … Continue reading Victoria | Ballet Review
Northern Ballet: Casanova, Tuesday 25th April, New Theatre, reviewer: Faith Clarke Casanova for most has become the archetype of sexual promiscuity. We all recognise the name, yet the tale of Giacomo Casanova is less widely known. It is the goal of The Northern Ballet then, to communicate his story through the medium of dance; to ÔÇÿpeel back the layersÔÇÖ as choreographer Kenneth Tindall puts it … Continue reading Review: Northern Ballet: Casanova, New Theatre
The Russian National Ballet and Russian State Ballet of Siberia returns to Cardiff for another spectacular repertoire of classics ÔÇô The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, and not to mention, the epitome of Romantic ballet with a longstanding history of some 135 years, Swan Lake. Performed to the fascinatingly engaging melodies of TchaikovskyÔÇÖs first ever ballet score, the melancholic adaptation of Swan Lake tells the tale of … Continue reading Review: Swan Lake, St DavidÔÇÖs Hall
Reviewed by Vaiva Seskeviciute Ballet Cymru challenged itself by producing an adaptation of ShakespeareÔÇÖs most famous masterpiece, Romeo and Juliet, at Wales Millennium Centre this November. The Weston Studio was fully seated and excitement was felt in the air. Classical strings music opened the show as the characters were introduced. Even though Romeo and his relatives owned the stage for the first few minutes, throughout … Continue reading Review: Romeo and Juliet (Ballet Cymru), WMC
