BalletBoyz are a London based all-male dance company that are presenting their bold new work titled Life. In a double bill, we are introduced to the expressive style of the BalletBoyz’s movement, and the character they bring to their performance.
Choreographer Pontus Lidberg has created an interesting piece, known for blending contemporary and classical into his works, his new work Rabbit is dreamlike. As the dancers roll onto the stage in smart clothes and a rabbit head, they hop and a spring around the stage in an organic yet uniformed way. This balance creates a strange ambience as they move as one.
With imagery that reflects Lewis Carroll’s, it’s a piece that is both highly funny and exceptionally dark. The combination of frantic movement and stillness heightens the dystopian vibes. As an audience we soon realise that one of their group are not welcome, as they shun him and carry on as if he weren’t there. It’s a poetic piece of dance that speaks loudly about isolation due to the contrasting movement displayed in the performance. The Górecki score influences the piece, as the highs and lows of the music are echoed in the power of the movement. Each layer of conflict and emotion is portrayed through the energy of the dancers.
In the second piece, choreographer Javier De Frutos has created a piece of dance about the aftermath of death – his death. It’s more of a naturalistic piece, as the dancers step on stage in tracksuits and dance gear, they bring a ballet barre on stage and begin warming up. However, the surreal movement then starts to kick in, as the dancers move in partners to music. We then begin to hear voices, a loud and clear voice that reflects a dance teacher instructing a class, who begins to tell the audience that Javier De Frutos has died in a freak accident.
The movement is set to the music and voices, as we hear the fictional obituary of Javier covering the highs and controversey of his career. The dancers move with intense emotion as they react to the words spoken, portraying their frustration, aggression and heartbreak. It’s an excellent piece for character, as each dancer’s personality and feelings are evident through their movement. There also a distinct amount of partner work, as they move together around the barre which reflects the need for one another in this difficult time. It’s a piece about universal grief which is shown through a mixture of uplifting and treacherous movement such as bending and twisting over the barre.
Currently on a UK tour, information can be found here.
