Matthew Bourne's The Red Shoes is back and has been hailed by all the critics as being even better than before. Adam Cooper joins the company for this revival and Ashley Shaw is Victoria Page, the award-winning role she created. Dasa Wharton took her camera to capture the 2019 opening. Ashley Shaw gave a sensational reminder of why her portrayal of Victoria Page won the … [Read more...] about Photo Album: Matthew Bourne’s The Red Shoes
Dasa Wharton
Francesca Hayward – find out more about The Royal Ballet’s star of the movie Cats
Francesca Hayward, Principal dancer of The Royal Ballet, has a leading role in the film adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical Cats, directed by Academy Award winner Tom Hooper (The King’s Speech, Les Misérables, The Danish Girl). The much-criticised film - both positively and negatively, though mostly the latter - has seen praise poured on Hayward who plays the white cat, … [Read more...] about Francesca Hayward – find out more about The Royal Ballet’s star of the movie Cats
Photo Album of Two Giselles: English National Ballet and Birmingham Royal Ballet
There’s a spate of Giselles about at the moment, radical reinventions of the 1841 ballet from Akram Khan for English National Ballet, and South African choreographer Dada Masilo, drawing on modern class and gender politics to rewrite the Romantic heroine for our times. But if you prefer your Giselle with original spirit intact, then Birmingham Royal Ballet is the one for … [Read more...] about Photo Album of Two Giselles: English National Ballet and Birmingham Royal Ballet
Photo Album: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in London
The company has three As in its title but, to my mind, this programme sets the case for it to have four, because the profundity of the African American cause is so central to this fine pair of works that it certainly seems in the hinterland of being culturally inappropriate for me – a white Englishman – to comment on the content or the narrative. I can see the references to … [Read more...] about Photo Album: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in London
English National Ballet announces promotions, joiners and leavers for the 2019-2020 season
Tamara Rojo, Artistic Director of English National Ballet, announced promotions within the company and new joiners (and leavers) for the 2019-2020 season. Promotions The following promotions have been made within the Company: Aitor Arrieta, Katja Khaniukova and Ken Saruhashi have been promoted to First Soloist. Julia Conway, Daniel McCormick and Erik Woolhouse have been … [Read more...] about English National Ballet announces promotions, joiners and leavers for the 2019-2020 season
Backstage at The Royal Ballet: Francesca Hayward and Cesar Corrales
Dasa Wharton took her camera backstage to glimpse Francesca Hayward and Cesar Corrales preparing for a performance of Romeo and Juliet at The Royal Opera House. She was also there to capture moments of the ballet from the wings, and to take shots from behind the curtain during Hayward and Corrales’s triumphant curtain call. Romeo and Juliet 5 pm Getting ready Francesca … [Read more...] about Backstage at The Royal Ballet: Francesca Hayward and Cesar Corrales
Photo album: She Persisted with English National Ballet and photos by Dasa Wharton
She Persisted, the new triple bill from English National Ballet, has generated a plethora of four and five-star reviews. It is rare to find a shrivel of critics so unanimous. She Persisted follows on from She Said, ENB’s first all-female choreography programme in 2016. Broken Wings (the Frida Kahlo work) was created for that occasion and returns in the new all-female evening. … [Read more...] about Photo album: She Persisted with English National Ballet and photos by Dasa Wharton
Photo Album: Backstage at Beauty and the Beast – Birmingham Royal Ballet
Beauty and the Beast In David Bintley's glorious Gothic ballet, witness transformations, wild waltzes, soaring birds and a relationship between Belle and the Beast that is at first terrifying, but ultimately serene and beautiful. Dasa Wharton takes her camera backstage to see the preparations and the view from the wings. Belle - Yvette Knight The Beast - Brandon … [Read more...] about Photo Album: Backstage at Beauty and the Beast – Birmingham Royal Ballet
Photo Album: Beauty and the Beast – Birmingham Royal Ballet 2019
Beauty and the Beast - Birmingham Royal Ballet A cruel Prince, cursed to spend the rest of his life living in a fantastical castle with the animals he callously hunted, finds salvation in the heart of a beautiful girl. Caught stealing a single rose, Belle’s desperate father exchanges his youngest daughter’s freedom for his own life. In his distant castle the Beast, stripped … [Read more...] about Photo Album: Beauty and the Beast – Birmingham Royal Ballet 2019
Matthew Ball in Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake
Luke Jennings – The Observer From the moment of his first entrance, it’s Ball’s show. As well as being an assured technician, he’s a dance actor of real charisma. As the Swan, he’s dangerous and commanding, all sinew and hissing aggression; and as the Stranger he’s as disdainful as he is sexually predatory, cutting a ruthless swath through the female courtiers before finally, … [Read more...] about Matthew Ball in Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake