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Our new mixed bill of raw American-style neo-classical ballet opened last week at Sadler's Wells to rave reviews! Featuring two works by William Forsythe: Playlist (Track 1, 2), his first new work for a UK ballet company in over 20 years, and Approximate Sonata 2016, alongside a reworking of Aszure Barton's Fantastic Beings and Jerome Robbins's predatory The Cage, Voices of America is not to be missed. Here is what the press and audiences have been saying.  

★★★★★ “A joyful surprise” – The Independent

“An excellent showcase for the company as a whole” – New York Times

★★★★ “ENB are looking more finessed and adventurous in this all-American programme than I have seen them in years. Better yet, I have never seen them having so much fun.” – The Guardian

★★★★ “Showed ENB on bold form – connected, synchronised and firing on all cylinders… a cleverly curated programme” – The Daily Telegraph

★★★★ “A punchy programme of contemporary ballet delivered with the style we’ve now come to expect from this classy, confident company.” – The Arts Desk

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Giorgio Garrett and English National Ballet in Playlist (Track 1, 2) by William Forsythe © Laurent Liotardo.

Playlist (Track 1, 2)

The world premiere that’s making waves. William Forsythe’s newest creation Playlist (Track 1, 2) “mashes together club music and classicism to create a banger of a hit” (The Guardian), and “shows off the chops of ENB’s superb crop of male soloists” (The Arts Desk).

The result? “An absolute thrill” (The Daily Telegraph), “a masterly showstopper” (The New York Times), and a “firecracker finale” (Financial Times). You’ll be whooping and dancing in your seats!

English-National-Ballet-in-Fantastic-Beings-by-Aszure-Barton-©-Laurent-Liotardo-(6)
English National Ballet in Fantastic Beings by Aszure Barton © Laurent Liotardo

Fantastic Beings

Following its premiere in 2016’s She Said programme, Aszure Barton’s Fantastic Beings is back, and is “a keeper… endlessly intriguing and ultimately exhilarating” (The Stage).

“Featuring all manner of slinky, sensual creatures” (Evening Standard), this inventive work is “a feast for the senses” (The Daily Express), and an “otherwordly celebration of the possibilities of the human form” (The Daily Telegraph).

https://twitter.com/PoppyPopkin/status/984510436900069376?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fstorify.com%2FENBallet%2Fvoices-of-america-audience-reaction&tfw_creator=enballet&tfw_site=storify

https://twitter.com/gavmcc15/status/986011311728484352

Tiffany-Hedman-and-James-Streeter-in-Approximate-Sonata-2016-by-William-Forsythe
Tiffany Hedman and James Streeter in Approximate Sonata 2016 by William Forsythe © Laurent Liotardo.

Approximate Sonata 2016

The mixed bill also includes Forsythe at his vintage best with this reworking of a 1996 “peculiar, witty piece based on a series of intricate pas de deux” (The Daily Telegraph).

Deconstructing the classical ballet vocabulary, expect “a distinctly rehearsal vibe… seemingly casual yet tightly constructed, sensuous too” (The Times).

 

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English National Ballet in The Cage by Jerome Robbins © Laurent Liotardo

The Cage

To commemorate the centenary of Jerome Robbins, his powerful The Cage completes the bill. This “lurid slice of pulp sci-fi… shows insect women preying on men” (The Independent).

For The Times, it is “a bonkers female revenge fantasy”. “Compelling… The supporting cast of she-insects are splendidly otherwordly and convincing.” (The Arts Desk). “It’s potent stuff” (The Stage).

To top it off, William Forsythe himself joined our dancers on stage for the curtain call last week, and surprised us with a dance:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BhhxMHBHbpR/?taken-by=balletfriendsofficial

There are still tickets available for the last performances of Voices of America, on until 21 April at Sadler’s Wells. Get your tickets now.