English National Ballet is still able to entertain fans in Milton Keynes during this uncertain time thanks to the company’s new digital season, writes Georgina Butler.
The dancers were, of course, unable to make their usual annual visit to Milton Keynes Theatre in October 2020. Undeterred, they joined forces with talented directors and exciting choreographers to create five original dance films.
These films are now available online for us to enjoy watching at home.
English National Ballet’s Artistic Director, Tamara Rojo CBE, said: “This is the first time English National Ballet has embarked on a digital project of this scale and it has been amazing to see everyone pull together with such dedication and resolve, to embrace a new process of creation and collaboration. The result is five very diverse and beautiful films that are testament to the resilience and ingenuity of the arts, even in such challenging times.”
The five films available as part of English National Ballet’s Digital Season are: Take Five Blues, Senseless Kindness, Laid in Earth, Echoes and Jolly Folly.
Take Five Blues is a lively ensemble piece that sees eight dancers playfully embellish classical steps with raw rhythms and jazzy highlights. It was choreographed by English National Ballet Associate Artist Stina Quagebeur and created in collaboration with filmmaker Shaun James Grant.
Senseless Kindness is a poetic, black-and-white portrayal of the resilience that the human spirit possesses to both endure and enjoy life. World-renowned choreographer Yuri Possokhov has worked with a UK company for the first time to devise this piece with filmmaker Thomas James.
Laid in Earth blends fluid choreography by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui with an eerie other-worldly aesthetic captured by director Thomas James.
Echoes experiments with the interplay of light and movement. The ever-shifting choreography is by Russell Maliphant, while award-winning filmmakers Michael Nunn and William Trevitt bring the mesmerising exploration to the screen.
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Jolly Folly is inspired by old Hollywood movie musicals. Choreographer Arielle Smith worked with filmmaker Amy Becker-Burnett to create this fun and fast-paced pick-me-up.
All five films were created specifically as dance for the camera – merging choreography and cinematography. They were recorded in the company’s theatre-sized production studio in east London while adhering to COVID-19 guidance.
English National Ballet’s Digital Season is presented via Ballet on Demand, part of the company’s new video platform, ENB at Home. Each short film is available to rent for 72 hours, for £3.49, with an accompanying mini-documentary that gives an insight into the creative process.
