2021

6 creatives reflect on the impacts of Brexit and COVID, and imagine adaptive futures for their industries.

Ballet Black’s 20-year-long diversity mission still feels urgent, and its latest double bill is an impressive reminder of the sort of talent and vision that could otherwise go overlooked.

Ballet Black, Linbury Theatre review – an essential part of the landscape
Twenty years on, the pity is that it’s still necessary for this excellent company to exist

Ballet Black Review: It’s a thought-provoking work delivered in a highly entertaining package and another strong addition to the Ballet Black repertoire.

It’s cheeky and clever and satisfying and you’ll be hard pressed not to smile.

Ballet Black’s new double skilfully captures the anxiety of our times and offers considered poems, precise choreography and compelling joy as antidote.

Double success: Ballet Black’s Then or Now and The Waiting Game

Ballet Black: Then or Now/The Waiting Game review – dynamic anniversary celebration

This double bill was a perfect introduction as it shows the company’s range.

Will Tuckett makes visual poetry of love, war and the work of Adrienne Rich, while Mthuthuzeli November journeys to a glitter-coated land of showtime

Ballet Black, review: a plea to polish our souls – This beautiful, intelligently curated evening at the Linbury demands to be seen.

Ballet Black, responded to lockdown by creating a collaborative film, Eightfold, which brings together eight dancers and as many choreographers in a series of short solos created via Zoom from places as far apart as South Africa, Leeds, New York, Berlin, Paris, Amsterdam and London.

Kiki’s Woman of the Month is the incredible Cassa Pancho, the founder and CEO of Ballet Black. The Company was to provide dancers and students of black and Asian descent with inspiring opportunities in classical ballet.

Delivering a seamless performance from start to finish, the BALLET BLACK double bill provides a diverse offering that all dance audiences can enjoy.

The energy from the first half of the evening is just as present here – Lord knows how – and the final movement provides a very jazzy ending. It’s a happy one too.

Black Ballet have woken my senses to contemporary and original Ballet; alongside composers from the 16th, 19th and 21st centuries. I loved each moment and I cannot wait to be a part of their circle of friends and watch their 20th season.

The solo work of each of the dancers was impressive, but the partnering and the ensemble work were truly mind-blowing.

The closing sequence, combining spiritual, praise-the-Lord exultation with the razzmatazz of showbiz, is pure joy.

‘ We can work on our technique, make ourselves more bendy or put fake arches in our shoes, but we can’t do anything about our skin colour – nor should we ever have to.’

The hugely popular Ballet Black is back with a mixed bill full of lyrical contrasts and beautiful movement – dance so thrilling, imaginative and rich that it packs the auditorium every time.