REVIEWS





BALLET.CO .UK 2006

COLOURBLIND AND JABULA

(reviewing Colourblind by Leigh Alderson and Jabula by Natalie Weir)
I was really impressed and moved by "Colour Blind", choreographed by the 19 year old graduate student Leigh Alderson, danced by himself and fellow graduate Jade Hale-Cristofi (adeline genee medal winner). I felt that this was an astonishingly mature work, visually beautiful with Leigh demonstrating real depth of emotion. He's a very flexible dancer, think Edward Watson, with wonderful backbends and an expressive face. He was equally striking in his solo in Jabula, the final piece of tonight's performance.


Colour Blind by Leigh Alderson was a captivating piece. Leigh Alderson and Jade Hale-Christofi, and the audience; the piece was fascinating. Both dancers excelled in their own strength in Alderson's choreography. Alderson showed off his linearity and expression, whilst Hale-Christofi exhibit expressive dancing and strength. There was deep meaning behind the innovative choreographic movements, which could be perhaps performed by a male and female. But both male dancers were very involved and focused, synchronising each others' line and movement. This was one of the highlight pieces for me that evening.
Jabula was an amazing piece to conclude the program. It brought out the versatility of the dancers. Captivating dancing from Hale-Christofi, Kaiser and Alderson. I thought the partnership between Hale-Christofi and Kaiser was marvellous. Both dancers seemed highly engrossed into the mood of the piece, and into their characters, they literally owned the stage. Alderson, once again, establishing superb emotions and dancing in his solo. The challenging lifts and partnerwork were handled with outstanding flair. Jabula indeed made the dancers look a million dollars!






BALLET TALK 2006

FOUR LAST SONGS

The last piece, Rudi van Dantzig's "Four Last Songs" provided a fitting closure for the evening. It was so special to see the dancers from 4 different schools all working together. Once again, I was most impressed by the Royal Ballet School dancers, Moe Nieda and Leigh Alderson, who danced with maturity beyond their years. I also enjoyed the choreography.






THE HERALD (EDINBURGH FESTIVAL) 2007

MG THE MOVIE

The space, stripped back to the bricks, works so much better for the running loops, the freeze-frame stillnesses and drifts of slow-moving bodies that make Trisha Brown's For MG: The Movie such a mesmerising meditation on perceptions (and realities) of time, space and action. Alvin Curran's music echoes a film soundscore - street noises and voices cutting into piano motifs - while a man stands immobile, like the enigmatic monolith in 2001, and life eddies around him. Or maybe it's the very cosmos, the dancers in dusty red-gold unitards like orbiting motes of dust. Leigh Alderson sustains unflinching stillness; Martina Forioso is the valiant running girl.