*****

English National Ballet is back at Sadler’s Wells Theatre for a short run of two works by American choreographer William Forsythe. If you think ballet is all pretty tutus, men in tights and dying swans, then this will make you think again. The multi-talented Forsythe – he has conceived the lighting and costume designs for the ballets too – uses the traditional vocabulary of classical ballet but puts his own innovative spin on everything he creates.

The evening begins with Blake Works I, a set of dances to the music of James Blake. The style is cool and calming; the dancers gather in groups, sometimes large, sometimes small, with Emily Suzuki and Isaac Hernandez performing a beautifully elegant pas de deux. Some of the steps come straight out of the classroom, but legs are stretched to extremes, hips are jutted out and arms reach out higher. It is as if Forsythe has swallowed a dictionary of ballet steps and it all comes pouring out on to the stage. He demands a lot from his dancers and his choreography suits this company.

The second part of the performance is the exuberant Playlist (EP), which sees the dancers having the time of their lives performing a series of dances to selected songs. The Surely Shorty number has the audience whooping with delight at the testosterone-fuelled dance for 12 men: the steps are fast and punchy, but the classical leaps and beats are combined with a strong street dance vibe.

All the dances are performed with precision, speed and an incredible amount of energy, with a standout pas de deux from Precious Adams and James Streeter. The performance concludes with the company filling the stage to Natalie Cole’s This Will Be (An Everlasting Love). Their enthusiasm is infectious, and the number brings the night to a joyous conclusion, with much cheering from the auditorium.

It is not a long evening – it is over by 9pm – but it certainly packs a punch and the audience leaves exhilarated.

English National Ballet in The Forsythe Evening is at Sadler’s Well Theatre until 10 April