Dance review: International Draft Works and The Forsythe Programme

Northern Ballet’s Sky Above, Voices Within, by George Liang was another pas de deux. An intense, fluid piece, it was danced by Kevin Poeung and Ruben Reuter. Reuter, who is also an actor and journalist, has Down’s Syndrome. He can add dancing to his list of talents – an extraordinary performance.

The Stuttgart Ballet’s Heartquake “three’s a crowd” pas de trois, by Emanuele Babici, was sickly sweet, but contained some interesting lifts. Joburg Ballet’s Mpho (meaning “gift”) by Tumelo Lekana opened the second half of the evening. Celebrating the power of women, it combined African dance traditions with pointe work – an intriguing combination.

The evening closed with Marcelino Sambe’s Almost Human, an interpretation of the Lilith/Adam/Eve story. The glorious Viola Pantuso excelled in the sinuous, erotic choreography.

Over at Sadler’s Wells Theatre, English National Ballet presented three short works by William Forsythe. Rearray (London Edition 2025) was a clever, thoughtful piece, danced at points in silence, with sudden blackouts. Herman Schmerman (Quintet) was the perfect vehicle for displaying the dancers’ power – all angular port de bras and high extensions, but the highlight of the evening was undoubtedly Playlist (EP). The dancers fizz with joy and the audience cannot help but be swept away by the amazing energy on the stage. Dancing to Natalie Cole’s This Will Be (An Everlasting Love), the entire company brings the performance to an exhilarating conclusion.