RDB reviews

During my European trip last month, I attended the opening night on 11 April of a triple bill by the Royal Danish Ballet in the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen. Serge Lifar's "Suite en Blanc" opened the programme, which also included two ballets new to the Danish repertory - a Mats Ek's pas de deux called "Grass", and Bejart's "Bolero".

Lifar's "Suite en Blanc" offers such a feast of pure and yet exciting classical dancing for the soloists and the corps that I cannot comprehend why it is not danced more often by other companies. I had only seen it once before back in 1988 during the Australian Ballet's season in Covent Garden. Maina Gielgud, the director of the Australian Ballet at that time and now directing the Royal Danish Ballet, is also responsible for staging it this time for the Danish company.

Silja Schandorff shone in the pas de deux and in the pas de trois. Johann Kobborg's multiple pirouettes were dazzling in the Mazurka. Caroline Cavallo as the Flute soloist impressed with her fouette turns.

Caroline Cavallo also danced in Mats Ek's "Grass" with Alexei Ratmansky. The choreography was full of awkward steps, as expected from this choreographer.

In "Bolero", the soloist was Martin Vedel, an exciting junior dancer, replacing the injured Kenneth Greves. In the performance in the following afternoon which I didn't attend, the soloist was danced by Mette Bodtcher. (Bejart cast both male and female dancers as the soloist). The Royal Danes' interpretation of this ballet was not at all vulgar.

At this time, it is still not known who will be Maina Gielgud's successor as artistic director.