“A credit to Nottingham and the surrounding area” was how the city’s Lord Mayor Mohammed Saghir summed up this energetic performance of Giselle.
He more than had a point, as over 100 youngsters were filling the stage behind him after nailing a popular ballet first aired over 150 years ago.
The English Youth Ballet works on a kind of rep theatre basis – which means the young performers have only days to learn their masterpiece.
But you’d never know it. From the youngest babes marking out their steps through the dozens of teens in perfect synchronisation and onto the leads, this was a neat, tight and well-drilled performance.
The dancers were clearly chosen for their grace, boys and girls alike – something most striking in the first scenes of Act II, when the ghostly wilis glide across the stage as though afloat.
The enthusiasm of the audience seemed to give the youngsters an extra edge, spurring them on to such a high standard in such a short space of rehearsal time. Of course the planning from director Janet Lewis, assistant director and choreographer Dominic Marshall and company manager Scott Butterworth stretches far in advance of the rehearsals – and their dedication shines through.
Back to Giselle, though. And for those who don’t know, all the trouble in store is down to Albert, who’s engaged to Lady Bathilde but clearly loved Giselle. She also loved to dance for her father and after some beautiful woodland dancing realises the betrayal and dies because of her weak – or broken - heart.
Yet she is summoned from her grave in a spectacular series of scenes where the wilis show their mastery of the dance floor, while condemning Albert and leading Giselle’s protector Hilarion to his death.
Updated to a modern setting, with evocative costumes, the youngsters brought the tale to life in an accessible performance that, as the mayor said, did everyone proud.
