Dutch National Ballet, Hans Van Manen, Sadler's Wells | reviews, news & interviews
Dutch National Ballet, Hans Van Manen, Sadler's Wells
Dutch National Ballet, Hans Van Manen, Sadler's Wells
Elegant, sexily archetypical - five ballets by the superb Dutch master
Thursday, 12 May 2011
From fission to fusion: Hans Van Manen's deft, intricate 'Concertante'© Angela Sterling
In a world crying out for even below-mediocre ballet choreographers (Benjamin Millepied, anyone?), the Dutch old master Hans Van Manen is an extraordinarily well-kept secret. Why a man of such superb balletic accomplishment, theatrical instincts and calligraphic and technical skill remains barely acknowledged in Britain is presumably down to sex. His idea of sexy ballet, that is, being alien to upright British sensibilities.
In a world crying out for even below-mediocre ballet choreographers (Benjamin Millepied, anyone?), the Dutch old master Hans Van Manen is an extraordinarily well-kept secret. Why a man of such superb balletic accomplishment, theatrical instincts and calligraphic and technical skill remains barely acknowledged in Britain is presumably down to sex. His idea of sexy ballet, that is, being alien to upright British sensibilities.
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