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The Herald Scotland
06-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Flying the flag for the future of dance
Read More: And wonderful twice over: Constance Devernay-Laurence in Christopher Wheeldon's I Married Myself - dynamically morphed by her from TV to stage - and in a sassy, sparky extract from Elite Syncopations where her crisp, witty style shone in lively partnership with Kevin Poeung and Tyrone Singleton. Elsewhere, the Ballet Nights mantra of bringing new works and new names into a framework that encompasses classical and contemporary choreography delivered a programme crammed with wide-ranging audience appeal. Stephen McRae's solo Czardas - a tremendous whirlwind of tap-dancing that transformed the folklorique divertissement. BLACBRIK - a male duo whose Death of the Bachelors was a sinuous slink of bodies totally in the groove. Ekleido in Splice - with Hannah Ekholm and Faye Stoeser melding contemporary moves and club/battle styles into sudden hybrid forms. Solos from Caspar Lench and Andrew Cummings, along with an ensemble piece from the Graduating Year (BA Modern Ballet Programme) at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland - they all deserve praise for flying a promising flag for the future of dance. Curated and compered by Jamiel Devernay- Laurence, this was a triumph for all involved - here's hoping Ballet Nights adds Glasgow to its touring schedules.
Spectator
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Spectator
The artistic benefits of not being publicly subsidised
Paralysed rather than empowered by the heavy hand of Big Brother Arts Council, the major subsidised dance companies are running scared and gripped by dismally risk-averse and short-termist attitudes. Free from the deadening metrics of diversity quotas and targeted outcomes, smaller more independent enterprises – London City Ballet and New English Ballet Theatre among them – can be lighter on their feet: they have inherited something of the pioneering spirit of Marie Rambert and Ninette de Valois a century ago and they deserve support. Another such is Ballet Nights – a series of one-off galas masterminded by Jamiel Devernay-Laurence, who doubles up as an embarrassingly brash compère, introducing each performer as though they were contestants at a rodeo. I wish he wouldn't. But Devernay-Laurence has some sound ideas too: he can structure a programme, he knows the value of live music (even if it is restricted to a piano and string quartet), and he seems to have an eye for interesting dancers. The concert platform of Cadogan Hall offers him a less than ideal space, but with the help of some rudimentary lighting, he makes the most of it. He is also evidently ambitious to present new and unfamiliar repertory rather than falling back on old chestnuts: the programme I saw featured several commissions and world premières, with only the balcony pas de deux from MacMillan's Romeo and Juliet (rather perfunctorily executed by Reece Clarke and Anna Rose O'Sullivan) as an obvious sweetener. A couple of duds emerged, inevitably, and I didn't think it was worth putting Eve Mutso to the trouble of resuscitating Peter Darrell's flappy and flabby solo to Mahler's 'Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen'. But I enjoyed much more Harris Beattie's droll account of Richard Alston's Dutiful Ducks and Constance Devernay-Laurence's elegant narcissism in Christopher Wheeldon's party piece I Married Myself. Best of all was William Forsythe's Slingerland Duet, a tautly conceived dialogue, structured through complex torsions and danced here with seamless assurance by Gareth Haw and Sangeun Lee. In a fullish and enthusiastic house there was little sign of the usual London ballet crowd; further performances are scheduled for July in Glasgow and September back at the Cadogan Hall. I am left with two related questions: where does Devernay-Laurence get the money for this, and how long can he keep it going? Rosie Kay has lately been preoccupied with her worthy campaign to nurture an atmosphere of freer speech in the prissy world of the arts, but it's good to see her return to the stage making intelligent dance. In Adult Female Dancer she presents a sort of autobiography in a recorded narration, to which she dances in counterpoint. Although this isn't an altogether original idea (Jérôme Bel created something similar through Véronique Doisneau 20 years ago), Kay is warmly engaging as she explores early traumas and recalls hideous injuries in an effort to address her love-hate compulsion to keep dancing into painful middle age. It could be maudlin, but it isn't. There's no wallowing in self-pity, and uncostumed in white shirt and black tights Kay moves with an unaffected honesty that makes you feel she has nothing to hide or prove. A longer piece, Fantasia, follows. Dressed first in outlandish tutus and then in shimmering tasselled catsuits, three barefoot female dancers pay tribute to the sun, moon and Earth – at least that's according to the programme, because you could have fooled me. What I saw was a wittily eclectic, almost but not quite parodic homage to the classical symmetries of Petipa, the hopping and skipping of Isadora, and the deep-bend intensities of Martha Graham. Meaningful or not, it's certainly a stylish and attractive choreographic exercise.
Glasgow Times
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
Ballet Nights to make Scottish premiere in Glasgow this July
Ballet Nights will arrive at Glasgow's Theatre Royal on July 4, bringing a programme of classical ballet, contemporary dance, and live music performed by internationally acclaimed artists. The show has previously been performed on stages across the globe, including London, Brisbane, and Kuala Lumpur. Read more: Glasgow workshop aims to inspire potential community organisers Jamiel Devernay-Laurence, founder and artistic director of Ballet Nights and a former soloist with Scottish Ballet, will compère the evening. He said: "Glasgow holds a very special place in my heart and my creative soul. "In bringing my show concept to my old home, Ballet Nights offers me and many fellow returning Scottish Ballet stars the chance to reconnect with the audiences that made us. "I'm equally excited to showcase the global acts we've been growing the show with in London, alongside rarely seen Scottish voices—bringing our unique blend of artistry and innovation to Glasgow, and celebrating the magic of dance with audiences old and new." The line-up includes Scottish Ballet alumni such as Sophie Martin, Eve Mutso, and Constance Devernay-Laurence, as well as Royal Ballet principal Steven McRae and Birmingham Royal Ballet's former principal Tyrone Singleton. Glasgow-born dancer Andrew Cummings will also perform. Dancers Steven McRae and Constance Devernay-Laurence will perform at the event (Image: Mich Rose (L) and Deborah Jaffe (R)) The show will feature the world premiere of I Married Myself, performed by Constance Devernay-Laurence and choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon OBE. Other highlights include Death of The Bachelors, choreographed and performed by BLACBRIK, and Elite Syncopations, featuring Constance Devernay-Laurence, Kevin Poeung, and Tyrone Singleton. Tickets for the Glasgow show are available to be purchased at Following the performance, Ballet Nights will host a day of masterclasses for young students on July 5 at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland Wallace Studios, led by Steven McRae. Read more: Portaloo transformed into mini-cinema puts spotlight on hidden health issue Megan Peasgood, course leader and ballet tutor at the Dance School of Scotland, said: "The Glasgow Ballet Nights Masterclasses are an exciting opportunity for the young aspiring dancers of Scotland to learn and develop their skills with prestigious industry professionals and Ballet Nights stars. "The day will provide a versatile mix of dance and coaching to inspire the students alongside their everyday dancing." The masterclasses are open to students in three age groups: junior (9–11), mids (12–14), and senior (15–16).
