Provoked and dazzled

Stylistic accuracy is one of the most problematic aspects of restaging dance works. ‘Style’ is a fluidly ambiguous notion encompassing a multitude of factors: the training of the choreographer and dancers, particular aesthetic trends, interpretative choices, and so on. Hence the difficulty of getting it right. Stylistic appropriateness goes far beyond any detailed reproduction of mere technicalities and so it also requires an in-depth understanding of the context within which the works were originally created.

Alas, this was not the case with the first performance of the new Royal Ballet’s triple bill last Saturday. Ninette de Valois’ 1937 Checkmate, a pillar of British ballet, represents the choreographer’s ingenious and pioneering attempt at borrowing choreographic canons from German Expressionist dance. Some of the solos and groupings are vividly reminiscent of the choreographic trademarks of celebrated Expressionist dance-makers. Pity that none of these nuances was evident in the performance I saw. The dancing looked flat, mechanical and totally uninspired.