A DECADE IN MOTION

Sadler’s Wells Theatre

★★★★★

“The energy is unrivalled and the mix of styles unlimited”

Following his retirement from The Royal Ballet a decade ago, Carlos Acosta would have been forgiven for hanging up his ballet shoes and resting on his laurels. Not so for Acosta, who in 2014, received a CBE for his contribution to dance. He then founded his company, Acosta Danza, and is now celebrating its tenth anniversary; firstly, by winning the National Dance Award for Best Mid-Scale Company and secondly, by paying tribute to his Cuban background and the variety of its dance culture that inspired his remarkable career. Before he became a classical dancer, Acosta (in his own words) was “a street kid who used to breakdance… ballet came later”. His first experiences came from watching Cuban folk at parties. This show, “A Decade in Motion”, is a phenomenally unique and distinctive collaboration with choreographers and dancers that blends the classical with the contemporary. Four set pieces are delivered in a little over an hour and a half. Although we are left wanting more, the curation is spot on, leaving us little time to draw breath between the routines, but just enough to appreciate, and marvel at, the precision, talent, innovation and – most importantly – the emotion on display.

The evening begins in complete silence. The skeleton of a neon lit cube encases the four dancers of Cuban choreographer George Céspedes’ “La Ecuación”. Initially, they prowl and move like caged animals, primitive and precise, before bursting with passion with an onslaught of percussion and throbbing base lines. The old meets the new, and the streetwise sits well beneath the classical proscenium arch. We are transfixed right up to the final beat, on which the performers escape their cube. Céspedes is clearly thinking outside the box.

Choreographer Javier De Frutos then takes us back to 1920s Havana with his remarkable dance piece, “98 Días”. Inspired by the Spanish playwright Federico García Lorca, it reflects the enchantment of Cuba, where Lorca is said to have spent the happiest ninety-eight days of his life. Lorca fell in love with the place that was so far away from home while we, in turn, are swept off our feet by the sheer grace and virtuosity of the arrangement. The dancers’ limbs become wings as they move like birds of paradise. Poised and supple, there is also something confrontational and tribal within the harmony of movement. This juxtaposition is thrilling and beautiful. A voiceover that narrates Lorca’s poetry overextends itself, but when the music resumes there is a melancholy and longing that cuts to the soul. A stirring tango, with touches of flamenco, rounds off the dance – breaking rules and pushing the boundaries further apart, until a solitary ticking of the clock brings us to its inevitable conclusion. Once again, we are wanting just a little bit more.

“Llamada” opens the second act. Goyo Montero’s choreography is, in a nutshell, stunning. We may not understand the intricacies of its symbolism, but the passion is undeniably felt. The harmony and synchronisation are breathtaking, and as it progresses, the steps start to trigger a sense of unease. Silent screams accompany discordant strings, and a false ending gives way to a different style altogether. We are invited to think as well as feel, yet ultimately the latter gains the upper hand.

Visually, “A Decade in Motion” is a remarkable tour de force, exemplified by its closing number which incorporates a giant video backdrop of the Havana coastline. The entire company are brought together for Alexis Fernández and Yaday Ponce’s “De Punta a Cabo”. The energy is unrivalled and the mix of styles unlimited. Pre-recorded silhouettes projected onto the back wall uncannily follow the real time movement onstage. We know it is the other way around, yet our suspension of disbelief allows us to set aside reality. Indeed, this performance is a dream. The perfect celebration of a decade of dance. And Acosta promises more. Still refusing to rest on his laurels he has said that he is “looking forward to the next ten years”. Well, Carlos – so are we!