Vitesse

As the first professional contemporary ballet I have watched, the Australian Ballet’s triple-bill ‘Vitesse’ opened my eyes to the subtler and more focussed method of storytelling which exists within contemporary ballet. Vitesse presents the audience with three contrasting movements: Jiři Kylian’s Forgotten Land, William Forsythe’s In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated and Christopher Wheeldon’s Danse à Grande Vitesse.

Unknowing of what to expect, and slightly sceptical of the at times unsettling in-between of the ballet and contemporary styles, it took time to become accustomed to the completely different dynamic Vitesse had in comparison to the decadence of emotion which is inevitable in classical ballet productions. The ballet intended to convey a couple of themes, rather than a series of events; however, in most cases, the breathtaking nature of the modern movement made up for the loss in terms of emotional engagement, or characterisation.

Although the haunting vibes and fluidity of movement was there, Forgotten Land was not a personal favourite. There was something about the lighting, or the slightly eerie synchronisation and repetition of movements which did not mesh with my expectation of a fast-paced exhibition of technique.

However, Forsythe’s In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated, gave exactly that. Everything about it oozed the sophisticated sass of dancers in rehearsal. The steady beat in the music, the struts between movements, and the visibility of perspiration in the leotards which highlighted every working muscle. The extended balances and the perfect control exhibited by the small group of dancers worked perfectly to demonstrate the effort as well as the wow factor. In the finale, Wheeldon’s Danse à Grande Vitesse, there was a constant sense of hopeful anticipation and elevation in the air. It was the perfect light-hearted finish to a contemporary triple bill which only went up.

Love, Ingrid

Photography Jess Busby and Kate Longley