Royal Ballet School's summer performances

by Gwen Heart at the Linbury Studio Theatre, London

Summer is romance filled with vitality and freshness for future choreographers who get the opportunity to showcase their works and also present exciting new dancers blooming at the Royal Ballet School in their annual summer performances on the main stage of the Linbury Studio Theatre.

This year it is the Rudolf Nureyev production of Ramonda Act. 111 along with more exciting choreography from this ballet school.

We are inhaling the scents of summer breeze through some of the open windows before the dancers’ arrival. They are all young and vivacious, ambition written all over their faces.

None may have been born when he choreographed and danced in Raymonda but that is where all the young dancers wish to end. I was at the Royal Ballet School's annual matinee which is the nest of the lot with the members of the RB in a newer version of Symphony in C. which was one among the long series spread over summer heat.

Most of the works were by emerging young British choreographers with the inclusion of David Dawson and Liam Scarlet who have already made a name for themselves.

They were joined by Martin Joyce, Kristen MacNally and Alexander Whitley among others.

They will feature productions with fresh and a different twist given to the classical repertoire to test their talent with the former choreographers who resented the same works in their time.

But most of all they will be tried and tested as to how they will board Nureyev's Ratmonda Act. 111 that at the end of the season, will close with the traditional Grand Defile and will assemble all senior students on stage.

By this time, they would have presented their works in schools of classics contemporary, national and character works. This is the challenge they look forward because it gives them the opportunity to step into the shoes that today's dancers at RB leave behind.

It is the dream of every youngster to achieve. Judging by today's performance, every dancer and choreographer they are on the right track. Raven Girl: Premiered in May, 2014 is a new fairy tale by Audrey Niffengger. It has been adapted by choreographer Wayne McGregor to the music of Gabriel Yared. Its new dancer took over from Sarah lamb at the RB's summer performance.

Raymonda

Symphony in C. The fabulous group of dancers from the Royal Ballet who set the precedence for their school, the challenge taken up by the young hopefuls of today, marks the emergence of tomorrow's professionals.

Are the young choreographers who mix with them to share their dreams of the future when Linsbury Theatre will still be there to bear testimony to their hard work and talent when they present the youngsters who have conquered and are ready to take over the mantle.

Originally produced in III Acts and four scenes, choreographed by M. Petipa in 1898 by the Marrinsky Theatre, St.Petersburg, Raymonda became one of the most popular ballets that each and every choreographer wanted to lay his hand on it. The original version had music scored by Glazunov but down the years all music masters too wanted to score for this classic as it gained momentum.

Story behind Raymonda

Raymonda is to marry Jean de Brienne but the Saracen Knight, Abderkhman has other ideas fascinated by her beauty. He focuses his attention on Raymonda while de Brienne is on a crusade.

At the crucial time of his return, he fights his rival and set the seal on the preparations for the marriage festival which starts with a lavish Hungarian divertisment. The ballet has been constantly revived and is still kept in the Soviet repertory.

It came to the West in N. Zverev's production for the National Ballet of Lithuvania in London in 1935. The first US production was Danilova's and Balanchine's abbreviated version for the Ballet Russ de Monte Carlo in 1946. A complete production was staged for Touring Royal Ballet in 1964 by Nureyev.

Later in 1965, Nureyev mounted his version for Australia Ballet in III Acts for Raymonda that simply shook the firmemant in classical scene. This version goes on and on and today it is the challenge to the budding dancers of tomorrow in the Royal Ballet School.

They will, no doubt, achieve the spectacular genre left by the immortal Nureyev, the god of dance they look up to even today.