Ok, there’s no denying it: 10 near-naked guys, with beautifully toned, beautifully lit torsos, literally man-handling each other in a series of improbable lifts and balances — it’s hot. But this is the BalletBoyz, not the Chippendales; serious artistry that just happens to come in an attractive, very saleable package.
When the original BalletBoyz, Michael Nunn and William Trevitt, formed a second-generation company, The Talent, they relied on raw power and youthful energy to counter the rough edges but three years on the group are maturing impressively. They celebrate the dancing male but in Liam Scarlett’s Serpent they are not so much balls-out macho men, more strong silent types. This is new territory for Scarlett, more used to working with conventional classical ballet companies. Some of these lithe partnerships could be his usual pas de deux transferred onto two men’s bodies but elsewhere he’s had to think again, and the result is a luscious study in weight, heft and swooning curves. It’s tender without being wet and it bodes well for Scarlett extending his reach from his classical roots.
Choreographer Russell Maliphant has been a collaborator with BalletBoyz from the beginning— his muscular, martial arts-influenced treatment of male partnering helped define their early style — and his piece, Fallen, feels like familiar territory. It’s hampered by a faceless, relentless electronic soundscape which, as it moves into Philip Glass-esque strings and banging-your-head-against-a-brick-wall bass, threatens to overwhelm any light and shade in the choreography. A shame, because there are some fantastic moments: a solo for Leon Poulton is the stand-out, showing off the dancer’s sensitive touch. The company may have a boyband-y profile, what with the naked photoshoots, gaggles of girls in the audience, and pre-performance films shot in tasteful black and white but it doesn’t undermine the quality.
Even if (for some reason) the torsos don’t do it for you, there’s plenty that’s great to look at.
Until March 13 (0844 412 4300, sadlerswells.com)
