Carlos Acosta was the youngest ever principal dancer at the English National Ballet when he joined it at the age of 18. He went on to the Royal Ballet in London in 1988 where he dazzled audiences with his extraordinary technique and flair. He was in that rare, once in a generation, category of dancers that, through the ages have included Nijinsky, Nureyev and Baryshnikov, who simply take your breath away with their stage presence and the apparent ease with which they achieve the impossible.
Sadly for us all, Acosta retired in 2016 but of course he could never leave the dance world. And so he set up his own company, Acosta Danza, now celebrating its tenth anniversary at Sadler’s Wells with an eclectic mix of four pieces, designed to show off his dancers exceptional talents. And I have to say these are formidable dancers. They combine strength with fluidity – I’ve never quite seen body ripples like these. You’d swear these dancers were composed principally of liquid.
The first piece is La Ecuacion (The Equation) and takes place inside (mostly) a cube of light. Choreographed by Cuban George Cespedes, the four dancers begin in silence but this explodes into music that begins with maracas and marimbas but then gives way to X Alfonso’s techno beat. It’s a 15-minute tour de force of close combat with movements as percussive as the sound and the deepest pliés you’ll ever see in 2nd position.
98 Dias (main image) is a slightly longer piece by Javier De Frutos and based on the visit of the Spanish poet, Federico Garcia Lorca, to Cuba. He’d intended to go for a week but in the end stayed for 98 days declaring them to be the best of his entire life and the island was a paradise. The soundtrack combines the words of Lorca’s poem, Son de Negros en Cuba, with tracks from a number of Spanish artists and, seated on an otherwise bare stage, the dancers rise from chairs and engage in daring lifts and drops with an air of supreme confidence, their timing and lines impeccable. Never have blue boilersuits and socks looked sexier.
Acosta Danza, A Decade in Motion: ‘Llamada’ (Photo by Ariel Ley)
Like 98 Dias, the Spanish choreographer Goyo Montero’s Llamada (translated here as Gesture) was a UK premiere but I think it would be closer to use a more literal – Calling – because there is a sense of vocation about the piece or, perhaps more accurately, of being driven in a direction almost against one’s will. Mostly, it appears to be about faith, gender and sexuality with the dancers possessed and shuddering like shock victims in strange pale costumes that include odd deconstructed tutus for the men (Angelo Alberto). Others cross themselves perhaps seeking absolution, or silently scream and throw each other in the air. Probably the least inspiring piece in the quartet, it’s fortunately followed by the upbeat finale, De Punta a Cabo (From End to End).
Choreographers Alexis Fernandez and Yaday Ponce have created a day by the sea, and a very specific sea at that. This is the Malecón, Havana’s famous esplanade stretching five miles of coastline dotted with architectural landmarks. The filmed backdrop shows the dancers in situ and, on stage, they’re still in their beach clothes (till they strip off). This piece has everything from pirouettes to sexy salsa and gives this talented company the best chance of the evening to show off their formidable style and technique. To be honest, I’d have liked to see a bit more of this choreographic range throughout the evening but – as for the dancers – they’re simply dazzling whether they’re in pointe shoes or trainers.
Acosta Danza runs at Sadler’s Wells until 27th September. For more information, and for bookings, please visit www.sadlerswells.com.
Photos by Argel Ernesto González Alvarez, unless otherwise credited.
