Whatever Sylvie Guillem is taking, I want some of it. Has there ever been a ballerina more determined to inhale the elixir of youth? Her latest excursion at Sadler’s Wells, where she is an associate artist, sees her dancing like someone half her age (she’s 46) yet delivering the kind of commitment that only mature artistry can bring. And after Eonnagata, her last show here, it’s good to see her dancing full out again.
The evening is entitled 6,000 Miles Away in reference to the recent tragedy in Japan, a country the French star is especially close to (last night’s show raised money for the Japan Tsunami Appeal). The programme is a triple bill that showcases Guillem in two new works, while offering a third, a murky and pretentious duet by Jiri Kylián, that feels as if it’s there just to kill time between the main attractions. Aurélie Cayla and Kenta Kojiri do their best, but, really, what’s the point?
The first time we see Guillem she is dressed in dreary T-shirt and trousers, about to launch into Rearray, a duet created by William Forsythe, who first worked with her 24 years ago at the Paris Opera Ballet. She is partnered with Nicolas Le Riche, the Paris star. Rearray is performed to irritating snippets of disturbing music by David Morrow, which the movement blithely ignores. Forsythe showcases the extravagant stretch of Guillem’s limbs and teases us with the extent of her and Le Riche’s ability to think through so many rapid changes in movement. The choreography is more spidery than traditional ballet, and in a state of almost constant flux, yet it pays tribute to their shared aesthetic of a well-formed arabesque and the excitement of beautiful port de bras. Guillem’s body is a phenomenal instrument; Le Riche, too, has a power and heft all his own. And although Forsythe’s choreography leaves no real lasting impression, it leaves us with the memory of two remarkable, intelligent performances.
We end with Bye, a solo for Guillem made by Mats Ek, another of her favourites. Set to Beethoven’s last piano sonata, this caps the evening in terrific style. Ek’s choreography, much less classical than Forsythe’s, speaks to Guillem as an icon. She emerges out of a video screen cum doorway, looking like a scruffy cleaning lady in a limp cardigan. But, gradually, the butterfly within emerges as her moves become more confident and emboldened by the passion of a rich memory. Ek references her celebrated past and mesmerising present as a brave explorer of the dance. When Bye is over and Guillem disappears back into the film, we feel as if we have witnessed one brief moment of glory in an otherwise drab world.
Box office: 0844 4124300, to July 9, and Sept 22-25. Supported by Rolex