National Youth Dance Company, Sadler's Wells, London, review: verve and polish

A company of 41 young dancers perform Sharon Eyal’s club style work

Zo Anderson
Monday 09 April 2018 12:31 BST
Comments
Used To Be Blonde by the National Youth Dance Company and Sharon Eyal
Used To Be Blonde by the National Youth Dance Company and Sharon Eyal (Stephen Wright)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

There’s a huge energy to the National Youth Dance Company. Aged from 16 to 23, and trained in different styles, these 41 dancers come together to create a unified company. In Sharon Eyal’s Used To Be Blonde, they move with a mix of catwalk chic and shared intensity.

Started in 2013, NYDC finds 30 new dancers each year for a programme of workshops and residencies. The chosen dancers work with the associate companies of the London venue Sadler’s Wells. There’s a new guest artistic direct each year, too, creating a novel work tailored to push and show off these dancers. A majority of NYDC dancers have gone on to professional training; some are now dancing with companies such as BalletBoyz and Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures.

Sharon Eyal, this year’s artistic director, is an Israeli choreographer with a growing international profile, both with her own company L-E-V and in works made for other troupes. In Used To Be Blonde, she draws on her young cast’s verve while giving them a glossy professional polish.

Before the performance, video interviews highlight the diversity of the company – from different parts of the UK, with backgrounds from Indian classical dance to hip hop. Charming and funny, the young people express awe at each other’s skills. On stage, there are flashes of varied styles, channelled into a collective force.

Dressed in shiny black unitards, with slicked-back hair and bright red lipstick, the dancers shuffle and stamp together. The pulse of Ori Lichtik’s club score twitches through them, bodies pumping in angular poses. They dip into deep pliés or stalk in groups, hips thrust forwards. Hands clasp or point, heads tilt and shoulders pop. There’s still room for touches of individuality. Soloist Alex Thirkle keeps his glasses on – something you hardly ever see in the dance world – even as he twists and coils.

NYDC is designed to give opportunity to its dancers, but it’s also a great canvas for choreographers: a chance to work on a large scale, with a big cast of eager performers. The combination makes Used To Be Blonde by far the most interesting work I’ve seen by Eyal. Throughout, there’s a sense that this horde of dancers are choosing to pour themselves into the collective endeavour, bringing fresh momentum to her club style.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in