English National Ballet: Body & Soul at Sadler’s Wells

“How do we interpret the world around us? How do we respond and react, in our bodies and in our minds?” These are the questions posed by Crystal Pite and Kameron N Saunders in their mesmerising collaboration, Body & Soul; an exploration of identity, conflict and connection.

The show is separated into two parts: Pite’s Body & Soul (part one) and Saunders’s Proper Conduct. Artistic Director, Aaron S Watkin, addressed the partnership of world-renowned choreographer Pite and Taylor Swift-collaborator Saunders, and his hope of “bridging genres and generations and giving a platform for diverse choreographers of today to shine”. The sheer energy and technicality of the dancing throughout is phenomenal, and both artists blend their unique and contrasting styles to create one shared vision of today’s society.

In her UK premiere, Pite, who originally created the piece for the 2019 Paris Opera Ballet, explores themes of conflict with 36 dancers in black suits, accompanied by an audio of French stage directions. Phrases like “figure one lies on the ground” and “figure two paces back and forth” are repeated as the dancers follow suit, as though controlled by the voice. While the narration remains the same, the action on stage creatively changes, from a uniform group, to a couple, morphing from what appears to be an interaction of violence, to one of intimacy. Pite described how she “got really interested in how the meaning of the text changes depending on how it’s embodied”. The use of costumes is essential in conveying this theme, as the dancers divide, half dressed in white and half in black, both pushing and pulling away to form a giant rippling wave.

Saunders presents his world premiere of Proper Conduct for the second half of the performance, divided into three distinct parts, and described as “the quest to find our authentic self under crushing societal scrutiny.” His opening completely contrasts Pite’s, as colourfully clothed dancers leap around euphorically, set to uplifting swirling melodies in a joyous celebration of diverse individuality. This apparent utopia is suddenly interrupted by a monstrous voice that asks the audience, “Don’t you see the chaos and corruption rotting beneath your smiles?” Life and vibrancy are replaced by identical futuristic white suits and reflective face masks; an anonymous, monochrome group that feels violent and oppressive, hypnotically marching in unison. Joshie Harriette’s lighting and Kimie Nakano’s design are vital in the visual juxtaposition of liberty and control, as is Brandon Finklea and Harold Walker III’s exhilarating score.

As he introduced the performance on its opening night, the director said he wanted his work to appeal to the younger generation, and the exciting variety of dance routines is proof that the art form is anything but outdated. Body & Soul takes us on an unpredictable and thought-provoking journey that is fresh and boundary-pushing. Sorry, Timothée, but ballet is very much alive and kicking!