21ST-CENTURY CHOREOGRAPHER? Patricia Linton offers her thoughts following The Frederick Ashton Foundation’s symposium held at The Royal Ballet School symposium on the choreography in the way that it has with the works of Frederick Ashton, hosted by of George Balanchine and Kenneth not may have to do with our national A The Frederick Ashton Foundation, MacMillan. There are all sorts of reasons tendency to avoid prescription and was held at The Royal Ballet School for this, to do with indecision in the centralisation. For whatever reason, we on Sunday, September 22, and it was a higher reaches, ownership questions, have still not yet designed, imposed wonderfully British affair. The day was supposed deficiencies in training, lack or even agreed upon something that full of eloquent and knowledgeable of funds (or funds not being directed is specifically “ours” in our training speakers, with an equally distinguished to the right place), and the good old that would distinguish us from other audience. However, even Christopher British hope that things will just nations. Because we had two great Cook’s commanding and authoritative muddle on and somehow work out. choreographers spanning the greater chairing was no match for the British part of the 20th century, and they were ability to slip under the wire, ultimately hatever the problems, the day amongst us as part of The Royal Ballet avoiding fundamental questions. It was W itself was a tousled joy. We had company, when they were there we obviously not going to be possible to wonderful glimpses of great artists couldn’t imagine losing what is now seen make any decisions of policy on this (Anthony Dowell, Antoinette Sibley and as that elusive something, the thing that particular day. The problems of the Lesley Collier) and stunning film clips. – at least in the case of Ashton – we are future of Ashton’s legacy, however, They were what they were supposed to now trying to rediscover and recreate. require some hard-nosed thinking. be – great to look at. But the idea that The day was entitled Frederick Ashton: what “we” have so far failed to do since sk anyone over 50 about British style, 21st-Century Choreographer? The question Ashton’s death could in any sense be A and they will at some point mention mark notwithstanding, Ashton, who resolved merely by a gathering of people the purity and clarity of Margot Fonteyn’s died in 1988, cannot be a 21st-century who already are believers was optimistic. arabesque. Still seen in the mind’s eye, choreographer. What we were actually The fact that MacMillan was mentioned this is not a static pose. Beautifully placed, considering was how Ashton’s work was significant. Obviously there is a it was at once fluid and poised, but it was should be danced in the 21st century. The very different situation administratively also alive, clear, strong and full of poetry problem is particularly acute because – MacMillan’s ballets are all in one and grace. Thinking about this might be a while the people who actually worked ownership, while Ashton’s are dispersed start. Lovely as the dancers of today are, with Ashton diminish in number, the among several owners working in there is no consistently clear arabesque, feeling is growing that the essence of different ways – but on the question of physically, mentally or spiritually. Dowell his style is in danger of being lost in heritage there are interesting comparisons can still show it, it’s in his bones. Without contemporary performances of his work. to be made. MacMillan’s works are this, there is no way even to begin to No one thinks that in 2013 we continuously in the repertoire, both understand Ashton. The bending that can simply reproduce, in a quasi- here and abroad. Deborah MacMillan was talked about so much, the use of photographic way, performances has a tight hold on who sets his works, the neck, shoulders, head and arms; all from the 1940s to the 1970s, but what and, for whatever reason, the dancing go for nothing unless that purity of line should we do to remain faithful to of his ballets does not seem to raise is embedded, with all that is needed Ashton’s work? There was a lot of the uncertainties and difficulties over flowing seamlessly and as if by instinct talk about evolution, which in biology schooling that appear to be endemic in from the core of the dancer’s training. is defined as a process of “random mounting Ashton’s ballets. MacMillan Without this feeling in the depths of variation and selective retention”, not still seems to be part of the balletic one’s body and soul, a movement a concept directly applicable to ballet atmosphere in a way Ashton is not. can be taught (and even learned), but performance. Evolution in the ballet It’s no accident that the French, it won’t etch itself in the mind’s eye context is a metaphor that fudges more Russians and New York City Ballet have and make us long to see it again. than it reveals. When is a new tweak a belief in their schooling and a grip Trying to sum up Ashton’s style under in Symphonic Variations, say, a piece of on their training that feeds into their a few headings is inevitably going to natural development as opposed to a dedicated repertoire, along with dancers over-simplify to the point of inertia, jarring repudiation of the Ashton spirit? chosen for their ability to embody the What is clear, though, is that we style. The fact that in the UK we do have reached a crossroads. The torch doesn’t seem to have been passed on Right Christopher Cook chairing a discussion with Anthony Dowell, Antoinette Sibley and Ricardo Cervera. Far right Desmond Kelly, Margaret Barbieri, Iain Webb, Wendy Ellis-Somes and Malin Thoors during the discussion on Staging an Ashton Ballet. 26 • DANCING TIMES Photographs: Jeanetta Laurence. 21st-century choreographer? detracting from what really matters. masterclasses with Sibley, Dowell and a chat over a cup of tea, it would be The feel or inner intention of his work Collier. They were remarkable in their worthwhile. What dancer would not will not be grasped or communicated ability to demonstrate and evoke that want to learn from those who were just by, for instance, bending more. elusive Ashton magic. Naturally – there at the time, and so become a Similarly, the repeated references to the they were the original dancers, whose link between the originals and future influence of aspects of Enrico Cecchetti’s work Ashton cherished! However, generations? Recording and filming work both on Ashton and the dancers let’s get one thing clear: Today’s are key to the work of the Foundation, of his time, while undoubtedly true, problem dancing Ashton’s ballets is but if those recorded and filmed don’t really help today’s dancers. As absolutely not the fault of today’s never enter the studio, then it simply was pointed out, the Cecchetti aesthetic dancers. They have been chosen for becomes an outpost of the archives. has changed and is nothing like it was and by The Royal Ballet. It is unfair What is needed involves hard work, during Ashton’s time, nor is it a part on them and dishonest of us to sit and organisation and a desire to overcome of the fabric of our national school and watch the gorgeous clips of Nadia what can, from the outside, look like a company in the way it was then. Nerina and David Blair in a 1961 long-standing reluctance to let “others” We were informed of one practical idea film of La Fille mal gardée and simply in. Talk and writing won’t do it. At already under way. This is to draw on complain that much has been lost. some point “we” must use our eyes specially chosen members of The Royal Let us consider instead a symptom and our judgement and get on with Ballet companies to become “Ashton” of what might be wrong. The Frederick it – not just to rehearse dancers who are répétiteurs and teachers, perhaps in a Ashton Foundation was convened in already formed, already professionals. similar way to the répétiteurs from The this form in 2011. Earlier this year, there If we want to develop Ashton’s special George Balanchine Trust. An “Ashton was a revival of Monotones at the Royal type of classicism in a way that makes class” in preparation for the setting of an Opera House. The decision to revive it vibrant for today, we also need what Ashton ballet would be developed, and it must have been known about long has never yet happened in this country. the setting itself would be carried out before the actual performances. With all For all Ninette de Valois’ ambitions, in close study of the Benesh Notation the supposed worry about the Ashton do we have a school, as she wanted, scores that exist for many of Ashton’s repertoire, did nobody think to contact with an integrated training? We need works, which the répétiteurs would Vyvyan Lorrayne (the original dancer a system for the 21st century, to be be trained to read. Clearly this would in what is now called Monotones II), or sure, but also one that will prepare be an interesting first step, but, as Ria Peri, Vergie Derman or Marguerite dancers to acquire the essence of the was indirectly, even unintentionally, Porter (a governor of The Royal Ballet British style, the Ashton style, so as demonstrated in the day’s proceedings, it no less)? All of these dancers were to enter the company and be able is not enough on its own.