The King of Pop, Michael Jackson, is a pervasive influence in
Rasta Thomas’ ‘Rock the Ballet’ in choreographic tropes or Thriller-styled
suits and preppy polo shirts. Behind the ‘bad boys’ strap-line, the peacock is
undeniable. Yet it’s tamed.
The seven dancers are at the top of their game; their
virtuosity and athleticism is breath-taking. Kicks, pirouettes, flips seem to
come from nowhere. Ballet meets
contemporary, meets hip-hop, meets street jive with a loose time-line of sorts
from the 60s to the present day. The high-energy show shuffles through an ipod playlist from
The Chemical Brothers to U2; Olafur Arnalds to Basement Jaxx, and with a
pumping bass and MTV inspired projections, it’s like being trapped inside a
lava-lamp. Colours of deep purple, lush green, sky blue, flaming red and tangy
orange play amidst pixellated abstractions, sky-scrapers or waterfalls; the
choreography hot-wired for excess.
The company has fun and the audience have fun in a
collective whoop-de-doo. ‘Rock the Ballet’ with its interchangeable format,
accommodates different playlists for different towns; MSG. It is high-octane,
high-calibre, but as long-lasting as a sugar rush......
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