London City Ballet has returned to York Theatre Royal with a brand-new showcase called Momentum. With great technical skill and plenty of emotional depth, the company shows no signs of the extraordinary thirty-year hiatus since it famously graced the stage in Sadler's Wells.

George Balanchine’s Haieff Divertimento

Haieff Divertimento is an early work by the master choreographer originally thought to be lost for 40 years after its première, and before this tour had been unseen outside the USA.

Last year following a 30-year hiatus the company was awarded Best Independent Company at the National Dance Awards, UK Theatre Awards nominee for ‘Achievement in Dance’ and Dance Europe’s Critics Choice for Best Company, New Name to Watch, Best Director & Best Revival for Kenneth MacMillan’s Ballade.The piece has a classical ballet style: light and romantic and performed with clarity and grace. Whilst not really my cup of tea, it should appeal to newcomers and seasoned ballet fans alike.

Florent Melac's Soft Shore

A new work, Soft Shore, by Paris Opera Ballet Premier Danseur Florent Melac, is beautifully staged with smoke effects and a soft blue backcloth, flowing, ragged costumes and warm lighting. The piece traces the emotional landscape of two couples as they journey through life, communicating not by words but by their sheer physical presence.

Consolations & Liebestraum by Liam Scarlett is a response to Franz Liszt’s piano score of the same name. Scarlett’s affecting ballet depicts the lifecycle of a relationship, its blossoming and later fracturing love. It is a piece of visual poetry and features the entire company is some truly beautiful performances.

Alexei Ratmansky's Pictures at an Exhibition

Alexei Ratmansky, New York City Ballet’s artist in residence, is a leading light on the global dance scene. Pictures at an Exhibition is set to Modest Mussorgsky’s glorious piano music and set against a projected backdrop of Wassily Kandinsky’s best-known and supremely colourful artworks - what a delightful combination.

In the closing bars, Ratmansky has now inserted a Ukrainian flag in the projections as a defiant gesture against Russia’s invasion.

Each piece – each Promenade – has a unique character. Some of the dances are witty and cheeky while others are elegant and poignant. A lovely pas de deux, filled with the imagery of flight, sees the female partners swooping like birds before exiting on a high lift. Delightful.



Returning to the Company for 2025 are Alejandro Virelles, Joseph Taylor, Nicholas Vavrečka. Arthur Wille, Jimin Kim and Cira Robinson. New dancers for the 2025 season include Samuele Barzaghi (formerly Paris Opera Ballet), Yuria Isaka (former soloist at Staataballett Berlin), Sahel Flora Pascual (formerly School of American Ballet, Ballet Austin), Constance Devernay-Laurence (former Principal at Scottish Ballet/TV actress), Josue Gomez (formerly Birmingham Royal Ballet), Pilar Ortega (formerly Joffrey Ballet Studio Company, Indianapolis Ballet), Siméon Sorange-Félicité (formerly Conservatoire de Paris) & Lydia Rose Hough (formerly English National Ballet School).

Momentum continues on its extensive international tour. A full schedule can be seen here.