Dance
Ballet Revolución is not what you’d expect. Part Latin club, part ballet, part hip hop, this show uses tight choreography and high energy pop accompaniments to achieve a kind of hybrid between Step Up and Rock Eisteddfod.
The dancers themselves were fantastic, effortlessly mixing elements of ballet, salsa and street dance. The band belted tunes, bongos and blasted horns, upping the pace and energy of the performance, especially showcasing the talents of both vocalists and the phenomenal drummer. Blending modern beats with a Latin twist, including club anthems alongside covers of Sia, Lorde, Beyoncé and (regrettably) Robin Thicke, Ballet Revolución brings together elements of modern and traditional dance in short bursts – which is perfect for people with short attention spans and a penchant for sequins. Usually, dance is used to tell a story, but it feels like this element is missing from Ballet Revolución. Rather than using choreography as a narrative device, Ballet Revolución skims the surface where it could go deeper, actively perpetuating gender stereotypes of women as sex objects, which was quite disappointing, and took away from the otherwise great choreography.
Despite the sexist overtones however, the show is fast-paced enough to keep most entertained – especially lovers of dance.
