BalletBoyz deliver a performance that is captivating and unsurprisingly beautiful with their tour, Life.
With one single show at The Lowry in Salford, the all-male cast exhibited masculine power and controlled finesse in front of an impressed audience.
Act I, put together by Swedish choreographer Pontus Lidberg, explores the notion of mystical imagination.
With an essence of Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, it brings to life a world where pirouetting rabbits can exist.
The 26-minute dance routine touches on the idea of finding oneself alone before bravely venturing into the company of others.
ENERGY: The high-tempo show stopped by The Lowry
With the majority of the ten male dancers’ faces hidden by bunny masks, there is a sense of intrigue towards the story beneath, as each character moves in formation or performs intricate routines of weaving in and around each other.
Act II, choreographed by visionary Venezuelan Javier de Frutos, contrasts completely – with different plots, attires and settings.
In this half, there are no playful rabbit masks or Edwardian get-ups.
These are instead replaced with a dance stand, plain clothing and a more serious undertone of a person growing up.
This half also features a voiceover summarising de Frutos’ life story and his struggles of identifying with his sexuality.
The broken and, sometimes intentionally repeated dialogue, cleverly hints towards his mixed feelings and thoughts.
ALL-MALE: The ten-strong team wowed the audience
Overall, the two acts – which showcase the unrivalled talents of Lindberg and de Frutos – merge well for the performance appropriately called Life.
However, the abundance of talent can leave you wondering whether Lindberg and de Frutos could have expanded on their differences in style to create a single performance each of their own.
Arguably, the hidden gem in this production is the shortened running time that leaves the audience entranced and eager for more.
It’s fair to say that the cast of BalletBoyz should get used to standing ovations because there are surely plenty more to come.
*BalletBoyz: Life is touring around the UK until Thursday, May 25. You can buy tickets HERE.
