Carlos Acosta to be Birmingham Royal Ballet director [the Guardian]
Methods of Dance has very mixed views on this appointment. My initial reaction was one of disappointment, largely because - although I never saw Carlos Acosta at the height of his career - I have seen his farewell tours and the first UK tour of his own company Acosta Danza.
With his 'rags to riches Cuban background Acosta certainly brings an element of diversity to the role and he speaks of diversifying audiences, which is a good thing. He is also reportedly down-to-earth in person, although the performances I have seen had a distinct whiff of posturing and ego, which most of the audience encouraged, so fame-struck they appeared.
My main concerns are these: he has almost no track record as a choreographer. I was dismayed that his company went from zero to Arts Council NP status despite having created or achieved nothing. As far as I have witnessed there is little evidence of modernity or innovation either, especially when you look at what the Royal Ballet, English National Ballet and especially European companies are doing to shake up their classical companies and their dusty and ageing repertoires.
In a recent interview with the New York Times Acosta said:
In a recent interview with the New York Times Acosta said:
... he wanted to celebrate the British ballet heritage of choreographers like Frederick Ashton and Kenneth MacMillan that the two companies shared, but that he also hoped to “look for choreographers that the Royal Ballet isn’t looking at, people and ballets that might not be obvious.” He added, “I want to bring repertory from all sorts of areas, to celebrate the contribution of women in dance, to grow an audience who might not normally follow ballet, through different kinds of dance and traditions.
Acosta's farewell tours - of which I have seen two - and the first UK tour of his own company Acosta Danza suggested a creative director with little ability to programme or edit.
He also has little or no experience of running a major organisation especially one facing the financial and commercial challenges of someone like the Birmingham Royal: which is worrying when I have little or no confidence in his ability to creatively invigorate the company.
Again in the New York Times interview:
Again in the New York Times interview:
He said he didn’t yet know exactly what kind of financial situation he would face. “There is talk about cuts, but I am looking forward to discussions with the arts council and the city, because I am there to deliver a vision that makes a difference, and for that I need support,” he said. “The state of the economy, Brexit, all this makes a difference, but I need to understand more in terms of delivering what I want.
This suggests a man chronically short of experience and limited understanding of how arts funding works in the UK (although such things appear to fall into his lap).
I should note that BRB's classical repertoire is excellent; their newer ballets are variable and their more modern programming tends to be kept close to their home theatre and London only.
Tamara Rojo seemed like a bold and innovative choice when appointed as Artistic Director of English National Ballet and has mostly proved to be exactly when the company needed.
For me, this bold choice does not have the same air of excitement and anticipation: I am nervous for the future.
But I could of course be being wrong and unfair.
I just feel like they could have announced someone exciting and amazing.
[Updated 17/01/19]
[Updated 17/01/19]