While Birmingham Royal Ballet were back in their hometown mid-tour to rehearse for their next production of The Nutcracker, I managed to catch a couple of piano rehearsals for the pas de deux in Act II from the much-loved family ballet.
The BRB first performed the Christmas classic in Birmingham in 1990 directed by Sir Peter Wright, but the dancers never tire of delivering consistently world-class productions of the festive favourite. I watched First Artist Tom Rogers practise with Artist Delia Mathews and later First Soloist Lei Zhao in the roles of the Prince and Clara.
Birmingham Royal Ballet's First Artist Tom Rogers laughs during rehearsals for The Nutcracker
The raw emotiveness of the piano adds a completely new dimension to the dancing – taking the steps from the glamourous stage into the classroom, the dancing is stripped down to its bare minimum and nakedly allows the dancers to scrutinise their technique, but also magnifies just how talented the company’s artists are.
Lei Zhao puts on her points to prepare for rehearsals
What strikes any pedestrian onlooker immediately is the sheer discipline and self-awareness required to make the dance look as polished and superb as it does on stage. In the bright lights, towering lifts, complicated footwork and head-spinning pirouettes can look effortless – but up close you can see just how much preparation, hard work, and repeated practice is put in to give audiences such a sensory delight.
Delia Mathews – new to the company joining in 2008 and her first time dancing the lead role of Clara – repeatedly apologises for mis-steps or bottling out of lifts. She is determined to get the technique exactly right and unaware of how astonishingly good she is for a young dancer. She is partnered by Birmingham-born Tom Rogers, who often gives her nuggets of advice on how best to lean on him or use his body to help her reach the full potential of a position or make a step easier – it’s his fourth year in the role of the Prince. Tom makes for an easy partner – and much negotiating between the two goes on to make sure both are happy with what are incredibly difficult manoeuvres (at one point he accidentally gets a knee to his head, and Delia gives him an embarrassed hug as an apology).
Tom Rogers gives Delia Mathews some pointers during rehearsals for The Nutcracker Act II pas de deux
Ballet mistress Marion Tait (CBE) manages the rehearsal, directing the two dancers with her wisdom from years of dancing lead roles in a number of classical ballets. She eagerly gets up and down to show them her meaning – a slight swirling hand here, more extension in an arm there – and it becomes increasingly obvious that counting and alignment need the most attention when choreography (which often remains unchanged from year to year) is danced out by a new pairing. Counting refers to which beat of the music goes with which step, and as the pianist changes between dances the dancer needs to frequently alter how they interpret the music, which again may be slightly different on stage.
Tom Rogers, Delia Mathews and Marion Tait during rehearsals
Sitting in on a piano rehearsal of one of the great big classical pas de deuxs in a studio is a breath-taking and intimate experience for anybody. It reinforces the utter importance of endless exercises at the barre to encourage strength and precision. For example ‘spotting’ – a technique of leaving the head behind to be whipped round at the last minute in a pirouette and focusing on a point in the room to avoid dizziness – is something one learns at Pre-Intermediate level but here the basic rule of turning is re-emphasised for Delia as she attempts a grueling series of numerous chenées in the final coda.
The mood of the rehearsal is unwaveringly jovial. Birmingham Royal Ballet are a friendly bunch who are unfazed by my presence and happily joke and look after each other in the practicing process – which Tom later tells me is unique to the company and a necessary part of nurturing new talent rather than stamping it out with a competitive atmosphere. Marion Tait is all smiles and the work ethic is remains fixed on improvement while making sure the rehearsal is fun and enjoyable.
“There’s a really nice atmosphere in the company,” said Tom later. “It’s a healthy competition – everyone is out to help everyone else and is really friendly. To have that in a company is a unique thing and not something I’ve experienced in other company classes. It’s a collective enthusiasm.
“If people are injured they come in and teach the guy who has to come in. I tore my ankle halfway through the week of E=mc² and I went and taught the next guy the steps.”
But it’s not only the dancers who work hard leading up to the production of The Nutcracker. Sets, props and lights for the show will travel to the Hippodrome in five articulated trucks from BRB’s stores in Dudley. When the sets arrive work will begin on the ‘get-in’ and ‘fit-up’. This process takes approximately three days. Another two days are usually required for technical and stage rehearsals. And during the famous scene where the 12 ft Christmas tree grows to 50 ft tall – all 50 of the backstage crew get involved to make the transformation.
Birmingham Royal Ballet are currently touring the UK with their critically acclaimed production Quantum Leaps. The Nutcracker will be performed at Birmingham’s Hippodrome from Friday 27 November to 13 December 2009. Find out more about the performance and the company on the BRB’s website and buy tickets on the Hippodrome site.
