Ballet Revolución Civic Theatre Review

Those expecting the blissful serenity of Swan Lake from Ballet Revolición prepare to have your lives awoken with the spirited moves of this brilliant, sassy, globally renowned company. Not that there’s not moments of blissful serenity and well practised trophy moves to make the audience go gaga, but the Revolicion team are a lively, colourful, sexy ensemble of gifted figures literally bending over backwards to bring fans a stellar experience. – One that in its entirety can be summed up on an instinctual human level as ‘fun’.

As the cast of athletic adventurers dance off, stare down and Zumba their way around the stage, each themed performance segues perfectly into the next harmonious chapter which makes the show easy to follow and even easier for viewers to track their favourite performers. For an art many assume is dominated by gazelle-legged women, the males in this pride are equally as elegant and steal the show every chance they get without coming across as cocky or smug.

Exotic and spicy costume changes give the heroes and princesses more room to inhibit their wild sides whilst gracefully exiting stage right and left only to rejoin at the crux of some impossible group dynamic. Like a shape shifting snake the Cuban throng slip and slide into the most unimaginable positions and what makes their energy so infectious is that they’re able to do it all with Colgate smiles.

Behind all the prancing and thriving lies the jewel in the crown. A band of musical professionals who, alone would be worth seeing for the ticket price, back the prancing stage ninjas with melodic precision to rival the artists they’re covering. For most of the performance, the conglomeration of talented musicians hide behind a thinly veiled backdrop, but after the intermission these guys are given the opportunity to shine and bring the roof down with the Santana-like guitar solos and soulful voices. Beyonce, Bruno Mars, Jessie J and even Lorde get dished out at all the right moments while a conga solo reminiscent of the 2014 hit film Whiplash rouses the audience from their seats early on.

There’s no classier show playing in Auckland this winter.

Ballet Revolución is on at The Civic Theatre, Auckland until 21 June.

Reviewed by Nic Brookland.

5 stars

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