Paysage, Soudain, La Nuit
(Picture: Johan Persson)When ballet megastar Carlos Acosta unveiled his Havana-based dance company, Acosta Danza, back in 2016, he did so with one goal in mind – to bring some of Cuba’s best and brightest creative talent to the world, all with the backing of his box office-friendly name. The 48-year-old’s greatest success has been in his choice of dancers – a dozen or so youngsters, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, all capable of flickering between classical and contemporary with a breezy self-confidence and consummate skill – and with a charisma many of those who saw Acosta in his heyday will easily recognise.
Often less successful, though, has been the work itself. While a few of the company’s assorted bills have proved a hit – 2019/20’s Evolution springs to mind – others have had a mixed reception, with the ballets of leading choreographers jostling, sometimes unflatteringly, alongside more uneven creations by up-and-coming dancemakers.
