In its 20 years of existence, Ballet Black has commissioned more than 50 ballets by 37 different choreographers. So it was only to be expected that it would mark its anniversary with a double bill of new work.
The first, Say It Loud, is a lively tribute to what the company has achieved down the years, loosely shaped in seven chapters by artistic director Cassa Pancho to a varied soundtrack by Michael “Mikey J” Asante that takes in everything from Steve Reich to Lord Kitchener and Etta James. There are words in there too; a reminder of the prejudice and opposition the company has faced from liberals – “Shouldn’t you be making works about slavery?” – as well as the purely racist.
