English National Ballet - Body & Soul ★★★ Sadler's Wells Theatre | March 19 - 28, 2026


This latest offering from the English National Ballet presents two works loosely connected by the theme of body and soul. The first, by the renowned choreographer Crystal Pite, is titled Body and Soul (Part 1). Set to a French text that largely describes the dancers’ movements, it unfolds across eight brief scenes. The piece is at its most evocative when Pite deploys a large group of dancers, creating exquisite passages such as the mirroring of the rhythmic surge of waves against the shore. However, the work lacks the narrative richness found in some of Pite’s finest creations, such as Revisor and Assembly Hall. While there are undeniably striking moments and some fine pas de deux, the production also fails to attain the level of her more abstract achievements, such as Figures in Extinction. Even so, encountering Pite’s choreography remains a consistently rewarding experience. The second piece, Proper Conduct, is a new work by Kameron N. Saunders. Divided into three parts, it unfolds through the perspective of a robotic alien who perceives, beneath the gentle and romantic veneer of human life, a darker and more primal sexual reality that it believes must be suppressed. This outsider figure appears to symbolise forces of fascism and conformity, casting an unsettling lens over human behaviour; the intent may be to echo current political anxieties. The message lacks subtlety, and the choreography proves equally predictable. Both works are performed with commitment by the English National Ballet, yet there is a sense of unevenness at the edges, with neither piece forging a strong emotional connection with the audience. While this is an intriguing and at times visually arresting double bill, elevated by moments of choreographic brilliance, it is held back by a lack of cohesion and emotional depth. Although the English National Ballet delivers a solid performance in an evening that offers flashes of genuine inspiration, it falls just short of leaving a lasting emotional imprint.

Rated: ★★★

Reviewed by J.C.
Photo by ASH

When, Where, Getting there:
Map & Location: Rosebery Ave, London EC1R 4TN, UK

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