By Simone Olivero
Just when you thought you knew everything there was to know about ballet, British choreographer Wayne McGregor created Chroma, a spectacle like nothing you have ever seen before.
Setting the Stage
The moment the lights come up on Chroma, you are in an empty space with white, linear walls. Designed by British architect John Pawson, the minimalist set perfectly showcases the complex world of McGregor’s one-of-a-kind ballet. Without the typical stage left and right, dancers move in and out of numbers through a cutout in the centre of the stage.
Pawson lived in Japan for a number of years where he was heavily influenced by the great Japanese architect Shiro Kuramata. Trained with a minimalist eye towards space, proportion, light and materials, Pawson’s spaces are often defined by clean lines and an air of simplicity.
In 2006, McGregor and the Royal Opera House in London approached Pawson to build the set for Chroma. In need of a special space that would properly showcase the uniqueness of the choreography, Pawson was tasked with stripping down the stage to create what McGregor has called, “amazing plain canvases in which anything can happen.”
Chroma
The Greek word for colour, Chroma is a somewhat ironic title for McGregor’s contemporary ballet. Like the set, the dancers’ costumes are literally without colour leaving them to parade across the stage in minimal bodywear that give the illusion of nakedness. Stripped of colour, the dancers’ skin tones are heightened against the white backdrop under a wash of bright lighting as they extend and contort their bodies to the music.
A Modern Soundtrack
More cinematic than classic, British composer Joby Talbot created the dramatic score forChroma. Blending his original, orchestral pieces with poppy, high-intensity covers of songs by American rock duo, The White Stripes, the contemporary sounds feel both familiar and completely brand-new. In the performance to The Hardest Button to Button, a pair of dancers move across the stage contorting their seemingly boneless bodies and extending their limbs to the repetitive tick-tock of the song. With only the music and naked stage, the sheer athleticism of each movement has a spellbinding effect.
Wayne McGregor
Traditional is not a word that you would use to describe Wayne McGregor. Born in England, McGregor studied dance in West Bretton, Leeds and New York City before returning to London as the Resident Choreographer at The Place, one of the top centres for contemporary dance in the UK.
Known for his long and lean physique, McGregor’s signature style of dance is defined by sharp yet precise movements, fractured angles and incorporations of new technology. In 2006 when he was appointed Resident Choreographer of The Royal Ballet – the first contemporary choreographer to ever hold this position – Chroma completely rocked the ballet world. More than just an unusual set with minimalist costumes and modern music, his choreography celebrates that thing that makes ballet such an incredible art. Stripped down, Chroma is a ballet about the dancer and the incredible strength and athleticism it takes to tell a story.