London-based dance company Ballet Black has been on a mission to diversify ballet since 2001. Their latest sold-out production, Ballet Black: Pioneers, featured at the Barbican between 8 to 12 March of this year. The show comprises two acts: Then Or Now, a fusion of poetry, music and dance choreographed by Will Tuckett, and By Whatever Means, a theatrical love letter to Nina Simone, choreographed by Mthuthuzeli November.

I’m a complete newcomer to ballet, so I was in awe at how someone could use all the muscles in their legs to float on the tips of their toes. The dancers of Ballet Black are so agile and poised that I would be remiss to call their gracefulness effortless; each fluid movement is clearly the result of copious amounts of practice and tedious care. My wonder towards these stunning performers is testament to Ballet Black’s mission to nurture the talent of Black and Asian dancers and expose more diverse audiences to the artform.

Ballet Black: Pioneers begins with Will Tuckett’s Then Or Now, wherein the ensemble dances to the words of Adrienne Rich’s poetry. The stage and music are sparse; a small string section plays melodies that jerk and jolt underneath the spoken word, and the stage is empty except for eight chairs, one for each dancer. The poems and interpretive choreography explore the persistence of love during war and times of struggle, although the engagement with these topics felt generalised rather than from lived experiences. Sometimes the combination of poetry and dance were effective and evocative, such as when Tuckett’s choreography portrays policemen deporting an immigrant family. Other times I found myself too focused on the ballet dancers’ performances to fully take in the poems, but the execution of the choreography was always emotionally stirring.

Mthuthuzeli November’s By Whatever Means is more cohesive than the previous act, as the ballet dancers take on theatre to visualise parts of Nina Simone’s life. The piece flows through various musical genres at Simone’s different life stages and November dynamically incorporates the elements of these genres in his choreography. Ballerinas praise dance to gospel in the church where Simone first played piano as a child; classical music scores her formal training as a pianist; and the ensemble gets down to jazz as Simone plays in different venues, becoming the star who we remember today. As the tension of the Civil Rights era mounts, By Whatever Means culminates in a stunning portrayal of “Sinnerman.” Isabel Coracy, who plays Simone, completely gives herself to the choreography, embodying Simone’s passion as her body and facial expressions flit between joy and determination. You could feel the crowd eagerly waiting for Coracy to bow so that they could greet her with a standing ovation. I would love to see a full-length version of By Whatever Means that examines her ascent as an iconic musician more closely and includes the later years of her life.

Even though Ballet Black: Pioneers is now touring across the country, it’s a shame that the show only lasted for a few days at the Barbican. Hopefully we’ll have another production in London soon. The cast of ballet dancers are incredible and November’s use of Black cultural expression in By Whatever Means extends the boundaries of what ballet can be. If you ever get the chance to watch Ballet Black, don’t miss it.

Words by Liberty Martin