I had the opportunity to talk to NEBT Founder and Artistic & Executive Director Karen Pilkington-Miksa for a very inspiring chat about her journey to setting up the NEBT and about the forthcoming ‘Next Generation Festival’ on the 15th and 16th June at the Linbury Theatre.
“I was in England as a young child and then back to America, I did training in Washington DC… when I was about 15 I moved to the west coast to Seattle and carried on training there, and joined the Seattle Ballet which was part of the Seattle Opera. There was the opera house there because of the World Fair so it had a beautiful stage, Seattle Municipality had already set its heart on leading on the arts with Wagner’s Ring.” Her memories of that time were “a lot of Nutcrackers! There was also a summer season with Robert Joffrey Residency and then we also danced in the operas and musicals, it was very interesting and I had a lovely time.”
Following time in Seattle she left the company and moved back to England for an incredibly busy period.
“I was also a freelance dancer and choreographer and I set up a studio and a ballet school [the Knightsbridge Ballet School] and I choregraphed them, we danced at arts festivals, including at Holland Park on the opera stage, before it was covered properly! I also did some choreography for the BBC, and for Opera North, and worked a bit with London Studio Centre, and various schools doing their summer shows.”
After 12 years of leading the school, Karen got married and moved to New York for several years and was dancing there. “When we came back I got involved with the English National Ballet School and other companies and during the 2008 financial crisis I started seeing there were ever-growing numbers of graduates coming out of the ENBS and other top conservatories and fewer and fewer places being offered to them because the companies were cutting back, I got all my arts supporting friends together with patronage from Darcey Bussell, Carlos Acosta, Marianela Núñez, and everybody said yes we want to give back to the Arts so I rather madly started this charity [in 2010] and somehow it’s survived! One of its big attractions is that we support proven talent, both choreographic and in dancing. It’s really hard for talented young people [to break into the arts] because all the commissions go to the established, safe, renowned names and so I thought New English Ballet Theatre would bridge that gap and make it very specific, using a combination of experienced choreographers and using those who are at the top of their fields in dance but wanting a way to get into the choreographic side too.”
To date, NEBT has commissioned over 34 new ballet pieces. “It’s our mission to make new ballet and to give it to these young dancers, and have it set on them, so they can get a taste of what it’s like. You can wait years in a company to be able to be the ’muse’ for the resident choreographer.”
The Next Generation Festival comprises two pieces, a world premiere from Matthew Ball (his first commission for more than two dancers), Principal at the Royal Ballet and a revival from Daniela Cardim, currently Associate Choreographer for NEBT. This is her swan song, after having choregraphed five pieces for the NEBT, she is moving to Arizona to become the new Artistic Director at Ballet Arizona.
“I like to always have a male and a female choreographer in my shows, particularly female, improving opportunities for female choreographers. Matt has choreographed a few duets before and his star is really rising right now, his piece has seven dancers, scored to Monteverdi, when I heard his choice of music, I was really excited!”
A few weeks after the initial interview, I met her again, this time at the iconic Pineapple Dance Studio to see a rehearsal of the two pieces. When I went to the rehearsal it was the first one where the dancers got to wear their costumes which was fascinating to see the costumes in place and the dancers adjusting to them, how their movements changed, and how the choreographers adapted.
No spoilers before opening night but Matthew Ball’s world premiere looks to be very exciting with gorgeous costumes. Cardim’s piece premiered last season and it’s astonishing in its beauty and power. Both pieces have complementary music, Bach and Monteverdi which keeps it cohesive but varied.
I loved watching both choreographers interacting with the dancers, how positive and supportive they both were. Not stopping them every 10 seconds to make changes and comments but letting them dance, express themselves etc, and then talk about it afterwards, giving them the chance to do what they are there to do. “They [the choreographers] love to work collaboratively with the dancers, to get feedback, and the dancers feel like they’re making the work together which is exciting, it’s not a stiff atmosphere when working together, the dancers can talk up, give their opinion.”
Having seen the rehearsals, I can’t wait to compare that to the finished product it will be essential viewing!
The Next Generation Festival takes place at the Linbury Theatre, in the Royal Opera House on June 15th at 7pm and on June 16th at 2pm.
The Stuart Review 