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AUTUMN is the season of creativity for ballet companies time to present something new, before Christmas imposes its seemingly irresistible demand for the familiar The Nutcracker, Cinderella, The Tales of Beatrix Potter.
This month, both Royal Ballet companies have honoured their commitment to producing new work by home-grown choreographers, thereby (in theory, at least) complementing Dance Umbrella's celebration of dance for today. In previous years, Royal Ballet members have taken part in Dance Umbrella, presenting their work in the same context as choreo-
graphers from very different backgrounds.
There is no clash of interests between ballet and contemporary dance makers: the difference lies in the expectations of audiences. Ballet-goers paying high prices are assumed to want only 'safe' work by established choreographers; Dance Umbrella punters are thought to be looking for fresh ideas, unencumbered by preconceived standards.
The polarity between audiences is not as extreme as that, although there are bigots in both camps. There is an alarming hostility towards ballet among advocates of new dance, some of whom cannot bring themselves to attend a ballet performance. The Royal Ballet's offer of cut-price seats for its White-Hot and Different opening programme received a disappointing response from Dance Umbrella fans, who pride themselves on otherwise open minds.
(Doug Elkins, whose radical, young American company was at Riverside Studios last weekend for Dance Umbrella, was surprised to be criticised during a Meet the Choreographer session for using 'outworn' ballet steps. For Elkins, a magpie borrower of moves from every kind of dance, ballet has been as rich a source as any other).
Equally, there are Royal Ballet regulars who resent being exposed to new work of any kind. They are prepared to stretch a point for...