Having performed within the ruins of the Royal Opera House in 2006, Ballet d'Europe will return to the recently restored Pjazza Teatru Rjal, to perform works choreographed by the company's founder Jean-Charles Gil. Their 2006 performance was very well received and led critics to express their wish to "see more of Ballet d'Europe in years to come, even a regular fixture if possible" (STOM, 13/8/2006). This wish will come true this August, when Ballet d'Europe will perform Folavi (2008) and Complicités (2012) - two works for five performers. Complicités explores the richness of enounters, while in Folavi, which is a play on words, Gil attempts to give words to dance, to move from dreams to reality, allowing individual interpretations.
Founded in 2003, Ballet d'Europe has been a lead player in the project supported by the European Social Fund Stabilisation Emploi Danse (2003-2006), which has been recommended by the European Union as a best practice project. After working as a permanent company for 10 years, the company is currently made up of its former dancers who now work independently all over Europe, but who regularly return to work together under the direction of Jean-Charles Gil.
Born in Spain, Gil joined the Ballet National of Marseilles at the age of 17. After an international dancing career of more than 20 years, he started choreographing and founded the Ballet des Jeunes d'Europe in 1999 and the Ballet d'Europe in 2003. Films of his work - Mireille, Mozart's Requiem and Schubert in Love - were also shown on Mezzo. From 2010 up to 2013, he developed a project on the theme of water, H2O - Mémoires de l'Eau, for the Marseille-Provence European Capital of Culture (2013).
"Contrary to what is too often said or thought; the dance is the result of a complex work and a long time training," writes Jean-Charles Gil. In fact, he considers classical ballet technique as a tool for excellence, which in turn allows dancers to find freedom and space to work with their emotions rather than compose work with copied movements. Respect for diversity, the encounter between forms of expression and the nakedness of emotion are principles which Gil remains loyal to in his choreographies.
Ballet d'Europe will be performing at Pjazza Teatru Rjal on 1 and 2 August at 9pm - two unmissable evenings for students of dance, dancers and dance lovers alike. Tickets are available from www.ticketline.com.mt or from Pjazza Teatru Rjal: Monday to Friday 10am to 7pm; Saturday 10am to 1pm.