GRIMM

GRIMM, with Catarina, turned out way more fun than I expected. I've never fully bought into ballet borrowing hip-hop moves just to look young and "relevant" -- it usually reads as marketing. This one didn't land so slimey for me though!

I learned that Marco Gerris and Ernst Meisner built GRIMM as an actual fusion back in 2018. The fairy-tale mashup was unexpected in the best way, and the dancers sold the hybrid completely. (Fun: They were working on Narnia but Greta Gerwig's new film banned any associated works, haha.)

The pit was closed, and I missed hearing a live orchestra. But it made sense for a touring Junior Company production. And it was extra impressive that the dancers were all on time. There was never a conductor to follow. They were so precise (following sound AND projections). Every dancer locked into the same fixed track with zero baton to lean on, and they nailed it. Very impressive.

The backstage rehearsal I caught a few months ago changed how I watched the show too. (It was responsible for me booking a ticket!) Seeing the dancers work through the choreography up close made their performances on stage hit harder. Truly, one of the best behind-the-scenes access that the house offers.