Watch Sarah Lamb Dance to the Words of Virginia Woolf

December 14, 2015

The May, 2015 premiere of Wayne McGregor’s Woolf Works was part of a recent resurgence in narrative and semi-narrative ballets deriving inspiration from works of literature. In this video by Malcolm Venville for Nowness’ Portrait of a Dancer series, we see Royal Ballet principal Sarah Lamb performing McGregor’s choreography from Woolf Works, overlaid with the only remaining recording of Virgina Woolf’s voice.

In her aristocratic accent, Woolf asks “How can we combine the old words in new orders, so they survive; so they create beauty; so they tell the truth?” If ever a writer gave voice to the impulse of contemporary choreographers like McGregor, this is it.

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