Engaging conversation.('A Suite of Dances')(Dance review)

Carlos Acosta

Sadler's Wells Theatre

Jerome Robbins, the undisputed, though often unsung, father of modern American ballet, was one of the few dance-makers who could successfully choreograph to Bach's music. Undaunted by the morass of cultural, historical and artistic biases that still surrounds the compositions of the baroque master, Robbins approached Bach with an intriguing mix of respect, in-depth musical understanding and modern-day wit. In his 'Bach' creations, the dance idiom is never a mere translation/adaptation of the music, but an ideal complement to the same, which highlights the scores' linear complexities by responding to the music's incessant inventiveness …