Sarah Lamb and Steven McRae rehearse 'Rubies' from Jewels (The Royal Ballet)

Principals of The Royal Ballet Sarah Lamb and Steven McRae rehearse 'Rubies' from George Balanchine's Jewels with Patricia Neary. Find out more at www.roh.org.uk/...
Watch the full Insight session at • Jewels in rehearsal (T...
Now celebrating its 50th year, George Balanchine’s sparkling ballet still shines with all the brilliance of the gemstones that inspired it.
George Balanchine’s glittering ballet Jewels was inspired by the beauty of the gem stones he saw in the New York store of jewellers Van Cleef & Arpels. He went on to make history with this, the first abstract three-act ballet, first performed in 1967 by New York City Ballet. Jewels was performed in full by The Royal Ballet for the first time in 2007, using costume designs from the original NYCB production and new set designs by Jean-Marc Puissant.
Each of the three movements draws on a different stone for its inspiration and a different composer for its sound. The French Romantic music of Fauré provides the impetus for the lyricism of ‘Emeralds’. The fire of ‘Rubies’ comes from Stravinsky and the jazz-age energy of New York. Grandeur and elegance complete the ballet in ‘Diamonds’, with the splendour of Imperial Russia and Tchaikovsky’s opulent Third Symphony. Each section salutes a different era in classical ballet’s history as well as a distinct period in Balanchine’s own life. Through it all, Balanchine displays his genius for combining music with visionary choreography.

[@Nicole-by3ng]

Sarah is so cute and she is just a breath of fresh air. Steven was just born to dance. I can never keep my eyes off of him. Pairing these two together, perfect. Love The Royal Ballet!

[@erpollock]

Steven McRae has what I call "watchability" - his dancing is the center of attention. He is a brilliant technician and artist.

[@mathildewesendonck7225]

I just wish he wouldn‘t wear those legwarmers with the stripes 😩🙈 Sorry 😐

[@chocolatesouljah]

@@mathildewesendonck7225 Ha! Ha! And here I was wishing for a pair. I get why you don't like them but I think the reason why I'm drawn to them is the reason you don't like them.

[@mathildewesendonck7225]

Chocolate Souljah 😂😂😂 I actually do like them, but not for Rubies 🙈 Destroys the erotic flair 🙃

[@grigoriskotlis3550]

888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

[@MsHannahFlower]

These two are the most magical pair! There is something so raw and winsome in watching their rehearsals. Breathtaking!

[@k_a_y_l_e_e]

i totally agree with you but i also very much love her with eric. those two together are liiiiiiiiife.

[@natalkabanasova5983]

Ok so I have this story with Sarah Lamb I've been attending ballet class at my local arts school for the 9th year now and there has always been a poster with a beautiful ballerina in a whie tutu, en pointe. She has always been my role model, even though she was just a picture and I have never associated her with a real person. We also use the poster as something to lock our head at doing turns across the floor. When I came across this video, the name Sarah Lamb was like kind of familiar, then I clicked on it and went OH. MY. GOODNESS. IT'S THE ACTUAL SARAH LAMB I'VE BEEN LOOKING AT FOR NINE YEARS I just can't believe this 😅😅🤩

[@chocolatesouljah]

That's a great story!

[@evelina5920]

I love how rubies shows a more jazzy side of ballet

[@TintinaLily]

Sarah is just so powerful and playful when dancing this, it's like it was made for her. Steven is absolutely perfect.

[@talitha_yang]

Cannot stop watching this once I I started. Felt like I was held hostage and nothing to do but to let it run until completion. Truly mesmerizing.

[@maddywebb]

Steven McRae is so handsome gravity forgets to work on him

[@heidih5519]

Wow, that's so good! They get the playfulness of it and the dancing is fantastic... Powerful, fluid and sultry.

[@marycover]

The t

[@marycover]

I

[@marycover]

G

[@marycover]

Heidi baila yp

[@sannik9399]

I love Jewels! And these two are amazing ❤️ I love Sarah's lines!

[@LilianaCoutoBallet]

Sarah Lamb is american, so Rubies is special for her.

[@primrosedeluna]

I wish Patricia was my instructor, she seems so sweet and caring especially with her critiques. These 2 are such a fantastic pairing, doesn’t even feel like a rehearsal at least not an open one with all of the attendees. I always come back to this video, I don’t care how old it is. Makes me want to go back to dance classes

[@rossi7056]

When watching other and older versions, these two manage to define/refine some very subtle details in pointework and dynamic emphasis-- no doubt thanks to their own deep curiosity for specificity, perhaps, as well as coaching from McNeary. Bravo.

[@177639]

Finally got to see the cinema screening last week, and it was stunning. Rubies in particular was a highlight for me-even having seen the rehearsal, Lamb and McRae made my jaw drop.

[@MissSunflower242]

Steven you can't even hear on the floor he's so graceful and Sarahs legs make her look like she's 6 foot. My God this is just magical

[@rebeccazhang501]

I've watched this like 1000 times! AMAZING!!!!!!

[@theJonathanSJ]

Rebecca Zhang lol. Same

[@SuicideJade]

I thought I knew what a one true pairing was until I saw these two dance together. I could watch them forever!

[@AtBurgerKingWithMyBurgerQueen]

I love the Royal Ballet, it presents such 'fresh' pieces

[@maritaurin3044]

I absolutely love these two together!

[@nebulatraveler3135]

Omg this looks insane! I really like it.

[@jojotang4250]

They make it look easy:)

[@nebulatraveler3135]

Jojo Tang they do! That's even more impressive :D

[@valiantmar]

These dancers are sublime! Technique, passion, and attack! Awesome!!

[@erikahansen6959]

It's thrilling to see the transfer of knowledge in the staging/performance aspect of this. And how valuable each generation of dancers are to the continuation of the craft.

[@lillyrexona3159]

Their work is just exquisit !

[@KimiGR5]

good lord these two on their own are already taking the house down. Together they're such powerhouses.

[@takenoprisoners837]

Gorgeous! That looked incredible. That's one of my favorite parts of the variation. They really looked sharp.

[@aldretaldret4310]

Beaucoup d’originalité sur cette partition chorégraphique. 🌹 Magie de cette poésie gestuelle. 🌹 Plaisir visible des danseurs d’appartenir à ce rêve. 🌹

[@stefaniaonesti8588]

So hard! Amazing dancers❤

[@zeddnl6514]

Hope to see some rehearsal videos for diamonds. ♥

[@pricla777]

You can watch it here kzbin.info/www/bejne/apawZGukYtZ7bbs

[@Siyao.Diamour]

McRae's jumps are like on the clouds!!!

[@kristiLB93]

Wow! This was really great! The movements are sooo Balanchine! I wish I could learn it!!!

[@philipkuttner7945]

I concur with the well-deserved praise--the choreography is stunning, and they really get it. What amazes me is how many styles of dance they excel in: this, classical ballet, and Mayerling, not to mention Steven's tap dancing!

[@SmittenKitten.]

Good grief - these two!! I can't believe this is their rehearsal. (PS - Steven McRae is far too handsome for his own good!)

[@artegiannioti7976]

STEVEN AND SARAH ARE SUCH GOOD DANCERS MY HEART

[@JoseGonzalez-bu6zj]

Wow both of them are beautiful and supper strong dancers.

[@maggie4899]

5:23 Oh my goodness, so cool!

[@seewhathadhappenedwas328]

I do love watching these two. Sarah has such gorgeous long legs and arms! It literally looks at though they are flying, and just going for a little stroll like "oh this is so easy and effortless" when it is in fact SO difficult. I look up to them both as dancers and they're just so good together! I hope to be as lovely as them one day

[@catherine8233]

So glad that Sara is still in the company

[@bryce4395]

0:38 Your Mad Hatter is showing xDD

[@alexmuso1943]

I really love this ballet and the RB's principals are as good as any in the world. Steve M and Sara L are so musical.

[@wendyseo183]

This is so unreal... I love them both.

[@lacouerfairy]

Patricia Neary is a treasure

[@appleandcinnamonroll]

After watching videos of Steven dance, I'm officially a fan...

[@CaladonianQueen]

Why are his leg-warmers/socks always so amazing?

[@chasingamurderer]

Steven so beautiful to watch

[@mhb7509]

I saw it yesterday from France it was great

[@bonniehawkins2979]

Splendid.

[@wagnerpolveiro7176]

Wonderful..., absolutely great. Balanchine is just amazing, and Sarah Lamb and Steven McRae are fantastic.

[@quillchii]

Stunning.

[@dianarosas3429]

Beautiful, im watching from México! :)

[@evapatriciasanchez4794]

I like steven’s warmers there are nice :D

[@chasingamurderer]

So I love the fact that they embrace the differences in the male in female biological structure. Men are so powerful and the women do tiny and graceful. Perfection of using what you are born with.

[@michelinearthebise2783]

two fabulous dancer!

[@paudancer0224]

Breathtaking. ♡

[@TintinaLily]

The best 6 minutes of my life

[@KarinBenzi]

Fantastic!

[@mermaidlover362]

roses are red, violets are blue, I'm actually early, and so are you

[@julestia2]

roses are red, winter has snow, i’m actually late, this was one year ago

[@TeresaDancerGirl]

Amazing!

[@Marika50]

Steven makes it looks so easy

[@isobeljames6253]

Sarah's toes must kill after than one!! I have so much respect for both of these dancers!! 💜💜

[@connecthealthandfitness3494]

Bravo !!!!

[@catherine8233]

If this is the music just on the piano, I want to hear it with the orchestra 😱

[@haranjung5190]

Carson TheKittyCAt This PDD is specialized for piano solo but you can search other variations, they're with the orchestra

[@orange_leaf4913]

yaasss

[@chocolatesouljah]

I love this video, the coaching and the dancers but I gotta say I love that wacky Balanchine surprise moment 1:03 when she dances on her heels/flexed foot right before she goes into sous-sus. Obviously, the virtuoso stuff is "on point" pun intended but I love those little unballet like moments.

[@KendraEMoyer]

He's so cute.

[@TotallyMH729TsMH]

dmn, these two!!!

[@dandygirl6]

Sarah is stupid good at this shit I bet she dances whilst doing her groceries, barely even breathes heavy wtf

[@brendonhansford]

Whats your other social media?

[@erpollock]

They are wonderful in Rubies. Sarah Lamb doesn't quite have the jazzy quality that Balanchine-bred dancers possess. But she is amazing in her over 180 degree extensions. I'm glad to see Steven McRae dancing again on KZbin, as I'm not going to London to see him. And his Twitter feed reduces something of his mystique as a dancer, as do interviews with actors.

[@karenkaren3189]

They are so so so wonderful and I AM NOT criticizing them, but as marvelous as they are, they are different from Americans ( I know that Sarah is American by birth, but she is an English dancer now).......this is not a good or bad thing, it’s just so different. I saw Jewels in NY last week, so the difference is sharper for me. The English ballet dancer is just going to be more lyrical, more refined, more considered, more ENGLISH. BOTH are completely wonderful, btw.

[@nancyarchibald9095]

Very beautiful. I love the very end when their facial expressions are visable and they are so in character. Dancing looks effortless, but I know they must be working VERY, very hard to make it appear that way.

[@BenSchoeman595]

Who plays the difficult piano part?

[@MsZeldasaga]

I like this style of ballet does it have a name?

[@exballet202]

neoclassical

[@Calle-zm5dl]

what can I say? A fabulous evening yesterday / perfect everything (but the staging, very dull)

[@kimhaas7586]

Lamb looks *exhausted*. I can remember when she said she didn’t like Balanchine hands, among other negative things. I like Sarah’s dancing but Balanchine is a lot harder than it looks especially a pieces as technically challenging as Rubies. Very fast, very weird angles, very tricksy. Not at all ethereal.

[@fawffles]

YASSSS WERKK

[@kendacity]

wow. slam didn't even break a sweat....

[@TinZzzzE]

2020 how do they pull this off! 😮

[@reginaislas9817]

They look like siblings , Steven McRae is sooo handsome, and Sara Lamb is queen of long legs 😍❤️

[@lburgess63]

Sarah Lamb is an exceptionally beautiful dancer with a lovely technique. But the English training just does not work well with Balachine. Compare this video to a NYC Rubies vid and you'll see what I mean. To be fair, NYCB always looks a bit odd doing McMillan, so there you are. That said, as artists, dancers should be given the opportunity to dance everything and anything they can. And audiences everywhere should be given the chance to see these ballets, live. So long live Royal Ballet and it's exceptionally talented dancers and staff!

[@katss5752]

[@kathymyers7279]

who is this rehearsing them?

[@Snewton12]

Patricia Neary

[@JoaoGomes-qo3qm]

Eu sou inútil

[@steve-lj7vy]

I wonder if her mom and dad are watching, they would be speechless or silence of the Lambs maybe.

[@elizabethc.9215]

Why am I even looking at these? :( I need to pass my math final test... u.u I wish I was doing that than math :(

[@magicalgrasshopper]

is that Patricia NurI rehearsing them?

[@RoyalBalletAndOpera]

The rehearsal is with Patricia Neary

[@EPTANHSOY60]

Is she wearing two tights..? Or 1 tights and socks ..?

[@Marika50]

You don't wear socks in point shoes because they are too tight and would potentially be hard to dance in... the most you would wear is guards that go over your toes.

[@flamingflesh5976]

Ugh i really want to learn ballet, but I'm a 19yr old man, too old to learn my body ain't flexible no more

[@maartje2933]

hey it's me death you're never to old to do anything!

[@bookmilla8616]

hey it's me death it might be ”too late” to be world famous, but it’s not too late too start! And trust me your flexability will improve if you start dancing.

[@TOM-vz8us]

Try looking at Ballet Conrad's work! You're not too old if you have enough commitment

[@ginysnow6023]

Am I the only one that thought the dance didn’t match the music at some parts? I mean, they’re both great dancers and have great music, but the moves were off with some parts of the music or the music off with some parts of the song

[@pegaseg70]

Giny Snow well, they can't dance perfectly each time and they were rehearsing, I think they weren't even on stage yet, so yes, some moves can be off the music and that's fine, as long as it is known by the dancer and corrected as much as possible ;)

[@tkoran]

They are lovely, but for this extremely jazz piece, they’re dancing “too pretty” - ie way too flowing & lyrical. This piece, the music & choreo, begs for more sharpness & edginess, more jabbing & jerking if you will, more quirky playfulness - see any video of Balanchine dancers doing this (including the originals Patricia McBride & Edward Villella). The gusto & spirit of the piece can be experienced much better. These English dancers are so technically superb, but way too smooth - the heart & soul of the piece gets lost in the translation.

[@kathymyers7279]

I thought that was Edward Watson.

[@avampiresdestiny6101]

I’ve always noticed that ballerinas have tiny boobs, I guess it’s easier to dance without tits flying and hitting you. Plus I think it also has to do with their super strict workouts and diets.

[@pavlaki1]

They were stunning on stage too. it's a pity the superb choreography and dancing was let down by the production designs, which were so heavy handed. The Balanchine trust never have a say in that.

[@TheNonMakeupGuru]

Is it just me or is she really stiff in her neck/upper back.. almost like shes trying to hunch.. i dont know what it is but its like her back is stiff as a board and it makes the movements look super disjointed

[@ttaibe]

Sorry.. I can respect this, admire the skill.. but not enjoy this. It seems like gymnastics.. Like something someone would make to make fun of modern art.. to me.

[@uzubo5656]

What does she eat for meals ? 😮 She is so tiny.

[@98BeeGirl]

He needs to get those ridiculous leg warmers off. makes him look shorter.

[@serbanescusimona]

98BeeGirl He's just practicing! He's not going to wear them on stage 😂 It helps them keep the feet and ankles warm in a cold country like UK, to prevent injuries.

[@dancer2189]

98BeeGirl he can wear whatever the fuck he wants!! Stfu or don't watch it