The Royal Ballet rehearse Infra

Join dancers of The Royal Ballet, Wayne McGregor and the Max Richter Quartet for a glimpse into rehearsals for Infra. Find out more at www.roh.org.uk
In Wayne McGregor's masterpiece of abstract ballet, 12 dancers portray the emotions beneath the surface of human interaction - the title Infra comes from the Latin word for 'below'. This collaboration with artist Julian Opie was created for The Royal Ballet in 2008, and has been performed around the world to critical acclaim.
Opie's LED figures walk across a screen above the stage for the duration of the ballet while underneath, the solos, duets and ensembles build to a mesmerizing climax, as six couples dance simultaneously within their separate squares of light. Infra explores the feelings we keep hidden from those around us; a crowd surges past one woman who remains still, her private grief gut-wrenchingly evident for the audience, but unnoticed by the crowd. This ground-breaking work remains one of McGregor's finest, and one of contemporary ballet's most emotionally resonant pieces.

[@tokkia1384]

Max Richter’s music is just heartbreakingly sublime

[@pagano1905]

Indeed, heartbreakingly sublime are the exact right words. Thank you for finding them for me! 😊

[@icarrus4u]

Amazing dancers of the Royal Ballet! The BEST company in the world! Thanks for allowing to enter in this beautiful world!

[@morganbaldwinmiller]

Both partnerships are truly fantastic; such good casting both in partnerships and the parts they're performing.

[@thabimajija856]

"Chum--- HHHWAAAAAY." "Can you make the turn go *bbbrsdjmemsj*?" "It's more like this: tschuuung, tschuuung, tschuuung." Yes, Mr McGregor, yes. I absolutely LOVE it.

[@philipkuttner7945]

I liked the opening pas de deux better without the music--and I'm a musician! Maybe the score needs more Chum--- HHHWAAAAAY."*bbbrsdjmemsj* and tschuuung, tschuuung, tschuuung. Love the choreography and the dancers are stunning.

[@emilyclarkezaresstheprince7945]

Ah choreographers, expectations: 12345678 Reality: tschuuung

[@2charliep]

The dancers always know what he means though don’t they? Expressing a movement as a sound.

[@mimimi4098]

right?? my choreographer always goes, " cup cup, DIDRAAA DUM DUM DIRRAA DUUUUUUMdum… shweeeee SHWEEEEEEEEEEEEEYUUMM!!!!!

[@hay_bail1]

Chumway is his word. In like every rehearsal video!!!!!!😂♥️

[@Didi_Online]

Marci and Mayara again with a intricate and fast piece. Love this combo!

[@a.phillips6892]

William and Anna Rose, Mayara and Marce, what incredible dancers in this very difficult McGregor choreography. I’m so impressed with each one of them. Love Infra! 💓

[@marinaivanenko1068]

Mayara and Marce remind me of Tamara and Carlos... in the best way possible. They are amazing

[@hellohannahjennings]

Mayara’s immense talent & strength really shine in this choreo 👏🏼

[@vickyalba1915]

The music for this piece is beautiful, and I ADORE Ed Watson

[@mickeymorgan]

Classical ballet has evolved and integrated modern dance . . . delectable.

[@jamilamendes7026]

Absolutely love Infra!

[@AnnabellaEdeL]

Oh! How I enjoy watching Mayara when she performs her duet at the end. It's just......I can't find the words.

[@mukeka1337]

Wayne is crazy good... It's like he speaks movement and then he has to somehow translate it into English.

[@susannevollmer2347]

His movement speaking is very clear, he is transporting the expression and the tempo in the movement. >I like that!

[@robin-gg8me]

I was front row in this it was so beautiful!

[@barbara.nepomuceno]

Magri is so amazing! I hope she become principal soon!

[@valmiranda79]

Mayara amazing as always!!!!!!

[@kensong64]

Remarkable to watch Wayne teaching via his very own chinese sound effect direction, but after a LOT of direction, over a long period, the dancers were able to reprise the whole thing. Amazing mix of skills and total professionalism by all. thank you.

[@nursepls4110]

24:00 and 1:11:58 for dancing with music

[@watsonandbscuriousdays]

thank you so much for showing these incredible videos!! i just whish, the camera would just make clean shots and refrain from the close-ups during the dancing. these dancers are so amazing and the expression is in every little piece of their body. whenever you show just the faces i feel i miss the most important part.

[@vickkyandme]

I love Marcelino and Mayara! 🌹🌹🌹 ❤❤❤

[@sarahlangfieldmusic1386]

Mayara and Marcelino really magical.x

[@horiaganescu3948]

Thank you very much!

[@vibekedavis3132]

Love watching Wayne McGregor in rehearsal.

[@GabrielH-W]

I’m going to see this in Tuesday the 20th!!

[@oficioatos7248]

mayara....amoooo

[@ZombieMeow]

I forgot to breathe during Marci and Mayaras' dance

[@kensong64]

And the second half was more of the same but at high speed. Just watching is exhausting.

[@2andrade487]

Gente....é a Mayara....amo....que trabalho coreográfico é esse....

[@fabianeknack2879]

Ela está aparecendo em várias postagens. Amo! :)

[@2andrade487]

@@fabianeknack2879 na verdade, postagem oficial do Royal , até agora, foram apenas em dois vídeos dançando....e outros 3 vídeos fazendo aula...com a galera..rsrs

[@marychastain8248]

I almost always LOVE watching these rehearsals, but I literally could not watch this one. Let the dancers actually complete a couple of steps before interrupting. It was very frustrating to watch.

[@msjapan112]

I love Wayne, but he is a genius of blocking the view. Always between the dancers and the camera. How does he know the camera is switched from one to another?

Mayara Magri! Linda demais.

[@marcelaconfu8431]

Sublime

[@susannevollmer2347]

I am not sure about the first couple, think the girls is Rose O`Sullivan>? she is great! He too. The choreo is sensationel.

[@fabianeknack2879]

Mayara

[@ralu9457]

mcgregor looks like he should be a dj

[@etprincipalis]

Starts at 2:47

[@user-ct6wu3zv3n]

오후수업꺼^^꽃새우먹고톡ㅎㅎ

[@djkitty2598]

Where is Royal Ballet at and how old do you have to be to start?

[@paulybarr]

London

[@user-ct6wu3zv3n]

오후수업꺼

[@user-ct6wu3zv3n]

우영씨가 ㅎㅎ꽃새우보내서온거먹음ㅎㅎ

[@user-ct6wu3zv3n]

톡ㅎㅎ할아버지가내꺼담아줬어

[@mikiohirata9627]

It's hard to believe that these dancers have even learned the steps because Wayne had to literally guide them EVERY STEPS AND MOVES besides blocking the camera for viewers. I stopped after a few minutes as I'd definitely wouldn't want to be instructed every move as I would lose concentration if I were the dancer. Let them dance and show it like a section at a time. Very bad way of teaching especially dancing. He should be dancing himself and show it to them.

[@JMA864]

Late to this but thought you might like to know that Wayne McGregor has said he’s never taken a ballet class! Just amazing he gets the effects he does with just words. Mixed feelings about the results but somehow I can’t look away.

[@eb4256]

Meh. My first viewing of Infra. In about 36:00, McGregor explains what the ballet represents: small composites of city-dwellers and how they relate to each other. I find many modern ballets, including this one, inexorably empty...lacking notable context and content. It’s just one movement after another. Run over here and hit this pose, then go over here and do the swirl movement. This is to say, McGregor may have intended to choreograph a ballet about urban-dwellers, but his characters never said anything, never revealed anything most people would recognize as a universal experience. His dancers are lovely enough, it’s the choreography that is lacking. I suppose ballets such as this one is just over my head, beyond my comprehension. My ultimate reaction is: I can’t wait until it’s over.

[@alfredskilton]

do you also judge classical ballet choreography after only seeing rehearsal of a variation? because in performance, infra is narrative all the way through. it's not even subtle.

[@eb4256]

alfredskilton This time, the company posted a rehearsal, not a performance. Therefore, since there is a comment section, I suppose it’s reasonable to assume they are open to comments. There are many ballets, especially from the Royal Ballet, that I adore. There are choreographers that I adore, and some that I don’t. Although I think some of Sir McMillan’s choreography are masterpieces, I don’t think all of his works are equal. With regard to watching a rehearsal, I think a viewer can learn even more about the intent and meaning of a piece of choreographer- especially when you have the choreographer present. In this particular rehearsal, McGregor is mostly instructing his dancers to do this, do that- without reference to an underlining motivation or narrative. To give you an idea of what I am thoroughly impressed with, take a look at Liam Scarlett’s ballets, and how he rehearses his dancers. Mr. Scarlett infuses every movement with a meaning, and communicates that to his dancers. Even the late great choreographer Pima Bausch infused her modern ballets with themes that were recognizable and universally shared. You don’t need a high overextended arabesque to accomplish this. In fact, when ballet becomes only about perfect positions, it generally points to choreography without depth.

[@annapachaclarke2392]

His choreography emulates his speaking....a load of gymnastic waffling 😴

[@eb4256]

dennytenny Who said anything about Nutcracker? Haha. Whatever... I didn’t like Infra. Deal with it, bruh.

[@musictubesu.s.3530]

so much obeying ...that's the only thing bothering me but it's very interesting in a musical sense ...that's if you stop being human . Than again who want's to be human any more

[@vickkyandme]

Oh God the tall bald head choreographer Wayne is just too over the top! The amount of times he interrupted the dancers spoiled the flow! Why didn't he just watched the recital first then critique objectively! Notice in the end the dancers were so tired and shaky, they still did the movements as the body would have naturally performed them! Unbelievable!!! 👀 Btw the dancers were awesome!