Marianela Nuñez Shows Off Her Jazzy Side In This New Dance Film
In 2017, we shared this short dance film titled Duet. Starring The Royal Ballet’s Beatriz Stix-Brunell and Yasmine Naghdi, the video gained ample coverage for its exploration of same sex partnering. Now the film’s director, Andrew Morgetson, is back with Nela, a new film showcasing another of The Royal’s crown jewels: principal dancer Marianela Nuñez.
With choreography by British dancemaker Will Tuckett, Nela shows off Nuñez’s charisma and versatility. The film, which clocks in at just under three and a half minutes, is set to Nina Simone’s jazz classic I’m Feeling Good. We love Morgetson’s use of lighting; set in black and white, it opens with Nuñez lying in a narrow pool of light, and becomes brighter as the song’s energy builds. Though Nuñez at first seems lost in her own sense of expression, at 2:07 she faces the audience, exuding bold confidence as she stares down the camera. And don’t miss the ending; the editors seamlessly loop together Nuñez’s pirouettes so that she looks like a sleek, modern ballerina in a jewelry box, turning ad infinitum. We don’t doubt that someday Nuñez will be able to whip out 22 rotations (yes, we counted) in a row, but for now the effect is pretty cool. Check it out below!
