by Ben Felsenburg
Her neat career segue from being the prima ballerina of The Royal Ballet to prime-time fame as a judge on strictly come dancing has already spoken of her happily catholic tastes in culture. Now in Darcey Bussell: Dance Beyond Boundaries (Saturday, BBC2, 10pm) this most civilised of stars shares her love of some delightfully fresh and eye-opening forms of the art to which she has devoted her life.
Not for Darcey the staid conservatism that refuses to engage with the new; instead, she gleefully presents two works light years away from the ancient traditions of ballet, but blessed with a zest and energy you’d like to think a Nijinsky would recognise. From hip hop/street dance ensemble Boy Blue – as seen at Danny Boyle’s London 2012 opening ceremony – comes a piece that has been poetically dubbed emancipation of expressionism.
Performed at the Barbican, it’s full of moments of lyrical imagination, from a stylised rugby scrum to a Rubik's cube brought to life, and punctuated by ‘the beauty of human skittles’, as Boyle memorably describes the pas de deux. Then ice skating gets a cool new style courtesy of Canadian company Le Patin Libre performing vertical at Alexandra Palace in north London. Expect only the unexpected in this thrillingly liberated display of art and athleticism – and open-minded Darcey won’t mind a bit if after you still hanker for Torvill and Dean dancing to Ravel's Bolero.
NOT TO BE MISSED...
WINTER WATCH (Monday, BBC2, 9pm)
Chris Packham, Michaela Strachan and Gillian Burke report from the Inner Hebrides and Sherborne Park, Gloucestershire.
TWO DOORS DOWN (Monday, BBc2, 10pm)
It’s an eventful Burns Night as the dependable sitcom starring Arabella Weir, Alex Norton and Doon Mackichan returns.
BRITAIN'S FAVOURITE WALKS: TOP 100 (Tuesday, ITV, 7.30pm)
Will your favourite nature walk be on the list? Julia Bradbury and Ore Oduba present the results of a mammoth survey.
