This is “Apollo,” the 95-year-old Balanchine masterpiece that opens Birmingham Royal Ballet’s latest triple bill. Following the apotheosis of the titular god, who bestows the gifts of poetry, mime, and dance on three of his muses before ascending to take his place on Mount Parnassus, the short ballet’s narrative is driven by somewhat didactic mime: while Apollo repeatedly strums his golden lyre, hoisting it over his head during impressive leaps and bounds, his muses act out their talents, fluttering their wrists as if writing, and cupping their hands to their open mouths as if singing.

Amidst these superficial actions, there are glimmers of innovation. The dancers walk in circles on flexed heels, jerk their arms in staccato port de bras, pop their pelvises forwards as their legs fly into the air, and splay and clench their fists in time to low strings in the renowned Stravinsky score. The contrast between these devilish details and sections of more traditional balletic vocabulary is intoxicating, as are the complex geometric configurations the dancers form. At one moment, Apollo lifts two kneeling muses off the ground, their legs remaining bent behind them so they appear like two floating mirrored l-shapes. At another, three dancers bend sideways, looping their arms around the circle of Apollo’s like keys on a keyring. 

This geometric pattern forming is far from abstract, however, as the muses' individual personalities shine throughout the piece. Celine Gittens's Terpsichore is particularly cheeky as she flutters with her celestial colleagues around Apollo, popping her knees and flexing her hands in front of her chest in Betty Boop style poses. Later, the muses push and pull the somewhat unwilling young Olympian in different directions, before directing him up the aforementioned steps towards his destiny as God of music, dance, and poetry. With all of the challenges facing the cultural sector today, no wonder he’s reluctant to take on the role! The muses' command of the situation also interestingly reframes the relationship between female muse and male creator as more malleable and symbiotic than the patriarchal and exploitative examples that can be seen throughout history.