A Life in Four Seasons review – dancers of all ages have spring in their steps

Regent's Park Open Air Theatre in London hosted "A Life in Four Seasons," a dance performance featuring performers of all ages, from spring to winter, interpreting Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons." The concept aimed to showcase the diverse experiences of older dancers, but the choreography, by American Alexzandra Sarmiento, resulted in a style that did not fully leverage the strengths of the varied cast. The movement leaned towards a mild street dance influence with a basic 4/4 rhythm, with moments like Michael Naylor's energetic solo in a club scene highlighting the potential that was not consistently realized. Director Tinuke Craig collaborated with Sarmiento on the production. The performance featured trios of dancers for each season, clad in blue, pink, and orange, intended to represent the head, heart, and gut of a person, though this symbolism was not immediately clear to all audience members, despite set boxes labeled "HEAD," "HEART," and "GUT." The soundtrack reimagined Vivaldi's work, with DJ Walde, known for his hip-hop scores for ZooNation Dance Company, chopping and splicing the classical music. This approach contrasts with other contemporary interpretations, such as Max Richter's 2012 rewrite of "The Four Seasons," which has been widely adopted in dance.