Reimagining Le Train Bleu

Back in 1924, this vibrant production brought together some the greatest creative minds of its time – choreographer Bronislava Nijinska, writer Jean Cocteau, artist Pablo Picasso, designer Gabrielle Chanel and composer Darius Milhaud – to blend dance, visual art, fashion and music into a thrilling interdisciplinary experience.

Now, English National Ballet reimagines this iconic work for the 21st century in the same spirit of collaboration, innovation, and elegance.

New choreography by Stina Quagebeur, nine outstanding dancers, performing in the newly opened V&A East Storehouse and costumes reinterpreted by our Costume Atelier with the kind permission of CHANEL: this reimagining pays homage to the work’s avant-garde origins while celebrating the creativity and diversity of East London.

Reimagining the Choreography

For this exciting new commission, we approached Stina Quagebeur, the Company’s Associate Choreographer. Following a successful career on stage with the company, Quagebeaur retired from performance in 2022 to focus on choreography and has to date created 18 works for English National Ballet, English National Ballet School, and ENBYouthCo.

As an ENB alumna and the recipient of CHANEL’s ongoing support for female choreographers, Quagebeur was perfectly placed to bring this new commission to life.

Her approach honours the essence of the original while bringing the movement language into a modern context.

I call Le Train Bleu a museum piece — it captures its era and it’s beautiful to see.

Stina Quagebeur

“But if you are going to translate it into something that is relevant now, I think you need to push the boundaries of the movement vocabulary.”

Quagebeur describes Le Train Bleu as her most classical work to date but embraces the challenge of staying true to history while also bringing in new ideas.

“I always say my style is a bit more understated, focusing on the intention of movement rather than what you look like. That clashed a bit with the spirit of Le Train Bleu because there’s so much in the original of looking at each other, and an awareness of how you are being perceived”, she explains.

With a cast of nine dancers, Quagebeur aimed to fully explore their athleticism and artistry, echoing Bronislava Nijinska’s original vision for her choreography.

You can watch the full performance of Le Train Bleu as part of our Digital Celebration – available only until 13 July!

Boardwalk to Ballet: Reimagining the Costumes

Le Train Bleu was originally created for the legendary Ballets Russes. The company enjoyed a long-standing relationship with Coco Chanel, who supported its productions both artistically and financially. However, Le Train Bleu was the only production for which the iconic couturier designed all the costumes.

The ballet’s characters represented the fashionable elite of their time (golfers, swimmers, and tourists of the French Riviera). Their costumes reflected contemporary swimwear trends – loose, two piece knitted sets made of wool.

To the audiences of Le Train Bleu in 1924, those outfits were chic and cutting edge, with the unmistakeable CHANEL flair. Sleek and sporty, they still turn heads today.

For this new version, the costumes have been reinterpreted by our Costume Atelier with the kind permission of CHANEL. Made of lycra, shorter and more form-fitting, they are not only more comfortable to dance in but also double as functional swimwear!

To preserve the feel of the 1924 production, modern fabrics were printed with the original knit pattern, as copied from the archival costume of La Perlouse. Similarly, despite updating the silhouette, the flare elements were preserved, visually anchoring the production both in the 1920s and current day.

Performing with Picasso

This very special ballet was performed in the newly opened V&A East Storehouse, home to a huge collection, including the museum’s Archives of Theatre and Performance. Among the many iconic objects is the front cloth designed by Pablo Picasso for the original performances of Le Train Bleu.

Two Women Running on the Beach (The Race), painted by Picasso, was reproduced by Prince Aleksandr Sharvashidze on a monumental scale of 6.78 x 8m. Picasso, so impressed by faithfulness of Sharvashidze’s reproduction, signed and dedicated the front cloth to Sergei Diaghilev, founder of Ballets Russes.

The cloth is now on display at V&A East Storehouse and provided the backdrop for Stina Quagebeur’s fresh take on the ballet.

The performances are part of a wider programme of co-productions at V&A East, developed in collaboration with artists and communities across East London. These projects aim to breathe new life into large-scale artworks, presenting them in contemporary settings and offering audiences new ways to experience them.

East London is known for its vibrancy and diversity and continues to thrive as a cultural hub.

With our home in Canning Town, English National Ballet plays an important role within this creative landscape, working alongside world-class institutions such as the V&A to offer meaningful artistic experiences and create opportunities for local communities to connect with the arts.

Don’t forget to catch the full performance of Le Train Bleu as part of our Digital Celebration – available only until 18 July!