AIM by Kyle Abraham review, Sadler’s Wells: Remixed Mozart feels both dreamlike and earthbound

Abraham’s adaptation of Mozart’s ‘Requiem’ often lacks pace, but remains striking

Donovan Reed in ‘Requiem: Fire in the Air of the Earth’ (Peter Hönnemann)

Kyle Abraham’s Requiem: Fire in the Air of the Earth remixes Mozart with ideas of ritual and rebirth. It can feel both dreamlike and earthbound. There’s some striking imagery, with muscular movement and shimmering electronic light, but the pacing lacks momentum.

Abraham is in demand as a choreographer, with recent works for The Royal Ballet and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre. His style is eclectic, drawing on everything from ballet to hip-hop, while his own company is rooted in Black culture and history. And he’s returned to death as a theme, from the fallen man haunting 2012’s Pavement to the more stylised approach of this Requiem.

Giles Deacon dresses the 10 dancers in dappled silks, with a hint of Pierrot troupe in their ruffs and ruffles. The soundtrack, by electronic dance artist Jlin, layers Mozart’s Requiem with beats and washes of sound.