Hot off the heels of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, dancer-choreographer Kameron N. Saunders debuted Proper Conduct at Sadler’s Wells last week. The London ballet show is one half of an English National Ballet double bill pairing with Crystal Pite’s Body and Soul (Part 1) that runs until 28 March. Split into three acts, the performance features classical music, hazmat-masked groups and AI robots in Daft Punk-style visors.
Inspired by Saunders’ own experiences after working on Taylor Swift’s record-breaking tour, Proper Conduct explores how societal pressures eat away at individuality and expression. And the dancer is no stranger to the spotlight—he’s also teamed up with pop megastars like Chappel Roan and Lizzo as well as Hollywood A-listers like Ryan Reynolds, Will Ferrell and Octavia Spencer.
Proper Conduct world debut: inside the highly anticipated ballet show in London
Act I kicks off the show with orchestral music performed by the English National Ballet Philharmonic. The act unfolds in a world enriched by freedom—colourful patterns, loose shirts and flowing dresses inspired by a fusion of European, Asian and African cultures. Choreo wise, dynamic leaps and daring twists elevate this feeling of pure liberation—something that’s quickly challenged in later acts.
As Act II gets underway, the colour is quickly drained from the stage and strings are swapped out for deep electronic beats. Dancers wear neutral, skin-tight costumes and flamboyant choreography yields to deliberate, gauche droite footwork (left-right steps) and tête contre poitrine (quick head to chest movements).
And if Act II drained the colour, Act III enforces total conformity. An army of robots sporting face-covering helmets fully submits to the robotic voice of the narrator. Sharp angles, uniform lines and frozen poses confirm the new order—grey, dull, without life. But there’s a glimmer of hope amid the mundanity of it all, as hints of resistance flicker through.