Review by Kate Gaul
Scottish Dance Theatre presents a double bill of very different works both in style and atmosphere- “The Flock” choreographed by Roser López Espinosa and “Moving Cloud” choreographed by Sofia Nappi. This is a spectacular program and if one was feeling a little jaded and worn out by many so-so offerings at Edinburgh Fringe then this program entirely reinvigorates. In both pieces the mere eight dancers have us imagine there are at least twice as many on stage. Choreographed by two leading female choreographers this is work that awakens the mind touches your heart.
Inspired by the migration of birds, “The Flock” takes ideas around bird formations as the dancers form a migratory V on the stage. Working in strict formation the work suddenly surprises as pairs start moving slightly out of sequence and then return to the strict unison once more. It is mesmerising. The dancers wear contemporary clothes in shades of grey and blue on a completely white floor and back wall – it’s like a cloud (costume designer Lluna Albert). The eight dancers eventually fall only to begin again in duos and trios in work that is acrobatic with bodies thrown around the stage. To end the piece the dancers reform as a group and in an exhilarating end appear to leap from the stage into the darkened wings. It was a high to end on after the hypnotic charm that guided the main choreography. Original music by Mark Drillich and Ilia Mayer.
What follows is a 15-minute interval. Watching the mechanists strip the stage of the white surrounds is worth staying in the house for. They also work with precision and economy and before we know it the stage is a darkened abyss once more.
“Moving Cloud” literally bursts onto the stage. If “The Flock” is about birds, then “Moving Cloud” is a euphoric high intensity study of humanity. Apart from the energy it is the initial burst of white costumes that grab my attention (costume designer Alison Brown). All wear something inspired by what I think of as Scottish folk wear and a cross between something more contemporary. All have long woolly socks. As the company builds on stage, not every costume is white – there is a mustard shirt, a grey kilt, beige pants. Visually this really is stunning. Movement is fluid and expressive. Sometimes in silence.
But the music! Played by the band TRIP it is Celtic, loud, and beyond fabulous. As soon as the piece starts something happens to the audience – they are clapping and cheering. Clearly this music taps into the DNA of the largely Scottish audience and it’s as if we are all hypnotised. TRIP are a Glasgow based outfit and unite the kindred Celtic traditions of Scotland, Ireland and the Isle of Man. Their trademark sound celebrates the band’s roots in tradition, whilst showcasing contemporary cross-genre flare. Alongside original music composed by Donald Shaw, the final movement in the performance features their own compositions.
The dancers move as if inspired by the elements or sometimes the gestures are idiosyncratic, whimsical, humorous. A masterful program of two very different works. Utterly dazzling!
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