Dance GB
Wales Millennium Centre
28th June 2012
First off the starting blocks was
Scottish Ballet’s Run For It, choreographed
by contemporary-dance creator Martin Lawrance. This fully fuelled race took
place around a beautiful sculptural piece by Turner prize winner Martin Boyce,
reminiscent of both Grecian pillars and a modern stadium roof it successfully
linked the old tradition of the Olympics and the modern athleticism of the
games. Inspired by the strength of the athletes and set to John Adams’ Son of
Chamber Symphony, this piece was definitely a showcase of talent and
skill. A pageant of undeniably beautiful
strength unfortunately there seemed to be no emotion beneath this display of
competence and we were left waiting for a moment of pure exhilaration.
At the risk of sounding biased
towards the home team, National Dance Company Wales delivered what was
undoubtedly the most crowd pleasing performance of the night. The tongue in
cheek Dream took a nostalgic look at
the games, opening at a 1950’s sports day complete with egg and spoon and sack
races. Soon this family fun transformed into a slightly more serious display of
dancing talent set humorously to Ravel’s Bolero. Comedy popped up throughout as
dancers dived on the stage to begin their attempt at synchronised swimming and
men faced each other in boxing and fencing matches. A picturesque reminder of
the ordinary people with extraordinary talents that compete for their country.
The gold medal winners of the
night for me were English National Ballet. Itzik Galili lived up to his
reputation as a choreographer who delivers passionate and forceful dance. This
sensational piece And The Earth Shall
Bear Again was set to a mash up of John Cage’s complicated and diverse
pieces for prepared piano. Abstract and sometimes challenging, the beauty came
from unexpected patterns in the choreography and music colliding and rebounding
from one another. Galili’s inspired lighting added another dimension to this
already dynamic display of how we learn and grow. Mind-blowing is the only word
applicable to this almost overwhelming piece.
These three completely different
pieces came together in a truly Olympic display of British talent. Inspiring
and entertaining, a great triple-bill for dancer lovers and those new to the
art alike.
