Booking Dance Showcase @ EICC

Stars and Strides

Feature by Mark Harding | 19 Aug 2011

You can't accuse dance of being homogeneous: and that applies especially to the performances in the Showcase event of American companies at the Booking Festival, with eight companies and twelve dance pieces. There is such an interesting range that the sensible approach is to give a quick thumbnail of each, so here goes...

Rhythmic Circus set a party mood with a seven-piece band and joyous high energy tap-dancing, followed by Ballroom Dancing for Tough Guys performing ball-room dance show-stoppers in the Hollywood tradition – romantic and sexy – interspersed with an hilarious comic solo.

DAMAGEDANCE take a more experimental approach, with the intricate and finely drilled Tranic followed by Finding Flight, a funny and exhilarating piece on (I think) getting stuck!

Clyde Forth Visual Theatre, are similarly exploratory, but with an emphasis on creating an almost sculptural feel. The sculptural interest continues with Gehring Dancetheatre, whose three graceful and athletic dancers created an interesting and engaging dance, combining urban sensibilities with a sense of nature and ritual.

Ringing the changes, Labyrinth Dance Theater presented two powerful dramatic pieces: Not Even If I Try, with a live opera singer; and MILORD, presenting a dancer in a duet with an accordionist and chanteuse: the perfect Maupassant short story.

Honey Flat by Ashley A. Friend I found a little perplexing, I suspect I'm missing the cultural resonances. The final piece was Emily Faulkener/ Wind-UP Dances with Wind-UP Circus. A mad tea-party, witty, and hall of mirrors surreal. Brilliantly executed and an audience favourite.

High quality work of huge range and pazazz – and far more efficient than flying to New York and taking pot-luck. Recommended.

17 - 21 August, 14.00

Venue150@EICC,