Booking Dance Festival 2: Lyrical – Split Bill Week One: Michael Mao Dance/Christine Jowers/Moving Arts Projects

Half academic history lesson and half exciting premiere, this bill is distinctly split. For the first part, one may be forgiven for thinking that a lecture on early modern dance artists was occurring but by the time Michael Mao Dance enters the future seems within reach. The divergent nature of the Booking Dance Festival makes for both engaging and frustrating viewing.

Christine Jowers/Moving Arts Projects presents a series of five works that pay homage to the likes of Isadora Duncan and the Denishawn lineage. Alternating between narrated slideshows and dance solos, it feels like one is being force-fed facts and evidence to prove the importance of the pioneers. Whilst it remains necessary to maintain repertoire for posterity and acknowledge the contribution made by these dancers, it seems that even the newer pieces that pay tribute rather than reconstruct are firmly stuck in the early 20th century. There is no dynamic variation throughout and choreographic ideas are not furthered: no creative discoveries are made. Whether attempting to express grief through the ever expressive contraction and release in Mother of Tears or personifying struggle in Revolutionary, the performance remains flat.

Salvation is found in the form of Michael Mao Dance. Finally, there is depth to the presentational qualities of the artists and it is a relief to be reacquainted with virtuosity. In Lorca Libre, each movement is infused with feeling. There is length in all extensions; reach in every tilt. The choreography gains even more powerful breadth when the three girls enter with sweeping shawls. The piece then continues to build to a flirtatious end as the dancers playfully respond to each other, step complementing step.

China Moves: Phase 1 contrasts this frivolity with tension and strangeness. It begins with the girls convulsing as their bodies become instruments that function in perfect synchronicity with the music. The males later appear as strong individuals executing crazy, obscure dance sequences. It is tantalising in its peculiarity.

Even though the title, Lyrical, may be somewhat misleading, Booking Dance Festival remains a great platform for American dance. It is, however, a shame that not all the artists perform to the same high standard.