Haunted @ Dance Base

Live music and dance can compliment each other perfectly and often it can take the dancing to another level. Unfortunately, Haunted by Dance Box Theatre isn't quite successful in the combination of live music and dance in this work inspired by possession.

Being the first people we see, the musicians' presence is immediately established as they occupy the seats that the audience are about to sit in.

The dancers, Laura Shandalmeier and Stephen Clapp are well suited as a pair and move fluidly and neatly together through the air and into the ground, some of the movement material is satisfying to watch and well executed. The musicians' and singers' presence soon becomes strongly felt - but bordering the point where it becomes overpowering and it feels as though we are watching two separate performances.

At times it feels as though the duet could have existed without the need for the musicians live on stage with the dancers. This isn't to say that the quality of the music and singing isn't good, quite the opposite in fact. There are moments when beautiful moments of dance are stolen away from the audience by floating bodies in white costumes and singing and music that is just distracting. The individual components are of very high standard, whether they quite gel is another matter.