EIF Dance Preview SKINNYFEST

Article by Yasmin Sulaiman | 14 Aug 2006
It's a global time for dance in Scotland's capital this summer. The Edinburgh International Festival's persistently excellent programme sees no drop in standards, with an astoundingly diverse combination of performances. Europe is well represented by Nederlands Dans Theatre, a frequent visitor to the city. Its resident choreographers, Sol Leon and Paul Lightfoot, perform a variety of works from 1994 to 2005, including the arresting 'Silent Screen'. Scotland's own Scottish Ballet also perform four pieces, including 'Afternoon of a Faun', choreographed by Jerome Robbins, and 'Agon', as envisaged by George Balanchine.

Balanchine's own 'Don Quixote', astonishingly never performed before in Britain, will also be playing at The Edinburgh Playhouse, as a co-production between The Suzanne Farrell Ballet and The National Ballet of Canada. At its 1965 premiere, Balanchine performed in the title role of Don Quixote opposite Farrell, and this new production sees the ballet resurrected for the first time in more than 25 years. Based on Cervantes' epic novel, it promises a truly breathtaking spectacle.

Alarmel Valli and Madhavi Mudgal present Samanvaya at the Royal Lyceum, literally translating as 'a coming together' in Sanskrit. This union of dances fuses the dramatism of Bharatnatyam with the fluidity of Odissi, creating a powerful stylistic piece. But for all its eclecticism, one show seems to stand out above the rest: Brazilian choreographer Bruno Beltrao has taken street dance to a new, explosive level in the Americas, using its raw ethos to modify and explore new angles of contemporary dance. His EIF appearance this August is also his first UK appearance, and we can justly expect his performances – 'Telesquat' and 'H2' – to be dazzling.