'Dance Is Not a Universal Language' - thankfully

Dance is not a universal language. The diversity and eclecticism of the Fringe dance programmes reveal how dance has evolved through multiple traditions and in every culture, discovering ways to express both the mundane and the unique. From Indian kathak through to hip-hop and capoeira, dance has reflected communities and evolved distinctive vocabularies. Contemporary dance's radicalism - as Dance Base's programme reminds - is in finding new and original vocabularies, which are neither bound to heritage nor compelled to ignore the past. Across the Fringe, from Helix Dance to the Ragamala company, modern choreographers are experimenting, blending forms and applying classical training to new expressions. If dance were a universal language, a series of physical sequences shared across civilisations, this would not be possible. However, dance can transcend the boundaries of language, offer methods of communication that retain what can often be lost in translation. Dialogue is a fascinating account of how an Irish and a Chinese dancer explore their differences; Watford's Anwesha Company brings a fresh perspective to the Indian tradition of Manipuri; Company Decalage mix up b-boying and capoeira. Movement has a freedom to change, juxtapose and re-invent that words can only envy. Dance's universality is a question of accessibility. Ironically, despite its reputation for complexity, contemporary dance, because of it expressiveness and restless energy, can be enjoyed with preconceptions, without the need for an in-depth knowledge of subtle codes and meanings. Once you give dance a chance, it is instantly rewarding.