Give Dance a Chance!

Morag Deyes, MBE, is a woman on a mission. As Artistic Director of Dance Base, she oversees a programme of Fringe treats that draws together many of the leading names in contemporary dance at a bargain price. Not content with filling Dance Base’s home, she has moved towards Leith, filling the Out of the Blue Drill Hall with the best of the new and challenging, from Herald Award winner Darren Johnston’s Ousia to local live art legend Ian Smith. Funny, experimental, accessible and thoughtful, this year Dance Base is inviting Edinburgh to “give dance a chance”.

Given impetus by the optimism of Obama’s election in the USA, Deyes has divided the programme under three badges: the Give Dance A Chance selection in the Grassmarket; …And Then Some, which takes the experimentation further; and Dancebase @ Out of the Blue Drill Hall, featuring aerial work that thrives in a higher-ceilinged venue.

“Well, we all do like to get some don’t we?” Morag boasts. “And then we want some more. So here it is. In true hedonistic Fringe spirit, just when you thought you couldn’t take any more, you get more than you bargained for!”

Her enthusiasm has taken Morag around the world, seeking out choreographers who express a radical, imaginative vision. “It's right there at the heart of our festivalling manifesto which thumps the tub in favour of original work,” she continues. “Fresh ideas, uncompromising vision. And, because we believe in radical, there are some really reckless and bold, wild spirits in there.”

One of the boldest spirits is Iona Kewney. With a background in sport, and time spent with Belgian powerhouse Les Ballets C de la B, Kewney’s solo Self-Interrupted Exhibition defies easy definition. Her intensely personal approach - she regards dance as a sort of four dimensional canvas and relentlessly pushes her body to its limits - sits at the edge of contemporary dance and live art, manipulating circus specialities to both beautiful and disturbing effect.
Kewney represents a strand of the programme that uses the body as a natural vehicle for the expression of emotions and ideas, an act of bringing the interior world to the surface.

This links to Lindsay John and his study of Butoh, Oceanallover’s 'dance undanced' approach, and Pere Faura, who adapts the vocabulary of musicals to elucidate love. These three artists are also notable for their cross-pollination of art-forms: Faura interacts with pre-recorded footage, and Oceanallover is the vehicle for Alex Rigg, who also sculpts, composes soundscapes and builds the Wickerman for the musical festival of the same name.

Dance, as imagined by many of the artists on the bill, is not merely a series of standardised steps: it is a general term that applies to any creative movement that strives to communicate. Room 2 Manoeuvre take breakdance, under the guidance of Tony Mills, a teacher at Dance Base and host of Breakin’ Convention. Curious Seed welcome author and musician Luke Sutherland to soundtrack their story drawn from the chance discovery of a letter. Shamita Ray mixes up Indian classical dance with capoeira.

Deyes elaborates on the eclectic nature of the programme. “We believe dance should make you not just happy but thoughtful, excited, shocked, mystified and energised and often, all at once!” By showcasing such a range of styles, and abandoning any notions of what can and can’t be included, except in quality, Dance Base isn’t just evangelising, but actively demonstrating the diversity and potential of the medium.

Furthermore, Scottish artists are heavily represented, a healthy reminder of the nation’s vibrancy to visitors from around the globe. Claire Cunningham comes across from Glasgow and a recent workshop at Findhorn; Articulate Animal and Maite Delafin are based in Edinburgh. Scottish theatre has always had a European bent, quite distinct from the English schools but incorporating the best of continental and British attitudes. As Scottish Ballet and the Scottish Dance Theatre are incorporating choreography and influences from around the globe, the grass-roots scene often blend strict discipline with free improvisation.

Sue Hawksley from Articulate Animal is particularly concerned with interdisciplinary research. She is currently working on a PhD with Edinburgh College of At and the University that tackles the way that ideas can be expressed through the body. Last year, her solo show was a stunning set-piece of how clearly articulated movements could communicate directly with the audience: this year, she collaborates with Nux Company and other ensemble to create music from structured improvisation and collaboration.

Ultimately, however, the programme does not resolve into a recognisable set of styles, or even a covert agenda to promote a uniform Scottish dance system. The artists are only similar in their enthusiasm for dance as an expressive form, a radical interest in possibilities and the hybridisation of traditions. The inclusion of Ian Smith, who has previously avoided the Fringe, speaks volumes about Dance Base’s willingness to stretch the boundaries: he is performing in a toilet, with his trademark broad humour, inviting the audience to read bedtime stories to him. In contrast, Fearghus O’Connor, Li Ke, and Yin Yi's new work, Dialogue, has an atmosphere of contemplation and intercultural consideration. Together in this 2009 programme, these works celebrate the imagination and originality that enliven the world of dance.