Scottish Dance Theatre @ Zoo Venues

NQR, co-directed by Caroline Bowditch, Marc Brew and Janet Smith, will be accompanied alternately by Drift, a duet by James Wilton, and will alternate with The Life and Times of Girl A, choreographed by Ben Duke. As Scotland’s national contemporary dance company continues to innovate and expand, these pieces exhibit their range and the success of their collaborative approach. 

SDT is proud to be part of a growing Scottish dance scene that is incredibly hard working, passionate and optimistic, value for money and above all creative. I see innovation here in Scotland through cross genre fluidity and interdisciplinary fusion – hip hop meets physical theatre; aerial contemporary dance theatre,” Artistic Director Janet Smith reveals. “SDT can serve dance in Scotland well by being a creative force, being open, inclusive and nurturing as an organisation and by lobbying, with others across the sector, for the rightful place of dance in Scotland’s cultural life.” 

With ambitious plans for the company’s national and international growth, Smith is keen to cultivate partnerships and links across the arts. A founder member of RepNet, a network of repertoire-based companies located in northern Europe who share similar aims and concerns, SDT seeks to learn from and contribute to widespread artistic development. SDT’s relationship with their Fringe venue, Zoo Southside, complements this vision of a thriving community and together they work to maximise creativity and artistic exposure.

The company’s relationships with choreographers are equally collaborative. Smith explains: “Commissioning doesn’t involve suggesting a subject for me; it’s more a process of matchmaking; brokering a relationship between our artists and a choreographer who will expand his ideas collaboratively with our dancers in a mutually developmental experience, with the real potential for a successful performance outcome. Everyone in our organisation works to facilitate this process and generosity and trust are key ingredients. By nature it’s always risky; no guaranteed winning formulas.”

In The Life and Times of Girl A, for example, SDT have delved into new territories involving the blend of dance, spoken word, comedy and film. Duke’s mixing of genres has encouraged the dancers to develop proficiency and confidence in using the voice and improvising in performance. It is a piece of total theatre; a show of SDT’s ever more wide-ranging and inclusive repertoire.

NQR also journeys across boundaries by entering the realm of integrated performance. Including two wheelchair users in the cast of 12, it explores how the company can “all train, create and perform together, sharing and learning in this larger pool of abilities and possibilities, extending rather than limiting each other’s imagination and virtuosity.”

Once again, SDT exhibits its desire to make discoveries and share them with the greater community. This generous and vibrant company is not to be missed.