Robert Heaslip Meitheal
Eleanor Sikorski Most Likely
Iratik Dance Theatre Exoro
Robert Heaslip's Meitheal, pays homage to a number of choreographers from the Modern dance ‘Mothers' up to the present, investigating a collection of techniques and influences that have informed generations of artists. At the beginning, the six dancers clump together in chorus formation, using their long black skirts inventively as shrouds, falling and recovering in stately Doris Humphrey style. After, the skirts are whipped off, electronic music kicks in and an impressively tall female dancer projects her limbs into space in a variety of angular and fluid combinations in the manner of Wayne McGregor. Greater athleticism, complex lifts and purposeful shape-making conjure up other familiar dance artists; the material is textured, highly organised and rigorously delivered in a succinct fifteen minutes.
More memories from the past are recalled in Eleanor Sikorski's Most Likely. Pedestrian movement and the considered manipulations of a variety of objects, remind me of the rebellious explorations of the New York Judson Church choreographers in the 60's. Janine Proost and Igor Urzelai, with deadpan faces and unquestionable conviction, perform mundane tasks such as cracking eggs into a bowl, or cutting up paper. As they watch each other carrying out both simple and absurd acts, they forge a close bond which is comically touching. How very refreshing to see a work which is just what it is.
In David Watson's Exoro, the idea of people meeting through internet sites is a good one. However the level of detachment amongst the dancers is such a strong feature in this cold, impersonal piece, that you want to run out and hug someone. In an environment of club-land visuals and ambient sound, the performers drift on and off stage, reluctantly forging relationships, portrayed by non-committal partnering; smart technicians but lacking in social skills. One nice touch is when they pick up hand lights and bob around like glow worms. Finally, a solitary guy who's rejected by the group, sits shivering on the floor, pathetic but nevertheless imbued with a welcome dash of humanity.
Josephine Leask
Meitheal, Gaelic for ‘work group', is an apt title for this performance. The choreography embodies old fashioned labour ethics; where long, flexible limbs exemplify grinding wheels, repetitive shapes create a chain of events necessary to reap the harvest. Clearly well rehearsed, the movements become streamlined, morphing into one giant organism which cleverly mimics a similar phenomenon arising from repetitive physical work. One of the female dancers, with her majestic height, moved very similarly to the Na'vi, wielding long legs, with a strong centre of gravity. It was refreshing to see a dance clearly speak its concept and be subtly supported by its design. Meitheal is strong and unified.
Eleanor Sikorski's Most Likely incorporates the rhythm of dance more than the artistry of movement. A foley artist's heaven, Most Likely, is a refreshing rendition of the children's game ‘keepy uppy'. It is credit to Proost and Urzelai's temperance of character that we invest in the simple, playful tension of the task at hand. When Proost enters and begins with the ping-pong, we are drawn in by the possibility that she could ‘drop the ball'. Uzrelai's smooth, rhythmical transition into paper cutting made the rules of the game instantly clear. The activities were charming and original, from peppering red cut outs to abacus counting and kissing. There were a few transitions where the performers seemed to panic, as their foot falls possessed a destination rather than the rhythm.
A wise choice by David Watson to open Exoro with the enigmatic sport of watching people walk. It is strangely relevant and perhaps unconsciously reminiscent of Peter Henke's The Hour We Knew Nothing of Each Other in which watching people walk tells many stories. As the name suggests, Exoro demonstrates polarities of inclusion versus exclusion and the individual versus the group. Initially, the company were strong in the execution, however, became increasingly sloppy in the challenging moments of cannon orchestration. The neon glow sticks were extraneous and the introduction of acting for the final image was jarringly discontinuous.
Zoe Cobb
Eleanor Sikorski, Most Likely
Robert Heaslip, Meitheal
Iratik Dance Theatre, Exoro