Bailado Contemporáneo

the duet seems like inferior
work and the
whole piece would benefit
if the opening
section were cut. The ten dancers featured
in the evening's
trained
programme
are all well
and assured in the execution
Portuguese
move forward
in the Afro-
dance and theatre
world.
In this work we can really see a mixture
of races and cultures coming together
of their
steps. Hal Smith, a very reliable performer,
features
very important
in every piece and should get an
to
create a cohesive work of true art. Not to be
missed.
It was very obvious, right from the first
award for stamina; Jessica Hill has an ability
movements
to shape her movements
that the dancers were going to give us
elegantly;
has a great deal of potential,
has an extremely
Schack
whilst Connor
expressive face that is
largely under-used.
Almost entirely
missing
from the evening is a sense of contrast
in the
of this spectacular
a memorable
together,
exhibition.
performance,
Their work
always impeccable,
transcended
any of the other times I have seen these
artists dance. They fully deserved the
pieces chosen, which are largely costumed
standing ovation they received at the end of
in Oxfam chic, and left this viewer with the
this magical evening and it is good to know
feeling that homogenisation
that Wellenkamp
of becoming
modern
the principal
is in danger
feature
of many
is back at the old job, at
which he excels.
dance shows.
Patrick Hurde
Mike Dixon
Thomas Noone Dance
Companhia Portuguesa de
Bailado Contemporáneo
Cherché, trouvé,
Centro Cultural
Glitchl
Bound
Sant Andreu Teatre, Barcelona
perdu/Edzer
Oiga Cardaval, Sintra
Thomas Noone Dance celebrated
its ten
years of existence at the Sant Andreu
The return of Vasco Wellenkamp
the artistic direction
Portuguesa
to
with the company's
premiere
of Benvindo
Fonseca's multi-media
of the performers,
is performed
but the work
in stygian gloom during a
companies
through
the physicality
The celebrations
artistic development
of the
most recent works:
Glitch, a piece that portrays the search for
with the
Cbercné, trouvé,
constructed
precision.
began with two of the
British choreographer's
Dance scene.
imperfection,
and Bound, which studies
the limits of freedom.
Alba Barral, Javier
perdu by Patrick Delcroix, to music by
G-Arozena, Jerónimo
Forteza and Paloma
Arvo Parto There is no scenery, but the
Muñoz performed
piece has lovely, inventive
Borut Krzisnik and with revealing lighting by
cataclysm which affects all five participants,
simple costumes,
as a series of explosive sounds triggers
tones of autumn
agitated activity
choreographer
in a room lit by the faltering
Catalonian
its own identity,
itself from other
the first steps in what could be an extremely
The evening opened, though,
identities
has constructed
which distinguishes
of its dance as well as its technical
beautifully
clues to the
company
world
work, Edzer. For me these two events are
Lisbon Modern
offering
in which the company
has resided since 2005. Along the years the
de Bailado Contemporáneo
coincided
important
is more interesting,
Teatre, the theatre
of the Companhia
lighting and
inspired by the subdued
and all designed by the
the first piece to music by
Enric Alarcón. The piece requires impeccable
group work and a choreographic
himself. The solos, pas de
with attentíon
design
to every detail; however, the
light of a chandelier. Judder by Thomas
deux and group work really pushed and
amount
Noone uses a talented
challenged
saturates the overall image. It is also true
cast of five women
and three men and features running
sections, some gymnastic
a substantial
hurrying.
by inevitable
Fonsecas
that is gradually
eroded by similar features
in
choice of collaborators:
passages: a
duet in a band of white light
for the excellent
Emilie Schack and Daniel
good choreographer,
is not afraid to repeat
sections, and she develops
Unspoken very
however, much of what precedes
by
appearance
Batucadeiras
das netas de Nha Cabral, a
group.
Johnson, like any
music
the delightful
then balances her on his hands and feet in
by the sense of
costumes that
of Cesar Viana, which was highlighted
wonderful,
relationship.
until now.
by his happy
flow so well, and the very descriptive
Connor, where he first sits on her back and
a sequence characterised
all
Teresa Martins,
for her exotic and colourful
slow, controlled
adroitly;
he has experienced
The work is helped enormously
Unspoken by Debora Johnson has one of
an emotional
origins, and incorporating
the influences
other pieces.
best choreographic
to the delights of
new work, Edzer, inspired by his
Mozambican
As it is the first piece on
it makes a strong impression
onstage of the
thigh slapping and gutsy singing
complex technical
their way through
a wide repertoire
they didn't
material
somewhat
The choreography
is original in that
applies and uses all his
of African, Contemporary
Classical movement
and
and allies them with
a unique sense of theatre
that offers a
very
sequences, and worked
multiple
textures
through
of jumps, lifts and turns,
quite manage to articulate
any
form of personal expression.
On the one
hand, the piece is interesting
for its technical
and coordination
feats (all the work of the
choreographer),
but on the other, it is hard
to find the search for imperfection
in any of
its passages.
Instead, Bound is a much subtler piece,
with carefully thought
different
he unashamedly
knowledge
of movement
that while the dancers performed
Then we were treated
returns to
the programme
the evening's
to do their
utmost.
duets,
role for Hal Smith, and periods
of calm followed
frenzied
elements,
the participants
out dynamics at
levels that allow the dancers
to engage in a much more delicate
performance,
which is more stimulating
the spectator.
Bound continues
line of pushing physicallimits
but it rests during moments
DANCE EUROPE
for
on the same
that Glitch is in,
of suspension,
May 2011
77