I managed to get to see most of the acts I wanted to over the course of the two-and-a-bit days of the festival. It was generally a very good experience despite the mostly overcast weather. Every performance was public access and free and I would have gladly paid to see most of the companies.
Saturday
Motionhouse - Cascade **** Great mix of contemporary dance and acrobatic physical theatre with a strong narrative and great staging. I liked their show Scattered and this was good too. Hugely likeable.
Koiné - Sempre e costante e il mio amore ***** I really liked this Italian duo. The relationship between them was very strong and the piece was musically interesting; showed a great range of expression with nice use of recurring motifs and some wonderful moments of stillness.Cie Irene K- Inside a time / outside space *** Played on a large expanse of grass in Piccadilly Gardens between trees linked with structural coloured threads. Looked interesting and had a great soundtrack but was placed too distantly to feel involving - especially when watching from Pizza Express having a much-needed spot of lunch. [Rushed to St Anne's Square to see...]
Company Chameleon - Search and Find ***** Beautiful new work from Manchester's own. Their work has a very distinctive style which benefits from the intense relationship between Kevin Turner and Anthony Missen. Hugely involving with a strong narrative and beautiful strong, fluid movement and synchronicity.
Sunday
Gravity & Levity - Re-flex ** The biggest let-down of the weekend for me. I had high [sic] hopes for this aerial company but they seemed grounded and floundering rather than floating.
Company Decalage - Appel ***** Short but stunning piece of capoeira-influenced dance with lovely live music on Bansuri (flute) and tabla.
Koiné - Watched them again from the opposite side of the stage. A techincal hitch on this performance made the piece rather longer thna it should have been but they managed to cover the musical breakdown seemlessly. Enjoyed it even more the second time and I understood more of the narrative and the shaping of the piece was clearer from the 'front'.Went to Castlefield Arena...
The Bicycle Ballet *** Entertaining nonsense mostly impressive for the fact that it was performed by local volunteers.
Beau Geste - Transport Exceptionnels ***** Extraordinary duet between a man and a mechanical digger. Poignant, elegant and a tremendous demonstration of skill and trust. Truly worth seeing.
STRIDE **** Site-specific exploration of the urban landscape of Castlefield by the young men of Stride - aged 11-19 - choreographed by Company Chameleon. Impressively complex choreography from a very young troupe that played with our discomfort with groups of hooded youths. Energetic proof that boys dancing can be as masculine as any sport. [Back to Piccadilly Gardens...]
Cie Irene K - caught most of their performance again. Still like it but still feels distant.
La Mov - Como o Vento ***** Spanish male-female quartet gave a gorgeous display of contemporary dance set to a modern latin sountrack. Beautiful.
Rootless Root - UNA Unknown Negative Activity ***** This Greek group were extraordinary. Very physical and almost extreme performance, dark and disturbing and varied. Absolutely compelling but you felt you were watching something important and slightly wrong. Great energy and four wildy different dancers completely in tune together.
Roll on Urban Moves 2012!![]()
Saturday
Motionhouse - Cascade **** Great mix of contemporary dance and acrobatic physical theatre with a strong narrative and great staging. I liked their show Scattered and this was good too. Hugely likeable.
Koiné - Sempre e costante e il mio amore ***** I really liked this Italian duo. The relationship between them was very strong and the piece was musically interesting; showed a great range of expression with nice use of recurring motifs and some wonderful moments of stillness.Cie Irene K- Inside a time / outside space *** Played on a large expanse of grass in Piccadilly Gardens between trees linked with structural coloured threads. Looked interesting and had a great soundtrack but was placed too distantly to feel involving - especially when watching from Pizza Express having a much-needed spot of lunch. [Rushed to St Anne's Square to see...]
Company Chameleon - Search and Find ***** Beautiful new work from Manchester's own. Their work has a very distinctive style which benefits from the intense relationship between Kevin Turner and Anthony Missen. Hugely involving with a strong narrative and beautiful strong, fluid movement and synchronicity.
Sunday
Gravity & Levity - Re-flex ** The biggest let-down of the weekend for me. I had high [sic] hopes for this aerial company but they seemed grounded and floundering rather than floating.
Company Decalage - Appel ***** Short but stunning piece of capoeira-influenced dance with lovely live music on Bansuri (flute) and tabla.
Koiné - Watched them again from the opposite side of the stage. A techincal hitch on this performance made the piece rather longer thna it should have been but they managed to cover the musical breakdown seemlessly. Enjoyed it even more the second time and I understood more of the narrative and the shaping of the piece was clearer from the 'front'.Went to Castlefield Arena...
The Bicycle Ballet *** Entertaining nonsense mostly impressive for the fact that it was performed by local volunteers.
Beau Geste - Transport Exceptionnels ***** Extraordinary duet between a man and a mechanical digger. Poignant, elegant and a tremendous demonstration of skill and trust. Truly worth seeing.
STRIDE **** Site-specific exploration of the urban landscape of Castlefield by the young men of Stride - aged 11-19 - choreographed by Company Chameleon. Impressively complex choreography from a very young troupe that played with our discomfort with groups of hooded youths. Energetic proof that boys dancing can be as masculine as any sport. [Back to Piccadilly Gardens...]
Cie Irene K - caught most of their performance again. Still like it but still feels distant.
La Mov - Como o Vento ***** Spanish male-female quartet gave a gorgeous display of contemporary dance set to a modern latin sountrack. Beautiful.
Rootless Root - UNA Unknown Negative Activity ***** This Greek group were extraordinary. Very physical and almost extreme performance, dark and disturbing and varied. Absolutely compelling but you felt you were watching something important and slightly wrong. Great energy and four wildy different dancers completely in tune together.
Roll on Urban Moves 2012!
