July
* Love and War - Mark Bruce Company - Royal Exchange Studio - 1 July
(Glad I didn't have to write a proper review of this show as I'm not sure how much I actually understood of it. "Mark Bruce uses theatre-in-the-round and a soundtrack including Sparklehorse, The White Stripes, Queens of the Stone Age and György Ligeti, to plunge the imagination into a raw arena of the otherworld. Time shifts and figures from myth and ritual collide; Gods emerge amongst frenzied cheerleaders, murderous strangers, dogs of war and bedraggled homecoming queens, in a heart-searching dance work of savage beauty." Very different and varied show using classically based moves distorted into something quite different, set to a mixed bag of American alternative rock, alt-country and modern classical. Parts of this show were fantastically thrilling - notably the Nirvana-set cheerleader/dogs of war section and the spider sequence. A talented and varied cast in character made for a distinctive 70 minutes. ****
* Meter - Ad Hoc Dance - The Lowry Studio - 12 July **
* Urban Moves Festival 2010 - 23-25 July - Methods of Dance 2010 the review - Urban Moves Festival 2010 website
September
* Declarations - Phoenix Dance Theatre - Liverpool Playhouse - 16 September
Read my review here *****
* Awakenings + Hush + RainForest - Rambert Dance Company - The Lowry - 22 September
( Once again I was hugely disappointed by the Rambert, although it was great to see some Merce Cunningham presented with its original staging. Even Aletta Collins marvellous choreograhic skills couldn't rescue Awakenings from the Rambert 'problem' - either do narrative ballet in a contemporary style or do contemporary dance. The Rambert do neither, and it's very frustrating!) Read my review for The Public Reviews here
* This Is Now - New Art Club - Royal Exchange Studio - 23 September
(I'm not fan of stand-up so the prospect of comedy dance was an intriguing one. New Art Club have a good reputation and from this showing it's well deserved. Very funny and hugely likeable, this was an hour well-spent.) Read my review for The Public Reviews here![]()
* Love and War - Mark Bruce Company - Royal Exchange Studio - 1 July
(Glad I didn't have to write a proper review of this show as I'm not sure how much I actually understood of it. "Mark Bruce uses theatre-in-the-round and a soundtrack including Sparklehorse, The White Stripes, Queens of the Stone Age and György Ligeti, to plunge the imagination into a raw arena of the otherworld. Time shifts and figures from myth and ritual collide; Gods emerge amongst frenzied cheerleaders, murderous strangers, dogs of war and bedraggled homecoming queens, in a heart-searching dance work of savage beauty." Very different and varied show using classically based moves distorted into something quite different, set to a mixed bag of American alternative rock, alt-country and modern classical. Parts of this show were fantastically thrilling - notably the Nirvana-set cheerleader/dogs of war section and the spider sequence. A talented and varied cast in character made for a distinctive 70 minutes. ****
* Meter - Ad Hoc Dance - The Lowry Studio - 12 July **
* Urban Moves Festival 2010 - 23-25 July - Methods of Dance 2010 the review - Urban Moves Festival 2010 website
September
* Declarations - Phoenix Dance Theatre - Liverpool Playhouse - 16 September
Read my review here *****
* Awakenings + Hush + RainForest - Rambert Dance Company - The Lowry - 22 September
( Once again I was hugely disappointed by the Rambert, although it was great to see some Merce Cunningham presented with its original staging. Even Aletta Collins marvellous choreograhic skills couldn't rescue Awakenings from the Rambert 'problem' - either do narrative ballet in a contemporary style or do contemporary dance. The Rambert do neither, and it's very frustrating!) Read my review for The Public Reviews here
* This Is Now - New Art Club - Royal Exchange Studio - 23 September
(I'm not fan of stand-up so the prospect of comedy dance was an intriguing one. New Art Club have a good reputation and from this showing it's well deserved. Very funny and hugely likeable, this was an hour well-spent.) Read my review for The Public Reviews here
