Strathpeffer Pavilion, 28 July 2011

THE first half of this programme of aerial, acrobatic dance was shown as a work in progress at Dancebase last Edinburgh Festival.

‘Spokes’, the first segment of this touring programme, was then a light, airy, charming piece with a nautical flavour. It has turned into a time-served piece of fully narrative contemporary circus work incorporating clowning and acrobatics to delight the (many) children at the Pavilion who responded with some fat little chuckles and the occasional loud whisper of “Mummy! It’s funny!”.

Uncharted Waters

It has also developed a heart of darkness suffused with a distinctive ‘Rime of the Ancient Mariner’ flavour and a brilliantly conjured storm, much aided by Jeanine Davies’ lighting. Live bodhran and song from Dave Boyd added a rough warmth and accessibility but the focus was always on the performances, skilful then, even more skilful now.

Lucy Deacon and Jennifer Paterson make being suspended high above the floor held by nothing more than the pressure of a silk cloth or a rope seem easy and entirely natural. A more succinct demonstration of ars celare artem it is hard to imagine.

Moritz Linkmann, who strolled in and out of ‘Spokes’, then took the stage with a poignant piece of Weimar Republic strangeness, ‘Youkali’, which is also a demonstration of heartstopping acrobatic skill and effortless precision quite unlike anything else you’re likely to see this year.

There was a moment when Linkmann casually held his entire body at right angles to the rope with the strength of arms alone – the ‘flag’ manoeuvre. Astonishing, yet always subservient to the story, a small slice of life placed under the spotlight, just for a moment, and then concealed again.

After an interval, ‘1,2,3 here we go’ contained less narrative and more demonstration of the technical possibilities of choreographed rope work. Though technically skilled it perhaps suffered by comparison with the intense dramas of the first half; but no matter – the audience had already been entirely won over. They rewarded the performers with curtain calls and cheers, lingering long after the house lights went up, reluctant to relinquish the experience, and an indicator of a successful job well done.

Uncharted Waters are on tour in the Highlands and Islands in August (click link for dates).

© Jennie Macfie, 2011

Links

• All or Nothing Aerial Dance
• Strangebird Zirkus
• Dancebase
• Jennie Macfie