Review: Richard Alston Dance Co/National Dance Company Wales at Southbank Centre
Richard Alston Dance Company is indisputably a living part of British Dance heritage, so it’s fitting that the company opened Saturday night’s British Dance Edition double bill at the Queen Elizabeth Hall. National Dance Company Wales ( known as Diversions until 2009) aren’t so often seen on the London stage, but are also well connected with London Contemporary Dance School – offering year-long apprenticeships for MA students.
Alston’s new work Unfinished Business draws heavily on the music for inspiration, taking its title from the idea that Mozart composed his piano concerto K.533 in such a hurry, due to being strapped for cash, that he failed to complete the score, ending with a Rondo from an earlier work. Rather than using Mozart’s original rushed score, Alston has used the expertise of Federico Busoni to interweave Gigue in D and music from the opera Figaro – all played live by Faith Leadbetter .
The dancers follow each note of the music with a mix of balletic contemporary dance. True to Alston’s choreographic canon, the footwork is light and springy, the arms carve arcs in the air and the partner work is delicate and expertly executed. It’s difficult to fault any of Alston’s choreography and although sometimes repetitive, it is beautiful to watch.
The more recent choreography is stripped of any unnecessary meaning yet avoids being overly abstract through considered human contact and the exchange of looks before each pairing commence their duets. Unfinished Business is a nice edition to the Richard Alston Dance Company repertoire, which plays to the dancers’ strong technique.
The National Dance Company Wales brought By Singing Light , choreographed by New York based choreographer Stephen Petronio – a large scale work for 12 dancers and 40 members of the BBC National Chorus Wales . The recurring feature throughout is the group movement Petronio sculpts to create moving structures out of the dancers bodies.
Choreographed in response to Dylan Thomas’s poetry, set to a commissioned score by Son Lux , Petrionio’s work is an intense drama, with highlights including eight person lifts, ghost like forms taking on human presence and dancers turning from selfish space grabbers to supportive shape makers. By Singing Light required the cast to really work as a unit, performing at a relentless speed, often ending phrases in potentially bone-breaking and dangerous lifts. The male duets are particularly impressive, demonstrating masculinity and strength.
Despite odd costuming, pale lace for some and bright red lycra for others, it’s a unique company who fully bond with the choreography. National Dance Company Wales well and truly deserve their place in the British Dance Edition showcase.
