Festival Dance
SOLEDAD BARRIO AND NOCNE FLAMENCA
Pain and passion on the dancefloor
Noche Flamenca is less a company and
more of a community. Founded in Madrid in 1993, by artistic director Martin Santangelo and his Flamenco dancing wife. Soledad Barrio, the group is far more concerned with expressing its artistry than grabbing the spotlight.
Barrio and her incredible twirling hands and fast-paced footwork may be the centrepiece. but the entire outfit — guitar, song, handclapping — is given equal weighting. Recognised for its authenticity, Noche Flamenca eschews flashy spectacle in favour of capturing the pleasure and pain of their people, and for many flamenco fans is seen as the real deal.
“Flamenco is an essential cry to express joy. sorrow. comedy and tragedy,’ says Santangelo. ‘For those individuals and groups who are repressed by some form of limitation — social, economic, spiritual or physical. Through singing, playing and dancing we attempt to free the soul from this oppression.‘ (Kelly Apter)
I Queen's Hall, 668 3456, 77 8 18 Aug, 7.30pm, 18-22, 24 Aug, 10pm. £13 (£11).
TRANSGRESSION Taking it to extremes O”
Transgression is a breathtaking showcase of urban sports skills, taking in BMXing, skateboarding, inline skating, freerunning, even extreme unicycling. Performed on one of the Fringe’s most unique venues — a full skate park and ramps surrounded by a beach, constructed in the heart of the city.
It's an impressive display of young talent (some very young) from the EHX skate park, with at least ten heart-in- your-mouth moments. Terrifying back flips. exhilarating 3603 and 5405 and death-defying jumps, hand plants, leaps and technical skills.
However there is no real structure to the show, with each discipline taking turns to prove their skills, with some beatboxing, crunching guitars and breakdancing thrown in for good measure. And while constantly thrilling, it becomes repetitive (especially when a trick isn't landed and is repeated until successful). But it's a welcome and singular jolt of adrenaline to the Fringe. (Henry Northmore)
I C Soco Urban Garden, 0845 260 1234, until 25 Aug, 9.30pm. 2860—210. 50 (£5.50—E9.50).
CHESS Moving Taiwanese tragedy cm
Fortunately avoiding elaboration of the central metaphor — war as chess — this
STEVE REIGN EVENING
Music and dance pioneers in perfect harmony
She’s one of the most prominent names in European contemporary dance, he’s a giant of American minimalist music. Together, Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker and Steve Reich make quite a pair - although their partnership is a result of admiration, rather than collaboration.
De Keersmaeker has been inspired by Reich’s music on several occasions over the past 25 years, while Reich has been so impressed by what she does with it, he’s given her free reign with his compositions. A big fan of both artists, Edinburgh International Festival director, Jonathan Mills is excited to have the Steve Reich Evening in his programme.
‘Anne Teresa is a very versatile choreographer,’ he says. ‘And her fascination with Steve Reich is only one element of what she does. But I think his music reveals a very special part of her personality, where she can be very precise and exact in some works and euphoric in others.’
Featuring six works performed by De Keersmaeker’s company, Rosas, the show will also hold huge appeal for music fans. ‘Reich is one of those artists who’s not easy to define,’ says Mills. ‘Because he fits so many categories - classical, popular, contemporary. His audience is broad, so we’re encouraging people to come to the show not just for Anne Teresa’s choreography, but to hear Reich’s music played live by the fantastic lctus ensemble. I think the two forms connect very logically and beautifully -— the joy of the dance and the sheer energy of the music.’ (Kelly Apter)
I Edinburgh Festival Theatre, 0131 473 2000. 15— 1 7 Aug. 7.30pm, 13 1 0—128.
Taiwanese company. Dansmusicians presents a sumptuous and skilled performance. With superb dancers. a tragedy played for pathos not sentimentality and a ravishing soundtrack. it is a delightful and precise work.
Each act is preceded by lengthy explanations and the characters perform highly symbolic and technically stunning solos. Despite having its roots in political history. the story is allegorical; a study of love, loss and treachery. There are points of contact with western tradition — the grace is balletic. and the musicians form a sort of Greek chorus — but this is very different. almost alien, from European dance.
However, it is a visual treat and consistently engaging: the finale is moving and the complex choreography pushes along the pace
3. THE LIST FESTIVAL MAGAZINE 14—21 Aug 2008
even the structure slows to contemplative reflection. (Gareth Vile) I Universal Arts Theatre. 220 0143. until 25 Aug, 1. 15pm, {‘10 (535)).
RISE
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Gotham City meets the streets of B/aderunner in this atmospheric exploration of urban angst. Donned in hoodies and combats. live performers invoke an overpowering claustrophobia as they fight tension and pressure through slow-motion breaks and deliberate moves.
They have a large space in which to play. but with skinny shafts of light and hazy illumination, they do a frighteningly good job of dragging it in under a tight oppressive clOud. There's a tiny gulp of fresh air when the soundtrack shifts from taut electronica and concrete beats to a lighter reggae and hope of escape. It doesn't come. Instead, we witness our robotic assimilation into working life while an ominous soundtrack moves towards the insane breaks of Aphex TWin.
A muted. downbeat reflection on life. Rise might not give yOu a lift but it summons just the sort of knife society sentiments it's shooting for.
(Susan Wright) I Zoo Souths/(1e, 662 6892. until 26 Aug (not 19), 2.40pm, [‘10 (558).
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