Festival Dance

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In previous years. the International Festival has given us

NDT1 (the main company). NDT2 (the youngsters) and NDT3 (the mature dancers) to enjoy. This year. NDT1 is going it alone. performing four works by the company's resident choreographers. Paul Lighttoot and Sol Leon. Expect to be moved by the touching Silent Screen and Signing Off.made'”. to laugh by the silliness of Sh-Boom and Shutters Shut and marvel at the awesome technique of the dancers.

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TRANSPOSITION Worth waiting for 000

The lshara Puppet Theatre finally arrive at the Fringe following a series of unforeseen disasters en-route that might have been lifted directly from their tale of love and destruction. Transposition. So was the” hour of dance. martial arts and puppetry worth the wait'? The answer is an (almost) unqualified yes.

The show is billed as a .llltlltlfitHlSOl), experience. but beyond the fabulous costumes and some psychedelic back pro)e<ttions. the focus is very much on the performers downstage. At times the translation of the stem (by Vetalpaitchacinasati and Thomas Mann) into movement seems frustatingly MOTH). The sequence in which a pair of lovers' heads are detached from their t)(‘i;llt’3§$ is communicated by unbuckling the life-sized puppets from the performers bodies and wawng a pair of masks around in the air

But this clunkiness is more than compensated for by two glorious central scenes: the first a moving, restrained courtship dance between the lovers; the second a genuiner IGNITMHQ sequence in which Kali. goddess of destruction (a huge blllO\'.‘lf‘ig sheet topped by a frightenineg impassive mask) wreaks havoc surrounded by eerie DTOJBCIIOHS of blinking eyes. Allan Radcliffe I ZOO SOL/ths/de. 662 6892. until 29 Aug. 7.30pm $9 $71

Hit * FESTIVAL DANCE

‘I don't want peOple who want to dance. I want people who have to dance.‘ - George Balanchine.

II: Into The Hoods Your last chance to see one of the funniest. funkiest, most feel- good shows of the Fringe. London's ZooNation blends streetdance. film, fairytales and a cast of hilarious characters in this five star show. UdderBELLY, 0870 745 3083. until 28 Aug, 3.450m,

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III Nederlands Dans Theater Widely regarded as the best modern dance company in the world. NDT presents a retrospective of work by Paul Lightfoot and Sol Leon. See Big Pic, left. Edinburgh Playhouse, 37 Aug—2 Sep, 7.30pm, £‘7—E28. II: Tapeire The world's fastest tap dancer sends sparks flying with his feet. joined by a superb fiddler and percussionist. Baby Bel/y, 0870 7453083. until 27 Aug, 6pm, £94370 (EB—£9).

3|! Knots Irish dance theatre company, Coisceim pull no punches with their full throttle look at destructive relationships. Aurora Nova, 558 3853, until 28 Aug. 9.40pm, £72 (£70).

II! Don Quixote Balanchine's full-length ballet makes its UK debut, performed by the Suzanne Farrell Ballet and dancers from the National Ballet of Canada. See preview. page 77?. Edinburgh Playhouse, 473 2000, 26—29 Aug, 7.30pm (Sun mat 2.30pm), $750—$410.

* Dreamers Argentinean identical twins blend tap. streetdance and autobiography in this slick show. Pleasance Courtyard. 556 6550, until 28 Aug, 70pm, 29—8 70 (£7.50—E850).

For venue addresses see index page 112.

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