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RE-TRIPTYCH Shen Wei Dance Arts travels from New York to Edinburgh to deliver its diverse homage to Cambodia, Tibet and China. See 5 Reasons, right. ■ Edinburgh Playhouse, 473 2000, 1–3 Sep, 7.30pm, £10–£30.
Scottish Ballet A double-bill from our national ballet company, featuring Kenneth MacMillan’s ‘Song of the Earth’ and a new work from exciting Finnish choreographer Jorma Elo. See feature, page 40. Edinburgh Playhouse, 473 2000, 26–28 Aug, 7.30pm, £12–£44. Drought and Rain (Re-creation 2011) French Vietnamese choreographer Ea Sola re-works her moving 1995 work about the impact of war. See preview, page 42. King’s Theatre, 473 2000, 1–3 Sep, 8pm, £12–£30.
Sriyah Three members of the Nrityagram Dance Ensemble bring their exquisite Odissi dance style to the Edinburgh International Festival. See preview, page 42. King’s Theatre, 473 2000, 26–29 Aug, 8pm (Sun mat 3pm), £12–£30.
Enclosure 99 Janis Claxton and dancers remind us that we’re not that different from animals after all in this thought-provoking and fun Fringe ‘experience’. Edinburgh Zoo, 314 0350, until 29 Aug, 10am-6pm, free (Zoo admission applies).
Soy de Cuba Leave the rain behind and spend one hot sizzling hour in Havana sampling slick choreography, film, original live music and song. Assembly Hall, 623 3030, until 29 Aug, 10.30pm, £15 (£12).
Pinocchio: A Fantasy of Pleasures Modern and Baroque dance mix with operatic singing, hip hop and a touch of burlesque in this adults only work from New York’s Company XIV. New Town Theatre, 220 0143, until 28 Aug, 7pm, £12–£14.
Korean Drum – Journey of a Soul Traditional and modern Korean percussion and dance combine in this dazzling large-scale show, that offers up something for everyone. Assembly Hall, 623 3030, until 29 Aug, 4pm, £13–£15 (£11–£13).
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5 Reasons As Shen Wei Dance Arts arrives in Scotland to play the Edinburgh International Festival, we give you five reasons not to miss RE-TRIPTYCH
1. The Inspiration Shen Wei made a personal pilgrimage to Cambodia, Tibet and his birthplace, China to create Re (i), (ii) and (iii). Now the three works have been sewn together to form Re-Triptych, they form a diverse, largely abstract emotional response to his travels. 2. The Man Born in China, Shen Wei left his family home aged just nine to study opera. After graduating he co-formed China’s first modern dance company, before moving to New York to start all over again, despite speaking no English. Anybody this brave and groundbreaking is surely worth a look. 3. The Music Each of the three pieces in Re-Triptych has music from a different source: The evocative chants of a Nepalese Buddhist nun in Re (i); Cambodian musicians disabled by war, whom Shen met outside a temple in Angkor Wat, coupled with a beautiful work by John Tavener for Re (ii); and a brand new score by award-winning New Yorker David Lang in Re (iii). 4. The Dancers Renowned for an ability to express their own individuality as dancers, then come together as a united whole (crucial for Shen’s piece about China), the performers have attracted such adjectives as ‘remarkable’ and ‘incredible’. 5. The Set Proving there is no end to Shen’s talents, as well as choreographing Re-Triptych, he also designed all the sets and costumes.
25 Aug–22 Sep 2011 THE LIST 39
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