DANCE | Previews 100 THE LIST 18 Apr–16 May 2013
IRISH DANCE PRODIJIG: FOOTSTORM Alhambra, Dunfermline, Tue 30 Apr; Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Wed 1 May
Once upon a time, Irish dance was all big wigs, glued arms and tough judges. Then, in 1994, Riverdance came along and turned this competitive dance form into a bona fide performance style. But time stands still for no dance, and the latest incarnation of Irish movement took flight last year, when Prodijig won series three of Sky One’s Got To Dance. According to the group’s founder, Alan Kenefick, the time is ripe for something new. ‘Everything has to move on,’ he says, ‘and we’re in an
amazing era for Irish dance just now. Because of social media and YouTube, people are able to express themselves and learn from each other, so everything is evolving much quicker.’ Kenefick was lead dancer with Riverdance for five years,
and between them, Prodijig has won every major Irish dancing competition. But that’s all in the past – Footstorm is the future, the first full-length production the group has produced since its television success.
For Kenefick, taking part in the Sky One programme proved he had something to offer as a choreographer. ‘The audition on Sky One was one of the greatest moments of my life, because we hadn’t shown anybody our work at that point, or gauged a reaction,’ he says. ‘So to get a standing ovation was surreal. We were used to them on Riverdance, but that was somebody else’s choreography. For me to have made it up myself and get a similar reaction was an amazing feeling.’
Blending Irish dance with a variety of other forms, Prodijig
also stands out by liberating the dancers’ arms. ‘Usually in Irish dance shows, people look at legs and feet a lot, whereas I want people to look at the full picture. When you synchronise the upper body and lower body, and everybody’s doing it in unison, that’s a new form of magic for Irish dance.’ (Kelly Apter)
MODERN DANCE CARLOS ACOSTA: ON BEFORE Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Fri 26 & Sat 27 Apr
He has danced with some of the most important classical ballet companies in the world, but when it came to building his own show, Carlos Acosta knew it was time for a change. Rather than showing off the high leaps he was famous for at the Royal Ballet, the Cuban
dancer headed into a more contemporary direction, employing the skills of choreographers such as Russell Maliphant and Kim Brandstrup to create works for him. ‘You can’t do those high jumps forever, they kill your body,’ says Acosta. ‘And I’m at the stage in my career where I need to be careful, because I don’t want to be injured. But also, the classical ballet repertoire doesn’t stretch me anymore. I did all that with Paris Opera Ballet, the Bolshoi, Kirov, you name it, and I don’t want to keep repeating myself. There are so many different ways to express love and regret, and I wanted to convey something that actually speaks to the audience.’ The result is On Before, an evening of duets with Royal Ballet principal dancer, Zenaida
Yanowsky, centring on the doomed relationship between a man and a woman. Acosta’s classical technique is still firmly entrenched in his body, but his decision to use modern choreography and a live chorus, will give the show a different dimension. Just don’t go along expecting to see those high leaps. ‘It’s my evening – it’s my idea and I directed it,’ says Acosta. ‘I’m really pleased with it and what we convey. But the audiences who enjoy the show the most are the ones who don’t come along with any preconceptions.’ (Kelly Apter)
MODERN BALLET SCOTTISH BALLET: HIGHLAND FLING Theatre Royal, Glasgow, Sat 27 Apr–Sat 4 May; Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Wed 22–Sat 25 May
It’s always a good idea to turn up at a job interview well prepared. But when Christopher Hampson arrived at Scottish Ballet, to convince the company he should be its new artistic director, he took preparation to a whole new level. ‘I looked at Scottish Ballet’s repertoire, and thought it would be right to have a production of La Sylphide,’ he recalls. Rather than opt for a traditional version, however, he thought of Matthew Bourne’s modern-day re-working, Highland Fling. Only trouble is, Bourne had never let anyone, other than his own New Adventures company, perform one of his full-length works before. ‘I wanted to be sure I was presenting myself at the interview with everything intact,’ says Hampson, ‘so I spoke to Matthew and said I know the answer’s probably no, but if I get the job at Scottish Ballet, would you consider letting the company perform Highland Fling? And he took a moment, then said “yes”. I was thrilled.’
Happily, Hampson got the job – and Highland Fling now has a place in Scottish Ballet’s
repertoire. Bourne’s engaging work starts in the toilet of a Glasgow night club, before moving into an ethereal world filled with nymphs. Filled with the choreographer’s trademark wit, strong characterisation and emotional heart, Highland Fling is a coup for any company. ‘I think it’s a real responsibility,’ says Hampson, ‘both for me and Scottish Ballet – but it’s a
really wonderful one.’ (Kelly Apter)