The Lowry
Tuesday 8th April
Richard Alston over his time has become one of Britain’s most illustrious icons within contemporary dance, so I was expecting a lot when I went to see one of his most recent productions. With enough passion to literally fill the theatre, and breathtaking beauty and balance, I certainly wasn’t disappointed.
The production was split into three separate dances, two of which were directed by Alston himself, and the other by Martin Lawrance. Fingerprint the first, was a combination of inspiring modern dance with some beautifully played Bach to accompany. The second piece Body and Soul was in similar style but also had added vocal to complement the overall finish. The last Shuffle It Right, which was undeniably my favourite, fused modern with some old school jazz and soul dance, certain moves even made me chuckle as I recognised them from old movies, but with an added modern twist.
The production overall was genuinely tremendous. The choreography was so passionate and flawlessly expressed by the dancers themselves, who not only had to dance, but had to do so perfectly in time to the music. Jonathan Goddard in particular was spectacular, he moved in such a distinguished way making him inspiring to watch. Each piece shown had its own story, which could easily be followed through the movements of every dancer. An elaborate mix of solos and group dances were used throughout, with the group parts so well synchronized it made the use of syncopation even more effective.
It was everything I expected and more, a unique combination of innovate and enjoyable work. If this sounds just up your street and you want to feel regretful for giving up those ballet lessons all those years ago, then I recommend that you get yourself there for one of these next productions.
9/10
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