A small ensemble of Scottish Ballet dancers have been given the great opportunity to present a selection of new work at the Edinburgh Fringe. The second of three programmes showcases the choreography by Eve Mutso, Jane Jewel and Jamiel Laurence.
Eve Mutso has been a Principal dancer with Scottish Ballet for ten years. Performed to music by Merlin Bonning and Sigur Ros, her “Ink of Innocence” is an exquisite expression of movement in a cool, monochrome setting. With her hair in neat braids and wearing a shimmering white muslin dress, the petite and slender Sophie Laplane is like a young girl, crouching down in a ball shape within a ring of light. The soundtrack is like the dripping of water. She is joined by three men and a girl, all in black who slowly emerge from the shadows as if exploring their physical space.
As the music develops with soft vocals, an enchanting pas de deux with Sophie and Daniel Kirspuu is a flowing pattern of wide hand gestures and gentle circular steps.
Both individually and within the quintet of dancers, the choreographic is all very lyrical and fluid, denoting the splash of ink on a page as it spreads into soft shapes. Like an abstract painting transformed into meticulous dance, Ink of Innocence could certainly be developed into a longer, large scale work.
Vincent Hantam was born in Cape Town and the work “Storms of Africa” was created for him by the late Jane Jewel in 1980 for the Napac Dance Company. Dressed magnificently in flowing colourful robes, he represents an African Sprite. Taking over the entire stage, he parades proudly, then runs and jumps with flying leaps in a wild spirited Tribal dance to denote power, freedom and a sense of joie de vivre.
Jamiel Laurence has been with Scottish Ballet since 2009. His new work, 1 to 10 is a light-hearted duet performed here by Evan Loudon and Victor Zarallo. This may be a humorous way to play around with the classic ballet positions, first, second, third, etc. They shout out numbers to denote a particular dance step, as they show off their spins, plies and arabesques across the stage. Eating a muffin to denote the number 8, is rather a weak joke, more akin to a student sketch show at Underbelly, not Scottish Ballet at Dance Base!. But “1 to 10” is wildly energetic, quirky and fun.
This Special Edition of inspiring new choreography devised and performed by Scottish Ballet dancers will also include work by Vincent Hantam and Constant Vigier.
Show times
7 – 23rd August, 2015 @ 5pm
Ticket prices, £10 (£8)