Martin Lawrence, Richard Alston's choreographic protege, chose the wonderfully joyous Bach’s Brandenburg concertos for the first dance of this triple bill. To Dance and Skylark is a joyous experience! Bounding through the air in seemingly limitless space, the dancers embody the lightness and happiness of the music with precision, energy and skill. Smiles abound; a truly uplifting and exhilarating performance.
Alston's Movements of Petrushka revisits the Russian folk tale about a puppet (think Pinocchio meets Frankenstein) and sees the extraordinary talents of pianist Jason Ridgeway play centre stage to a slightly confusing dance which is over far too quickly. The last piece, Overdrive is such a complex study in rhythm, with both music and dancers going hell for leather, that it creates a visual and aural cacophony making it extremely difficult to keep up with and pretty uncomfortable to sit through.
There is no doubting the amazing talent of both dancers and choreographers, but it's an odd mixed bill for the average punter.
Richard Alston Dance Company is now tour around the UK .
