photo: Alice Pennefather
A more athletic, visually astounding group of dancers would be hard to find. Presenting a school’s matinee with a reduced program, Rambert Dance Company showcased Siobhan Davies The Art of Touch and Itzik Galili’s SUB.
The Art of Touch was originally performed in 1995. It is a piece inspired by the harpsichord, and the physical realisation of “touching” the music. The piece begins with three male and four female dancers reacting to a cascade of notes, fleetingly personifying the essence of a note and developing interactions. Davies has created a subtle score of action and reaction, a dancer plucking a string, and others articulating it. The articulations are resonant and intricate, the duets in particular are compelling and intimate. This is a work of great sensitivity and is conceptually admirable, I enjoyed the richness of this score. I felt at times, this piece a little long-winded (or is that my modern under attentive brain?) though compelling nevertheless.
Following was Galili’s SUB. A cast of topless, sweating men. The power behind this piece was apparent from the beginning. Set to Michael Gordon’s score Weather One, this piece was turbulent and rhythmic. Strong lines were offset by moments of gentleness, the duets bringing subtlety to the work, their group action pulsating in strength. One particular moment, the men leaping in a repetitive canon across the stage formed a visually climactic point, simmering down to a rhythmic end. Visually captivating, this piece held a distinctive unity, developing a feel not dissimilar to a tribal dance.
I would have been curious to see the other half of this program: Vaslav Nijinsky’s L’après-midi d’un faune, originally created in 1912 and With Wild Ecstasy, a response to Nijinsky’s work, choreographed by Mark Baldwin.
For a little more about The Art of Touch, here’s a brief interview with Davies regarding the project with Rambert.
And here’s some of the finished result. Enjoy!