Lucinda Childs Dance Company, Available Light, Manchester July 2017

[Jan McNulty]

Lucinda Childs Dance Company was performing Available Light as part of the Manchester International Dance Festival.

 

I don't really care for the front stalls of the Palace Theatre so I was sat on a side aisle about half way back in the stalls.  As it turned out I was perfectly placed to see the performance.

 

Reading the programme notes this was very much a collaboration between the choreographer, the set designer and the composer.

 

The sets basically looks like a bare construction site with metal pillars at the back supporting a platform.  Twelve dancers were listed in the programme so I assume one must have been injured because only 11 appeared in the performance.  It didn't matter though.

 

There were three groups of dancers dressed in red, white or black - the costumes were simple and effective.  The groups danced together or mixed in together.

 

The start of the performance was striking as the music started and the dancers stalked slowly forward from behind the pillars in silhouette.  The dance moves were simple and repetitive but it was the way that they were put together that made it such a compelling and enjoyable piece.  I had variously thoughts of atoms whizzing around in a molecule, cogs on a production line, ants on an organised march.  All or none of those thoughts matter...  The music, dance and set melded perfectly together.

 

It really was an engrossing hour and I am very glad I was there to witness and enjoy it.

 

Two reviews much more articulate than my words:

 

Luke Jennings in the Observer

 

Judith Mackrell in the Guardian