Phoenix Dance Theatre - Spring 2015

[Jan McNulty]

I'm very late posting about Phoenix' 2015 mixed programme as I first saw it in February and for the third time last week in Liverpool as their tour is reaching its conclusion.

 

I think this year's Spring Tour has been absolutely superb and shows off this company of brilliant dancers to superb effect.

 

The evening opened with two Christopher Bruce works in quick succession.  Shift was originally made for Ballet Central.  The costumes, for me, give it an early 1940s theme and some of the movements give the impression of women and men working in a factory and then maybe having some fun,  It contains many of Christopher Bruce's signature steps and is short and sweet.

 

Shift starts with what could be a family group sitting around a table - we see them discussing, laughing, arguing but to me there seems an underlying sadness.  At the end they put on coats, pick up suitcases and leave.  Are they leaving by choice or are they being forced to leave...

 

After the interval we saw Tearfall choreographed by AD Sharon Watson.  It starts with the dancers on stage wearing underwear and with one of them telling us about the makeup of tears.  I found the movement sensual and lyrical.  I must explain that I have a phobia about balloons and when I first saw this work at WYP in February I very nearly flipped.  One of the dancers brings on a bunch of balloons with weighted strings and places them around the stage.  So far not too bad but when a couple of them are picked up and the dancers put them to their faces...  On second and third viewings, because I knew what to expect, I was able to cope and really enjoy the work.  I very strongly got the impression that the balloons are fallen tears and that the dancers are collecting them up.  Eventually they are collected together by one dancer and taken off stage.  Despite my fear of balloons I came to love this work, with the complexity of the choreography (matching the complexity of the makeup of tears) and I ultimately found it moving.  I just want to see it again.

 

The final piece was Bloom by Caroline Finn to music that sounds Eastern European to me.  A group of dancers congregate around a table but there is one (wearing a mask) at the front of the stage.  He is an outsider, whom (I think) would like to become an insider.  The movement really matches the music and is quirky and fun, although there is the underlying feel of disquiet that the outsider should be allowed in.  It's a great piece from a choreographer new to me.

 

Phoenix currently has 8 dancers and 2 apprentices.  They are all fabulous dancers, full of character who can put across ideas even in seemingly abstract works.  It is well worth making a special effort to see them.

 

They often do post performance talks, which are interesting and enhance the experience.