DANCE

Scottish Dance Theatre rarely disappoint, if ever, and they didn’t this year. Looking at the programme I was reminded of a restaurant. Get in and be served bread (4 mins), then the starter (12 mins), then the main course (30 mins). However what this omits is that utterly wonderful bread can be just as good as the main course or the starter. So it proved.

We started with A Little Shadery, choreographed by Sally Owen. Two dancers who are almost trees, in fact leaves were projected onto a screen behind them, which meant you could either watch the dancers or the image behind. A beautiful coalition of bodies with a witty end.

Then we get into the starter Dreamt for Light Years, choreographed by Joan Cleville. Here matters of the heart were clear as two dancers, one male one female, come together and establish a relationship with beautiful movement but clearly an intense sexual encounter yet not a porn show. This was dance at its best.

Finally we come to Lay Me Down Safe. Wow. It starts with three men in dresses and at various times has from 1 to 8 dancers on stage. Early on we get two men clearly pairing up as a couple but then gets more complex with other relationships developing. Not all of them sexual. There are sections where clear thrusting movements are involved but they don’t involve pelvic movements. Nor do they need to, this is dance. Capable of being interpreted in several ways it is an absolutely lovely piece.

Does dance get any better? If so I’ve yet to see it.