Wed 14 Feb
GoldHill Dance Company Hand Towards
Nicole McDowall Nelum
Arielle Smith Lots Of Varied Expectations
Resolution festival continues with a line up of three emerging female choreographers that delivered a mixed programme to a full house at The Place. GoldHill Dance Company kicked off the evening with the two founding choreographers Kiri Golding and Emma Hill performing Hand Towards that seeks to explore the question Where do you feel most at ease? And while the two artists create a physical dialogue interspersed with some good contact moments of constraining, supporting and resisting as they come together, the subject and original music score felt it could’ve been more deeply explored.
Nicole McDowall’s Nelum promised a hip-hop solo, but if you’re expecting a typical high energy body-popping spectacular you’ll still be pleasantly surprised by the hip-hop infused, slower, darker and introspective interpretation that makes hip-hop the essence but McDowall the central force. Visually effective use of light and original music from the talented Mikey J created an intense mood that starts out slow and builds into a hip-hop crescendo. A good concept that intrigues me to see what McDowall creates next.
The best of the night was definitively saved for last with Arielle Smith’s Lots Of Varied Expectations. And my expectations were blown away from the opening scene to the final moment. Smith’s piece could confidently grace any major stage and lifted the emerging artist bar significantly higher, as she asks the audience if we can see past gender with a cast of four male and four female talented dancers. And while her question framed my view, I was thoroughly impressed by the quality of the piece from the 40s costumes, jazzy music and smoky atmosphere to the absorbing narrative, charming characters who performed distinct choreography through impressive duos and group elements that were quirky, hip and humorous. The stand out piece of the night and a choreographer to watch for the future!
Reviewed at The Place on 14 Feb 2108