Dance, Issue 635

Tap Kids

High school hoofing

Long before Troy and Gabriella took the world by storm in High School Musical, dancer and choreographer, Lisa Hopkins was putting together her own show about the teen years. Starting life as a tap dance workshop in upstate New York, Tap Kids soon…

The Red Room

19th century decadence and decay

For years, the Traverse has been synonymous with ground-breaking, innovative theatre. And while it regularly shows dance throughout the year, when it comes to the Fringe, it’s drama all the way. Until now. When the David Hughes Dance Company delivers…

100 Wounded Tears

Powerful Czech dance theatre

One of the most moving pieces of dance on last year’s Fringe came from young Czech company Dot 504. Holdin' Fast was a beautiful investigation of the mathematics of human relationships, and was one of the biggest successes at Zoo Venue. The dazed…

Kataklo Athletic Dance Theatre - Love Machines

Art-inspired precision

Nearly five hundred years after his death, the creative genius of Leonardo da Vinci continues to exert influence. Most recently on Italian company, Kataklo, who blend athletic physical dexterity with an appreciation of art. ‘I’ve always had a great…

The Chair

Family, death and narrative dance

Over the past couple of years, Zoo Venue has got increasingly good at giving opportunities not only to the most interesting international dance companies, but exciting younger companies from the UK. In that slot this year is C-12 Dance Company…

Still Breathing

Hip hop and contemporary melting pot

If there’s one thing that’s consistent about 2FaCeD DaNcE Company, it’s that it is never the same twice. Each year, the Hereford-based company heads to the Fringe with yet more ammunition in its belt. What started life as a fairly humble youth project…

Dance Hitlist

All the shows that have got The List moving

Capoeira Knights: The Boys from Brazil, Circa, Flhip Flhop: Everything Happens on the Break, Still Breathing, Tap Kids

Lola: The Life of Lola Montez

Biographical flamenco drama

During the 19th century, Irish-born Lola Montez plied a career as an unlikely Spanish dancer across Europe, Australia and the US while bedding the likes of King Ludwig I of Bavaria along the way. Her story is one of scandal and celebrity. ‘Lola is a…

Flhip Flhop: Everything Happens on the Break

Breakdance in overalls

Bursting onto the hip-hop scene with their first fully fledged production as Rannel Theatre Company, Joey D and Matt Bailey make their Fringe debut with a show that came about after a chance encounter in a night club. Working as a DJ, Bailey approached…

Edinburgh Mela

Edinburgh's most multicultural festival

The 15th Edinburgh Mela is something of a milestone for the massive multicultural music, art, theatre and food festival celebrating Asian Scottish culture, and not just because it is returning to its original home of Pilrig Park. ‘This year, we’re…

Dance Base

Scotland’s National Centre for Dance in the Grassmarket is always a hotbed of diverse movement – but this year it has excelled itself. In this first round of Fringe excitement (there’s more to come later in the month), it is offering ten individual…