Dance

Alternative Valentine's Day presents and ideas

Four unique and romantic ways to celebrate this year

26 Jan 2011

Being a List reader you’ve had the infinite good taste to pick a partner who can’t be doing with the corny hearts, flowers and factory-line V-Day dining experience we’re sold as ‘romance’. All well and good, but how on earth do you celebrate February…

Brazil! Brazil!

Capeoira kicks, samba hips and footie tricks

8 Aug 2010

Brazil! Brazil! is like the fantasy beach party everyone wants invited to. Chilled-out Brazilian beats to rival Astrud Gilberto, buff bare-chested guys wheeling out jaw-dropping capoeira kicks and backflips, voluptuous feather-topped girls in bling…

Edinburgh hip hop showcase Breakin’ Convention returns to Festival Theatre

3 Nov 2010

Once upon a time, the hip hop dancers of Scotland could only look longingly down to London at the range of opportunities that the form’s annual festival, Breakin’ Convention, had to offer. So, too, the fans of this increasingly popular dance style. But…

Interview: Choreographer Christine Devaney

Artistic director of Scottish contemporary dance company Curious Seed

1 Feb 2012

Christine Devaney, artistic director of Scottish contemporary dance company Curious Seed, tells us all about her new production, PUSH What made you want to be a choreographer? I’ve honestly never thought ‘I want to be a choreographer’, but I knew I…

Obong

Celebration of Nigerian music and dance

31 Jul 2008

It’s easy to lump African dance together into one big melting pot of bright costumes and tribal drums. In reality, not only does each country have a distinct style, so too does each region within it. Hailing from Cross River State in Nigeria, the Obong…

State of Matter

9 Aug 2007

The stark lighting and simple uniform of black tailcoats characterise the restraint that permeates this performance by Hereford’s 2FaCeD DaNcE Company. There is no narrative to this show, rather it is a collection of unrelated set pieces, the…

Still Breathing

Impressive but joyless contemporary dance

18 Aug 2009

There’s plenty to admire in this new show by all-male company 2FaCeD DaNcE, not least the virtuosity of UK breakdancing champion, Robby Graham. Plus some incredibly tight ensemble routines, which fuse street dance with contemporary to explore the…

Company Chordelia: Les Amoureux

19 Mar 2009

DANCE THEATRE The late novelist Angela Carter’s 1979 book of fairytale-derived short stories The Bloody Chamber has led to a number of adaptations, the latest of which is a rich blend of dance, physical theatre and opera. Choreographed by Kally…

Out of the Strong is latest work by Richard Alston Dance Company

Abstract contemporary dance, now with characterisation and Prokofiev

3 Nov 2010

For decades, Richard Alston has been one of Britain’s finest exponents of abstract contemporary dance. Now, however, it would seem he’s also rather good at telling a story. Alston first dipped his toe in narrative waters in 2009, with Scottish…

Nederlands Dans Theater 2

19 Jun 2008

CONTEMPORARY DANCE Theatre Royal, Glasgow, Fri 20 & Sat 21 Jun Given the enormous influence Jirí Kylián has had over Nederlands Dans Theater during the past 30 years, it should come as no surprise that even when he’s not there, his presence is felt.

Scottish Dance Theatre

6 Sep 2007

In the past ten years, Scottish Dance Theatre has commissioned over 30 works, none more captivating, emotive and engaging than Liv Lorent’s Luxuria. So it’s little wonder that for its 21st anniversary tour, the Dundee-based company has chosen to…

Choreographer Bawren Tavaziva talks Sensual Africa

The dancer's new performance explores African tribal rituals with contemporary dance

3 Feb 2012

Born in rural Zimbabwe, Bawren Tavaziva was well aware of the tribes living in his area. But having moved to bustling capital Harare at the age of four, he soon became more concerned with football, Michael Jackson and martial arts movies, before moving…

Soy de Cuba

Song and dance spectacular a real feel-good Fringe show

11 Aug 2011

This is not so much a feel-good Fringe show as a feel-sizzling-hot-and-leave-dripping-with-sweat show. Song and dance spectacular Soy de Cuba is so full of perma-grins, saucy winks and jazzily acrobatic moves it could be a cruise ship act. But, minutes…

Ballet West: Swan Lake

Production combining professional and students tours Scotland

3 Feb 2012

When you’ve left school and moved onto a new life, going back to where it all began could feel like a backward step. If the school in question is in a beautiful location – the Scottish Highlands – it starts to sound more appealing. Throw in a fantastic…

Soy de Cuba brings Havana dance, music and song

The sound of contemporary Cuba visits 2011 Edinburgh Festival

28 Jul 2011

With influences from South America, Spain and Africa dating back centuries, it’s fair to say Cuba is a melting pot of styles. So it stands to reason that the latest music and dance sensation to come out of the Caribbean island is equally diverse.

Leftfield headline Rock Ness 2010 - Neil Barnes interview

9 Jun 2010

Electronic duo Leftfield (aka Neil Barnes and Paul Daley) are responsible for some of electronic music’s most enduring tracks. Their debut, Leftism (1995) mixed house, techno, deep dub and post punk in a unique exploration of the possibilities of…

Janis Claxton Dance Company

16 Oct 2008

CONTEMPORARY DANCE The last time we saw Janis Claxton, she was looking rather sodden in a rainy enclosure at Edinburgh Zoo. Not that the weather dampened her spirits – Claxton’s group show, Enclosure 44 – Humans was a huge success at this year’s…

5 Questions - Rosie Kay

7 Aug 2008

5 biggest influences as a choreographer: Charlie Chaplin and Fred Astaire films. Artist Otto Dix and the Weimar Republic period of German history. Merce Cunningham. Pina Bausch. My old history teacher, Philip MacKenzie, at the Royal High School. 4…

State of Matter

1 Aug 2007

When 2FaCeD DaNcE company first came to the Fringe in 2004, their young, energetic approach to breakdance won them a legion of fans.

Four List readers share their New Year's resolutions

An insight into getting started in trapeze, cookery, ballet or capoeira

6 Jan 2012

'The feeling of achievement is amazing' Name Denise Deutsch Age 30 Profession Fabric buyer, Mandors Skill Trapeze and Aerial Arts I fell into the idea of aerial arts as a hobby after unexpectedly getting a ticket to see Leona Lewis perform in…

Slender Threads

Sensitive portrayal of a woman’s experience of cancer

11 Aug 2011

Chickenshed is not a company to shy away from difficult or painful subject matters. Previous shows have dealt with knife crime and the true story of a 19-year-old boy who was killed while fleeing a robbery scene. Here they lay bare a woman’s experience…

Dorian Gray preview

Last year's International Festival dance hit is looking even better

17 Sep 2009

In August 2008, the eyes of the dance world turned expectantly on one man: Matthew Bourne. Known internationally for choreographing fun shows for all the family – Edward Scissorhands and Nutcracker to name but two – Bourne had strayed into unfamiliar…

Manolibera

Clever cartoons for all ages

16 Aug 2009

Although not strictly speaking a children’s show (it’s in the Dance & Physical Theatre section of the Fringe programme), this is a wonderful example of how a piece of theatre can cross the generational divide. Italian company, Scarlattine Teatro has…

Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo

5 Feb 2009

COMIC BALLET A company’s name usually offers pertinent information about who they are and what they do. Aside from the word ‘ballet’, however, Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo tells you very little about the delights in store. For one thing…

The Vanishing Point

Awe inspiring spectacle on stilts

14 Aug 2008

The Vanishing Point is sheer delight. The stilt walkers, communicating to each other through some sort of primeval whale song, trace a pattern of evolution from dinosaur-like creatures and sexually charged tribal people to, briefly, dead-eyed office…

Spirit of the Samurai

Swordplay blunted by repetition

14 Aug 2008

This display of Samurai skill comes with a weighty pedigree: company director Tetsuro Shimaguchi not only appeared in Kill Bill 1, but choreographed the sword fighting scenes. He's working with hugely skilled performers here, and they know their target…

Nederlands Dans Theater 2

5 Jun 2008

CONTEMPORARY DANCE Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Tue 10 & Wed 11 Jun Many people claim to find inspiration from above. But French choreographer, Medhi Walerski looked skyward for more practical reasons – the clouds. Creating his debut work for…

Mel B's lap dance treat

Celebrity Gossip

29 Jan 2008

Mel B took her husband to a strip club as they enjoyed a raunchy night out together and treated him to a private lap dance.

Alexandra Burke's party album

Music Gossip

11 Jan 2012

Alexandra Burke wants to make people "get up and go for a great night out" with her new album. The 'Broken Heels' singer is "99 per cent" complete with her second record, and has made a group of tracks which will hopes will inspire people to party…

Scottish Ballet - Sleeping Beauty

Dynamic and opulent restaging of Ashley Page's 2007 hit

6 Jan 2012

Choreographed by Ashley Page in 2007, as part of a triumvirate of winter ballets he has made with designer Antony McDonald, Sleeping Beauty is opulence itself. Opening in a Victorian hothouse, the guests at Princess Aurora’s christening are lavishly…

Top Hat

Loving tribute to the Fred'n'Ginger classic, starring Tom Chambers and Summer Strallen

24 Nov 2011

According to legend, screen hoofer Fred Astaire was such a perfectionist that, during the 40th take of a scene from Swing Time (1936), his partner Ginger Rogers’ feet started to bleed through her satin slippers. In this stage adaptation of one of…

Interview: Matthew Bourne - Choreographer of the Month

Witty and glamorous re-working of the Nutcracker returns to Scotland

15 Nov 2011

What made you want to be a choreographer? I was always putting on shows when I was a kid, and taking part in local amateur things. I thought I wanted to be an actor, and I tried it when I was about 15, but couldn’t bear using my voice. I was quite shy…

DANCE: FILM 2011 festival roundup

Films about Bill T Jones, Tanja Liedtke, Mariemma and Pina Bausch feature at the 2011 fest

21 Oct 2011

When you’ve got a meaty filling, there’s nothing wrong with wrapping it in a bit of frivolous puff pastry. That’s the strategy taken by DANCE:FILM director, Steph Wright with this, her fourth festival celebrating the coming together of movement and…

Re-Triptych

Mesmerising epic journey of dance

2 Sep 2011

Even as we file into the auditorium, the mesmerising spectacle has begun. The dancers sit holding golden bowls, calmly anointing the final touches on a huge mandala - a geometric Buddhist symbol - made from blue and white confetti covering the whole…

Last Orders

Contemporary retelling of cannibal tale fails to set the blood pumping

18 Aug 2011

There is no end to the unpleasant images that choreographer and director Al Seed presents us with in this fetishistic modern retelling of the legend of Sawney Bean. Those familiar with the story of Scotland’s real or fictitious 16th century cannibal…

Dot504: Mah Hunt

Acclaimed Czech dance company bring duet to 2011 Edinburgh Fringe

10 Aug 2011

DOT504 made its Fringe debut in 2008 with Holdin’ Fast, a woozy, delicate work about desire, with six young dancers tumbling and fondling under showers of glitter and old Persian carpets. The company returned by popular demand in 2009 with the darker…

Silent

Witty and moving portrayal of life on the streets

8 Aug 2011

Shuffling across the stage under a blanket, Pat Kinevane slowly makes his way towards the audience. Peering out from underneath the dirty and torn material, glittery eye shadow adorning each lid, he starts to speak. What are we expecting him to say? A…

Rock the Ballet

Pop-rock ballet makes for pure entertainment from Rasta Thomas’s Bad Boys

7 Aug 2011

Rasta Thomas’ Bad Boys of Dance have come to town and swapped tights and Tchaikovsky for snug black trousers and an unashamed pop-rock soundtrack. New York-based ballet dancers they may be, but there’s not a whiff of neurotic Natalie Portman about them…

Agnes and Walter (A Little Love Story)

A Walter Mitty-inspired dance performance that reclaims the power of daydreams

29 Jul 2011

Poor old Walter Mitty. Since James Thurber published the Secret Life in the 1930s, his name has become synonymous with deranged fantasising. However, a newly-established dance company has decided to rescue him from the sniggers of history. ‘Something…

Pilrig Park School: Time

Dance piece from Edinburgh school for 11-18-year-olds with learning needs

27 May 2011

It’s a fact of life that audiences at the average school show will be comprised solely of the performers’ nearest and dearest. Unless, that is, your reputation precedes you – which is exactly what has happened to Pilrig Park, a secondary school for…

5 reasons not to miss Michael Clark Company

Choreographer brings re-jigged version of Bowie-influenced work come, been and gone to Tramway

24 Mar 2011

Because the way you feel after watching Clark and his choreography could be bottled and sold. When he’s good, his work reminds you just how powerful, entertaining and exciting dance can be. An earlier version of his new work, come, been and gone…

Choreographer Janis Claxton on Humanimalia

An interview with the Australian choreographer

9 Mar 2011

What made you want to be a choreographer? I grew up running wild in the Australian bush and I was always dancing barefoot outdoors. I guess it was that connection with the wilderness and the land along with a need for emotional and creative release…

All-male dance show Ignite unites companies YDance and Smallpetitklein

Young show breaks down barriers surrounding boys and dance

27 Oct 2010

Despite some of the most famous dancers in history being male, the dance world still struggles with the misconception that it’s ‘for girls’. The rise of hip hop has done much to address this, but for other dance styles, reaching out to boys and young…

The 2010 Festival in Numbers

Here are some statistics about this year's Festivals

24 Aug 2010

We've very carefully and scientifically gathered some stunning numbers and statistics about this year's festivals.

Pina Bausch’s Tanztheater Wuppertal

17 Aug 2010

The late great choreographer Pina Bausch lives on through her work and company, as the dancers of Germany’s Tanztheater Wuppertal arrive in Edinburgh to perform Água. Inspired by Bausch’s time in Brazil, the work is filled with striking video images…

Brazil! Brazil! marks return of Capoeria Knights to Fringe

Fancy footwork and football from the favelas

3 Aug 2010

Starting life as Capoeria Knights at the 2008 Fringe, returning as The Boys From Brazil in 2009 and now simply called Brazil! Brazil!, this show has undergone various personnel changes and artistic tweaks. Jaw-dropping flips and leaps have always been…

Pina Bausch's Tanztheater Wuppertal to run at Edinburgh Festival

The legacy of the German choreographer at the 2010 International Festival

16 Jul 2010

The death of Pina Bausch has left a gaping void in European dance. Kelly Apter introduces her final work for the EIF and discusses the German innovator’s legacy with those who were both influenced and moved by her

Festival collaboration unites Alonzo King Lines Ballet with Zakir Hussain

EIF show fuses Indian classical music and contemporary American ballet

16 Jul 2010

Zakir Hussain was always destined for musical greatness: one look at his childhood bedtime routine will tell you that. For years he would come home from school and go straight to sleep, only to be awakened by his father at midnight to rehearse through…

Edinburgh Festival 2010: More Fringe show highlights

Some of the shows to look out for at the Fringe

16 Jul 2010

With over 2,400 shows to choose from at this years Fringe festival, it's all to easy to succumb to the paradox of choice. Here we present our picks for some of the smaller shows that are worth looking out for.

Northern Ballet Theatre: Dangerous Liaisons

18 May 2010

All those who have read the book, seen the play and/or watched the film will know that Dangerous Liaisons contains a hell of a lot of shenanigans. On paper, keeping track of who’s jumping into bed with who – or at least trying to – can be tricky. So how…