I can hardly believe a year has passed since Richard Alston Dance Company (RADC) last visited Nottingham. It’s great to see them again, especially as they celebrate their 20th anniversary this year.
As I said last year, music is integral to Alston’s choreography and the mixed programme presented in Nottingham this time certainly reflects that again. The three pieces – Overdrive, Burning and Nomadic – could not be more different. It’s a pleasure to watch dancers perform choreography that allows them to show their full range and diversity of movement.
The evening opens with Overdrive, created by Alston in 2003. The music is reminiscent of Enya’s Orinoco Flow, but a stripped down version without the vocals. It is actually called Keyboard Study #1 and was composed by Terry Riley, an American minimalist musician whose influences are primarily jazz and Indian classical music.
Two male dancers in grey, pyjama-like costumes move in synchrony against a black backdrop framed by white light. Three women join the group dressed in red trousers and tunics. They set a fast and fluid pace, following which dancers slip on and offstage seamlessly, providing a continuous line of movement without pause for thought or breath. It’s fascinating.
The music is definitely the driving force. It is constant, building, and relentlessly rhythmic. It challenges the dancers to keep up, which they do with unending grace, poise and stamina.
After a short interval, the company return to perform Burning. This new piece was choreographed by Martin Lawrence – a dancer with the company since its inception, and rehearsal director since 2007. It tells the story of Franz Liszt, the 19th century pianist whose desire to become known as the best in his field led him to a frenzied life of creativity, but also promiscuity.
For those who love a story ballet, this is easy to follow. It’s polished, to the point, and its conclusion leaves you wanting more – always a good sign.
Alston’s brand new piece, Nomadic, completes the evening. It premiered in London in January to uncertain reviews, due mainly to the complete departure from anything Alston has made previously.
A mixture of tribal beats and Romani music that gradually turns into urban street, it could not be more different in style or sound to the first two pieces. Seeing this company perform street dance does feel a little strange. It’s not that they can’t do it, it just feels like it’s probably not what they signed up for. Saying that, I did enjoy it for the most part, and I’d definitely recommend giving Shukar Collective’s Urban Gypsy album a listen. It’s easy to hear why Alston is so profoundly moved by it.
Richard Alston Dance Company performed at Nottingham Playhouse on Tuesday 12 May 2015.
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