We Love Brighton went to watch and enjoy a wonderful evening of dance at South East Dance space. Five regional artists at the work-in-progress stage showcased their pieces in an exquisite evening.
The space itself, along with the welcoming staff, was inviting. The audience were encouraged to offer feedback on the performances, which added an extra level of interaction to our viewing.
The evening kicked off with Sharanya Chakraborty’s Khoj Pallavi or The Bloom of Search and respects were paid to the original Indian version with audiovisual accompaniment of this. The piece was extremely elegant and evocative with an elaborate outfit. A lot of the movements were searching in nature, and the sought after was found at the end, leaving a sense of fulfillment.
Next up was Dermot Farrell with a short smooth piece Still Life”that brought to me imagery of waves and natural flow. The feelings it gave me were those of calm and I was transported to a trance-like state.
Catherine Sleeman was an absolute superstar who managed to fit three vastly different dances into one piece, entitled This is how you strip the willow. Having heard of this term used in ceilidhs I’ve attended, it was brilliant to watch Catherine embody a willow tree and the spoken part prior to each dance was perfectly delivered. The magnificent braid in her hair, akin to an extra limb, made the piece enigmatic. It was clear to see how much work has gone into this and it brought tears to my eyes!
Male dance and artificial intelligence’s impact on dance was interrogated by Ranse Howell in the penultimate piece. There were references to the control we could let AI take over us. I was slightly distracted by the flickering visual images in this and would have liked to see more live performance without the projection, as this often happens when a screen is present! It was a really interesting idea that can definitely be developed further.
And as for the finale, Virginia Farman and co. treated us to improvised interpretive dances with random words picked by the audience. It was joyful to see the free spirited dancers playing with their imagination and the audience were laughing along. It would be lovely to see more interaction between the dancers themselves, as one moment was beautiful when they collaborated together as one moving entity.
There was an opportunity after to speak with the performers. The whole night had a real community feel to it and I loved the concept of having a scratch night solely revolving around dance, sometimes a neglected artform.
Thank you to all involved in the night, and thanks for having me!
Website: https://southeastdance.org.uk/
