Dance REVIEW: Ballet BC (British Columbia) - ★★★

Mix Up Theatre (Stewart)
1 day ago
2 min read

Canada’s leading contemporary dance company take on Crystal Pite and Johan Inger.

Vancouver-based Ballet British Columbia wowed audiences and critics on their debut visit to the UK in 2018 with their “superb, gorgeous energy” (The i), with standing ovations at every venue inspired by the “joyous technical expertise of this excellent company” (The Guardian). This time catch the company in their first ever visit to Scotland.

PASSING by Johan Inger

In PASSING, legendary Swedish choreographer and longtime Ballet BC collaborator Johan Inger traverses a vast landscape of human emotion, taking audiences on an epic, theatrical, often touching ride. Inspired by climate catastrophe, PASSING explores relationships, from the intimate to the societal. Set to an original score by Amos Ben-Tal with selections from Erik Enocksson and Louis T. Hardin (aka Moondog), the sonic journey is as beautifully complex and captivating as the movement language throughout.

Frontier by Crystal Pite

Originally created for Nederlands Dans Theater in 2008 and reimagined for Ballet BC, Frontier, by four-time Olivier award-winning Canadian choreographer Crystal Pite will take the stage in spring 2025. Featuring 24 dancers, the visionary, enigmatic Frontier examines the unknown – the characterization of dark matter, the personification of shadows. “As a creator, I find a pleasing parallel between what we don’t know about the universe, and what we don’t know about consciousness” says Pite. “Creation for me is about venturing into unknown territory and being in a generative relationship with doubt.”

Where?

Festival Theatre, Edinburgh - Part of UK Tour

WEBSITE

Taya (Age 11) - ★★1/5

"Positive Feedback:

I loved the dancers fluid and graceful movements, I aspire to be as good as them. I also loved the first half of the show. "Frontier" explores "the unknown" and "the characterisation of dark matter" and I kind of resonated with it. For me, it explores letting go of your negative emotions and venturing into something new, like trying a new hobby or learning something new in class.

Negative Feedback:

The second half of the show was disgusting. "Passing" explores birth, aging and death. It exaggerated childbirth. The voice "acting" wasn't necessary and should've just stayed silent with music in the background. For ages 8+, that part of the show was too sensitive and gives TMI (too much information), this was unnecessary too put in the show and there wasn't even a warning about it. Most people would say "Oh! This is just art!" or "This is part of life" but children as young as 8 shouldn't be exposed to such imagery."