Dragons
Eden Court Theatre, 19/03/2025
Eun-Me Ahn Dance Company
If you want to experience a terrific immersive dance show, then this is the experience for you. Touring for the first time throughout the UK and presented by the admirable Dance Consortium we are lucky that Inverness is part of their touring programme. In the past we have visits from Nederlands Dance Theatre, Alvin Ailey Dance Company, San Paulo Dance Company and Les Ballets Trockedero de Monte Carlo. For someone who misses Sadlers Wells this is a bonus. I am grateful that Eden Court has signed up to be one of the provincial theatres on the list. Last night was no exception to the list of treats in the Highlands.
If you were expecting the western concept of dragons, then you would have been disappointed. As with many Asian countries, contrary to our perception of fire and destruction, the dragon represents water, agriculture, feelings of joy and optimism. Eun-Me takes the audience on a journey exploring these meanings through colourful costumes, dance, and holographic imagery. Melding the whole into a fascinating 75 minutes performance by seven dancers in her company, she makes an appearance in the final moments as she interprets the words and emotions projected above her. She also uses larger than life holographic images of six young dancers, born in 2000 – the year of the dragon – the company performing along with them and interpreting their spoken words through their facial screens as they move around the stage in Slinkys. A nod to an industrial future. The opening piece starts with a single dancer dressed in traditional dress slowly moving and using a small slinky, beloved by children, to create humour. Traditional meets modern. Another dancer appears somersaulting across the stage, followed by another who appears from the vast set of silver slash curtains which turn later turn out to be curtains of slinkies. You get my meaning! Costumes involve many shining swirling amazing circular skirts, much like a kurta, which enhances the choreography. They were stunningly beautiful. I wonder how much fabric was used to enable them without a seam. Choreography was varied and nonstop, varying from lyrical, hip hop, traditional, and contemporary. Nods to Robbins, with the swirling skirts, lyrical ballet and a Beyoncé strut. The projections and lighting were a dance themselves. Changing from minute to minute, with larger-than-life holograms and underwater sequences it was almost too much to take in. Sometimes I found myself watching the amazing effects and not the dancers. The soundtrack, other than the initial vocals, was all-encompassing techno. I spotted a couple of patrons leaving early, but generally the audience response in this packed house was enthusiastic. There is a good turn-out for dance in Inverness. Long may it continue. This tour takes in Southampton, Canterbury, Brighton, Milton Keynes, Newcastle, Bradford and Birmingham. Regrettably not London or Edinburgh. If you get a chance, catch them in Braford or Birmingham. Let’s hope they sign up for the next tour by Dance Consortium. We are fortunate to see them in the highlands. After all, they are supported by the Arts Council, but not Creative Scotland.
