Review: DANCEWEST FEST, Lyric Hammersmith

The prospect of a choreographic platform or festival is always exciting. DanceWest Fest at Hammersmith's Lyric saw the first outing of the rebranded Ignition Dance Festival. The night was hosting four dance makers, all presenting new work (or nearly) for an energised audience.

Baby by Lea Anderson opened the programme; I'll watch anything by Anderson. The work was a restaging (perhaps a reworking) of Baby, Baby, Baby created in 1986 for The Cholmondeleys, one of Anderson's former companies.

We see three ladies dressed identically: black dresses, green gloves, cubist headwear and platform wedges. They navigate the space as a regimented threesome trying to get beyond the first few notes of Nina Simone's "My Baby Just Cares For Me". The music slows and warps, the track skips, the lights flicker etc. Each false start being met with the same deadpan expression.

When things continue we get some iconic Anderson gestural choreography with a soft shoe shuffle thrown in - not easy in platform wedges. Precise and intimate; at only ten minutes in length, I wish it had been longer.

Second was Voyager 3 by Jamaal Burkmar. A work that took us to an alien planet, where the locals were introduced to Burkmar's Spotify list and reacted to music for the first time. We were promised exploration in the programme notes but that wasn't what communicated. I witnessed three women rather than extraterrestrials dancing very accomplished, finished movement to numerous funk and soul tracks.

The choreography, somewhat commercial in style, was skilled and perpetual but also verging on monotonous. Overall a narrative was missing within the piece.

The third work was Obsidian by Gerrard Martin. The blurb confirmed the piece was looking at "tenderness, intersectionality, and vulnerability of Black men". Unfortunately, the choreographic language was muted; there was evident energy and commitment from the cast of three, and moments of floor work that peaked one's interest and deserved more research. But the majority of the piece was light, predictable movement.

Closing the evening was the duo an(I)mal by James Wilton Dance; a work looking at the animal past of humanity. Animalistic traits were definitely featured in the choreography: the clawed hand, wing-like arms and low to the ground stalking. I also felt the presence of the Minotaur in both form and movement mannerism. But the dark, angsty vibe tires quickly. And only at the end did we see a dancer actually standing up straight; the verticality feeling novel, like a rare moment of clarity.

Overall the night wasn't strong choreographically, but we were offered some interesting ideas and concepts to work upon.

Two new commissions from contemporary dance artist Emma Skyum Poulsen and hip hop dance artist Dani Harris Walters will open and close the community dance platform at the Rose Theatre, Kingston on the 17 June. With 60 dance groups and schools, the community dance platform will showcase a wide range of performers from all backgrounds, ages, and abilities.

DanceWest Fest is at the Rose Theatre on 17 June

Photo Credit: Ellie Kurttz

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