Dance

Scottish Ballet

Festival Theatre

Tom Campbell

four stars

SCOTTISH Ballet combine homoerotic brutality with vibrant synchronisation in their two-piece feature that certainly doesn't fail to pack an emotional punch. Angelin Preljoçaj's MC 14/22 (Ceci est mon corps) is a piece through which Preljoçaj shows his unashamed passion for the male body, drawing inspiration from the Last Supper as the piece takes Christ's words of 'Take it; this is my body' - often very literally.

With an uneasy fascination, we watch the all-male dancers assume the roles of Christ's 12 Apostles, or each others' torturers, or lovers. They blur the lines of masculinity and fragility through scenes of violence and sensuality, engaging ritually in acts of dominance and power, tenderness and intimacy; they freeze to become what seem Biblical images, with the light shifting to create the contrast of a Renaissance painting.

Nobody in the audience, it seems, is relaxed; such is Preljocaj's slightly twisted artistry. Hugely provocative and ultimately compelling, the piece which is a 'glorification of the male body' not only celebrates masculinity, but also confronts it and destroys it.

Equally emotive, in this sense more uplifting, Crystal Pite's Emergence enthrals us through its sheer sense of spectacle. A 38 dancer piece, Emergence represents the swarm; using groups of scuttling, jerking dancers to create often a single movement like a swarm of bees.

Dotted with delicate duets or silent blackouts, the piece allows the audience regular reliefs, before arriving once again in a crescendo of noise and movement at another ensemble, where the dancers count aloud to capture truly the unity of the swarm. The final ensemble of the piece is performed with such brilliant synchronisation and intensity, that we are left spellbound.

Emergence holds a synchronisation and connection that the audience find fantastically satisfying, and resonates deeply with our completely human longing for togetherness.

Dance

Scottish Ballet

Festival Theatre

Emma Gray

five stars

THE performance started off with intimate and unnerving whispering, creating the disturbing tone which lasted the whole first act. MC14/22 happened in waves of movement, violence and intimacy, which effectively gripped the audience’s attention for the whole dance, suspending them in a hostile and unpredictable atmosphere.

MC14/22 highlights not only the male physique but also the destructive and macho tendencies of man through violent interactions and the silencing of a singer who despite the best efforts of other dancers kept on singing. This shows the resilience of man.

In act two, Emergence was just as gripping as MC14/22. When the dancers were in sync with each other they became one single mass instead of individual dancers doing similar things. At times it felt the audience was really in a beehive, and the dancers looked more like insects than humans due to their tiny staccato movements. The set design was also ingenious, a tunnel in the centre of the background though which dancers could appear and reappear as if entering or leaving a hive.

Both MC14/22 and Emergence used synchrony, however it had a different effect in each dance; in MC14/22 the synchronised movements created a grotesque and visceral image whereas in Emergence the dancers seemed to work in harmony, a very pleasant contrast to the dance before. The two dances complimented each other well, with common movements but very different themes.

Dance

Scottish Ballet

Festival Theatre

Lily Davidson

four stars

TONIGHT I was lucky enough to experience first hand the incredible abilities of The Scottish Ballet. 'MC 14/22 (Ceci est mon corps)'choreographed by Angelin Preljoçaj was the first of the two sets, unnerving from the beginning. The set began with the audience and stage engulfed in darkness excluding the two spotlights highlighting the rather repetitive actions of the dancers; in one sat a Jesus like figure being bathed carefully by a man, whilst the other side of the stage saw a man transfixed in ripping and placing duck tape down on the floor meaningfully. This unsettling theme of the contrast between tenderness and roughness along with that of the 12 disciples and the last super, continues to be explored throughout the set until the two become near indistinguishable which makes it rather uncomfortable to watch. A memorable example of this being when a man seemingly singing a hymn is continually harassed by two others. However, no matter how many times they covered his mouth or what can best be described as performing a Heimlich manoeuvre on him, this man would not be silenced. For me at that moment, a clear message to this performance emerged: for people of faith, faith continues despite adversity. And in more general terms, for those with a voice to be heard, not even the most dominant and brutish acts/people will deter from them.

'Emergence' choreographed by Angela Sterling definitely made for a more comfortable and less challenging watch. One of the most noticeable differences was the harmonious music with insect like noises threaded within. As if the performers hadn't done a fabulous enough job of it, the music really tied the theme of the harmony and connection within insect colonies together. The dancers echoed a colony moving like clockwork, whilst smaller subsets played out their roles, the overall appearance was that of a strong workforce striving in a shared goal. This image of unity and strength was a key element to the performance and one that captivated and charmed the audience.

Dance

Scottish Ballet

Festival Theatre

Catherine McNie

four stars

"WHEN is closeness reassuring, and when is it a threat?" asks Angelin Preljoçaj's sensitive work, as the male cohort of Scottish Ballet bring 'MC 14/22 (Ceci est mon corps)' to the Festival Theatre, marking the start of a daring double-bill along with Crystal Pite's 'Emergence'.

The relationship between torturer and victim is pushed beyond both mental and physical boundaries, as we are exposed to ritual cleansing of the mind and body, loss of expressive freedom and the realisation of vulnerability. The 12 robed bodies on stage are often passive, unreactive and suppressive of human nature. Recurrent images of moulding and remoulding the dancers are a manifestation of Preljoçaj's passion for the human body.

Similar in its intensity, Crystal Pite's 'Emergence' holds a swarm of collective energy; both male and female dancers are being asked to portray the emotions of a body which does not feel. The constant idea of synchronicity parallels the exposure which dancers face regularly, as they surrender their bodies to the audience. Pite's focus on individual parts of the body through movement reveals the strength of her relationship with the dancers she works with, and her willingness to risk stamina and strength in order to connect unnatural movements with nature; both insect and human.

Dance

Scottish Ballet

Festival Theatre

Ross Witney-Hunter

four stars

FILLED with unexpected twists and turns from dancers and the progression of the performance alike, Scottish Ballet’s latest two-part show was certainly a showcase of the country’s finest technical ability on the stage. It was hard to imagine the cast being able to show a wider variety of techniques and movements than those on display throughout, all timed to precision with splendid synchronicity (a difficult feat alongside sparse musical accompaniments).

The opening half saw the performance of Angelin Preljoçaj’s ‘MC 14/22’ (Ceci est mon corps) which, although somewhat disturbing for the more inexperienced ballet watcher, certainly brought with it a unique creativity. An attempt to recreate the scene of the Last Supper was pulled off well, with clear religious and moral themes such as the struggle against oppression becoming clear through various out of the ordinary episodes. These included a quirky demonstration of one performer dancing even with various body parts taped together.

Choreographed by the renowned Crystal Pite, ‘Emergence’ was an extremely contrasting attraction in the second half, a difference that only played in the favour of the show overall and enhanced the mysterious atmosphere enshrouding the evening. What were most impressive were the seemingly erratic yet delicately controlled twitches and jolts from dancers, reflecting the vivacity of the insect world. Lighting from Alan Brodie and music from Owen Belton combined perfectly with the routine for Emergence, culminating in an uplifting, ingenious exhibit for the international stage gathered for this year’s Edinburgh Festival.

Dance

Scottish Ballet

Festival Theatre

Laura Wood

five Stars

POSSESSED by their art, the artists move flawlessly as the first chimes of Tedd Zahmal's intriguing score ring true. It is clear that this coupling of startlingly contrasting works of contemporary dance is unlike anything else.

Take it; this is my body. Inspired by the Last Supper and performed by 12 male artists, MC 14/22 (Ceci est mon corps) is a mesmerising glorification of the male form. Talented choreographer Angelin Preljoçaj showcases the sheer strength and determination required by the artists by arranging them in challenging ritualistic unison. The ingenious soundtrack, which includes a countertenor solo by one of the dancers, swells towards brutal Biblical scenes which seem to be designed to disturb. However, Preljoçaj's piece seemed to have one purpose: to make uncomfortably clear the ease with which humankind will destroy anything.

The great swarming mass of ballerinas in Crystal Pite's Emergence is entirely at odds with the controlled precision of MC 14, yet the intense flitting movements are eerily familiar. In an attempt to challenge the constraints of classical ballet hierarchy, the artists unite in impeccable synchronicity, like the hive of bees they represent. The technical excellence paired with ominous chanting gives the piece a sense of true individuality. Pite proves that when humankind is at peace, beauty can be found.

MC 14 and Emergence are both powerful productions in their own right. However, their opposing morals combined with consecutive presentation challenge the boundaries of contemporary dance and make Scottish Ballet seem even more magical.

Dance

Scottish Ballet

Festival Theatre

Phoebe Hall

four stars

FROM when the curtain rises, to the dancers final bow, the audience was left thinking of deeper meanings to the shapes the dancers create on the stage. Split into several sections, the opening act tells the story of men battling for dominance in different physical ways, from physical contact fights, to controlling an almost dead-like body.

A particular striking moment in this performance came from a duet, which starts with a man being stripped of his clothes. He then performs a sequence of moves, his partner impaling his movement by taping his body parts together, starting small with just his hand to his head, finishing with wrapping the mans weak body all together into a tight ball. This moment was laughed at by the audience, despite the fact that this piece clearly had a deeper meaning to it, the laughter slightly ruining the intense moment. However, this piece was overall a very interesting yet disturbing watch.

The second piece, whilst being less graphic, still told a clear story, with the dancers taking form of bees. The dancers managed to move in such a way that was both elegant and heavy footed, and resembled bees very effectively. Whilst being more traditional ballet than the opening piece, it was less dramatic.

However, this being said, the performance was still extremely intense. The music slowly grew faster and louder throughout, with the dancers whispering numbers, all completely in sync with each other, creating an intriguing environment, building tension and leading up to an ultimate climax. The final piece of the show, which involved all dancers moving completely in sync with one another, finished the show with class and style and concluded the performance brilliantly!

Dance

Scottish Ballet

Festival Theatre

Bethan Jones

three stars

MC 14/22 (Ceci est mon corps, which translates as this is my body) is a production based around the male body, through many of the biblical scenes this becomes apparent as the dancers recreate stills from the last supper. The performance also deals with sacrificing/ surrendering the body in order to be born again. The dancers show this "spiritual rebirth" through affection between each of the men each representing one of Jesus' disciples however there were also sequences of violence. The audience felt a slight feeling of discomfort as they watched the men that were subject to the brutality from the others as they were pushed around the stage there was also a sense of tension within the audience as the dancers forcefully thrown onto the tables and floor .

I enjoyed the second piece much more than the first as it wasn't as full on. The first piece made the audience think about much more serious things than the way that insects work. Emergence was a lighter performance about the equality of social insects. The piece was articulated by the fact every dancer worked as hard as the one next to them in order to create something beautiful much like the insects they were portraying. The busy performance created an intense atmosphere as the dancers counted aloud and danced in sync which left the audience in awe of the spectacular work by Crystal Pite.

Both pieces preformed by the Scottish Ballet were a totally different take on the traditional ballet which left the audience looking past the steps and thinking about the deeper meaning behind the pieces.

Dance

Scottish Ballet

Festival Theatre

Natalie Pearse

four stars

A SPOTLIGHT cuts through the dark stage, revealing Angelin Preljoçaj's choreography, twelve men who engage in brutally tender dancing in MC 14/22. When the music begins it is harsh and clanking, giving an industrial feel and soon after that an eery whisper in a language other than English sends a chill down the audience's spines. The dancers are powerful, athletic and the contrast between sharp staccato movements and slow, drawn out shapes makes it mesmerising, engaging the audience from the first toll of the drum. Turning from men to ferocious beasts, they treat each other like hunks of meat giving an uncomfortable atmosphere as you watch their breathtaking battering, but somehow captivates you into watching more.

When Crystal Pite's masterpiece, Emergence, takes the stage, the mood changes in an instant to the delicate, scurrying of a smaller being. There is a series of percussion sounds but the air is filled with the hushed whispers of the dancers and the clatter of pointe shoes. The jumps are powerful and leg extensions high, yet this is unlike any other ballet with angular shapes, each bend in the limbs replicating the shape of an insect. The formations are an art in themselves, merging seamlessly from two, three, four colonies into one bustling group dancing as a whole, in perfect synchronisation. Each dancer unique but blending together to create a hive of movement. There is warmth to the mood, celebrating the golden greatness of the colony, each individual vital to keeping the swarm alive.

Dance

Scottish Ballet

Festival Theatre

Freya Bryce

four stars

SCOTTISH Ballet have proved themselves in this show that they can do more than classical ballet. Being led by Christopher Hampson, they embarked on a journey to recreate and revive one of Angelin Preljoçaj’s dances, MC14/22 (ceci est min corps).

Preljoçaj's MC14/22 is a contemporary dance which was inspired by biblical scenes. It is performed by 12 men, who through the performance have to work endlessly to convey many emotions, through only movement and expressions.

Throughout, the men have to show tenderness during ritual cleansing but have to change to show the brutality. Tension is quickly built when the violence starts, with help from loud rhythmic drumming and low lighting, the performers use fast, rough movements along with aggressive bodily contact.

After the interval we had another dance, Emergence, choreographed by Crystal Pite.

Emergence was inspired by social insects such as bees, and the hierarchy between them. It starts off tenderly with a dancer taking in role of a larvae on the floor trying to fly. An ‘older’ bee comes to the rescue and takes her on a journey – life.

The choreography is very imaginative using lots of little groups working together before the cast of about 30-40 dancers dance in unison. The synchronisation is a show itself – it displays that when lots of different things come together, it can make something amazing.

Scottish Ballet have shown that they are capable of putting on an exemplary performance including many aspects of ballet. They have done themselves proud.

Dance

Scottish Ballet

Festival Theatre

Daisy Lewis

five stars

AT THIS year’s Edinburgh International Festival, Scottish Ballet has presented a sensational performance of two halves. The first is the disturbing yet brilliant, MC 14/22 (ceci est mon corps) and the latter, Emergence - a ballet inspired by swarm intelligence in insects.

With twelve dancers to represent the apostles, MC 14 is a work dripping with biblical symbolism. The performers are never in between brutish or vulnerable. The effect being a piece of powerful commentary on masculinity. Performed at times with cult-like synchronicity, Angelin Preljoçaj’s choreography is stunning.

A stark set of neon blue lights and cold, surgical tables gives a seedy, basement feel. Lain out like cadavers, six of the men ready for the mortuary are beaten and dominated by the other six, a violent display of human capabilities. In one scene the performers launch themselves into the arms of the others repeatedly, like a beautiful, rotating, suicidal mechanism. The music is alien and pounding or hauntingly not there at all, drawing all attention to the sounds of the body’s movements.

Emergence is a piece of thirty seven performers, often all on stage at once absorbing the audience in the visuals. Myriad female dancers enter the stage en pointe and their lighting speed creates the illusion of a mass of scuttling critters. Whispered counts rise in volume, emulating the buzzes of flying swarms. They stop being human, convincingly consumed by the hive setting. Choreographed by Crystal Pite, everything about this performance is astonishing and just as impressive as the first one. A complete must-see!

Dance

Scottish Ballet

Festival Theatre

Scott Edwards

three stars

THE Scottish Ballet company's double bill began with MC 14/22 (Ceci est mon corps) a frighteningly creepy performance that showed many physical still images with 12 male dancers highlighting the aggressively dominant nature of men.

The dances choreographed by Angelin Preljocaj are filled with movement that is almost robotic in its synchronisation between the dancers. It shows a totalitarian state where freedom of expression is restricted as one of the performers continuously sings a hymn while being pummelled in one scene and in the next another performer tries to keep dancing while someone else ties him up with duct tape limb from limb. I would be astonished if none of the performers sustained any kind of injury during the stunts in this ballet and there was much nervously uncertain laughter at moments like these where the performers struggled feebly to express themselves.

The horrific music composed by Tedd Zahmal reinforced the horrific scenes shown onstage that made many audience members leave during the first ten minutes.

Emergence in the second half was a much more digestible performance which was beautifully executed by choreographer Crystal Pite as the many dancers portrayed insects working together as a hive mind. At first the perfectly synchronised female dancers oppose the individualistic male dancers as different groups of insects but eventually join together in the end. However much of the dancing seemed overly repetitive and may have become boring were it not for the short runtime of the piece. A beautiful musical score by Owen Belton accompanies the piece and an effectively simplistic set designed by Jey Grower Taylor.

Dance

Scottish Ballet

Festival Theatre

Joshua McCullough

four stars

IT TRANSPIRES that you don't need to travel as far as Rio to witness first-hand a display of extreme physicality and feats of endurance. Scottish Ballet's double-bill of MC 14/22 and Emergence blended violence and delicacy in the heart of Edinburgh.

The first piece, performed by an all male cast seeks to present a 'hymn to the male body'. While clearly based on the last supper, some of the symbolism missed the mark with the audience baffled as sellotape was shredded on stage. This apart, we were quickly drawn into a captivating world where bromance met brutality.

In the midst of the carnage, a counter tenor solo emerged, performed by one of the dancers which was as mesmerising as it was unexpected. Meanwhile sellotape reappeared to bind an expressive dancer in what may have been a study on freedom of expression given the French roots of this piece, or perhaps an obscure reference to bondage.

Emergence, a far shorter piece, saw the full company engage with a hive-mind mentality. The use of music concrète and devices such as an inverted pedal blended with the sound of cicadas matched perfectly with choreography which felt homorhythmic in style and substance.

While displays of athleticism are still available at the olympics, you'd have to go a long way to beat the flexibility, diversity and gracefulness of Scotland's own dance company.

Dance

Scottish Ballet

Festival Theatre

Louis Boyd-Madsen

five stars

THE Scottish Ballet this year, comprising of two seperate performances with a common theme of synchronisation, showcased a full suite of contrasts. Helplessness and power, violence and tenderness, the beautiful and the grotesque, yet maintaining a constant sense of underlying tension

The first performance, a recreation of the twelve disciples, laced with themes of dominance and the occult was by far the more disturbing of the two. The backing of soundtrack of musique concrete, harsh noise and the clatter of industrial music, undeniably added both to the skin prickling unnerving nature of the performance and the intensity. The dancers however had a far more significant role in creating this atmosphere, with numerous scenes of powerlessness, oppression and violent control. In response to a fairly humiliating scene of struggle onstage the audience initially responded with awkward laughter before falling in stunned silence. Although a clear intention of the piece was somewhat opaque, the creation of vivid atmosphere was simultaneously awe-inspiring, horrifying and near beautiful.

The second performance, was both shorter and a lot more digestable. With the harsh grating noise of the first performance replaced with gentle ambient chord progressions. The dancing itself, whilst far more conventional in nature, was still uncanny, as the dancers jittered like insects, the numerous groups synchronised with one and other but not other groups, building to a conclusive scene of mass synchronisation leaving you with feeling you were not watching a roomful of dancers but one powerful churning body.

Although one slightly more unpleasant than the other both pieces created displays of human synchronisation both beautifully awe-inspiring and terrifying, yet utterly brilliant.

Dance

Scottish Ballet

The Festival Theatre, Edinburgh

Luke Aitken

four stars

GOING to the Scottish Ballet with no idea what to expect, was a strange and intriguing experience. The first sequence- MC 14/22 (Ceci est mon corps) which translates to "this is my body" choreographed by Angelin Preljoçaj was an eye-opening depiction of the last supper. Preljoçaj uses the male body to explore Jesus and his disciples- the dancers performed several still images each one progressing into more fighting and horror.

One recurring theme that Preljoçaj uses is strength- the first illustration of this is a young man singing in a foreign language- as he proceeds,- two other men start to muffle and deform the man's voice as he keeps on singing- this shows strength as the man didn't stop singing and tried no matter what the other men were doing. Another example is a man performing the same dance move, repeating it over and over. Someone then duct tapes him, starting with his mouth, the man still dancing. This part finishes with the mans chest having been duct taped to his thighs- making it impossible to move. To the audiences surprise, the dancer then attempts to repeat the dance move he had done at the start. This showed strength as he didn't stop dancing, even though It was almost impossible. These parts had the most impact as they showed that these men kept trying even after people had tried to stop or change them.

Emergence- choreographed by Crystal Pite- looked at the wonders of nature. The dancers moved as one being and they resembled insects like wasps or bees. Each movement was of importance like the twitching of arms or hands, all the dancers were synchronised which fascinated the audience and left me memorised by the amazing shapes created.

At the beginning of the night, I was expecting a classical ballet with pirouettes and point but I left having seen an intense illustration of the last supper and a colony of bugs resembling the wonders of our community.

Dance

Scottish Ballet

Festival Theatre

Caitlin Ramage

three stars

THIS performance redefines the meaning of ballet. Portraying biblical scenes as well as modern day constraints before the interval, the dancing was manic, intense and almost demonic. The small cast of twelve males (each representing an Apostle) sensually flew around the stage as if possessed at times. The dark and sinister storyline was thrown to the audience almost as harshly as the dancers feet on stage. 'MC 14/22 (Ceci est mon corps)' is not a show for the light hearted, making the audience feel uncomfortable at times with bodies being forcefully placed physically to illustrate control, restraint and brutal cruelty.

The repetitive sounds used set the tone to be eerie, chilling and unnerving especially during the stills of scenes such as 'The Last Supper'. The staging was set with a mere six metal tables being moved constantly, almost as if in a hospital theatre; cold, dark and hostile.

Tension was lifted as the audience were eased into 'Emergence', the second half of the overall performance. This piece depicted swarm intelligence of insects and displayed the art form as dancers fell into synchrony in an organised yet jerky manner. A whisper of chanting at times from the female ballerinas elegantly showed how insects work and co-ordinate within their swarm. The dancer's powerful movements were sharp, displaying the high speed and great intelligence of a swarm. The beautiful spectacle represented how the group looks as though it has one mind, which thinks as one, letting it move as one.

Dance

Scottish Ballet

Festival theatre

Alexander Douglas

three stars

MC 14/22 is disturbing yet captivating. From the eerily quiet opening scene to the psychedelic screeching causing a number of the audience to walk out the, the first sequence was certainly interesting if nothing else.

The violent and powerful movements certainly delivered on the promise to be a "hymn to the male body" despite the discomfort it caused to much of the audience. Along with this the biblical references were ever present throughout, with many warped images of the last supper causing many to question how well Christ was really represented. A second powerful biblical reference hit the audience when the thorn crown of Christ which was instead replaced by duck tape around one of the central dancers head which reinforced these initial images.

By the end of the performance the audience had began to acclimatise to the demonic echoes and powerful silences but many were still left wondering what on earth they had just watched.

A far cry from the first sequence, Emergence made for a visually pleasing relief from the intensity of MC 14/22 however the white noise which was present continues here which helps to continue the themes.

The contrasts between the male and female dancers led to an impressive blend of both sheer strength and aggression combined with the elegance and fragility of the bugs the females represented. This enchanting like contrast kept the audience fixated of the stage unlike in the first sequence in which many found it almost hard to watch.

The idea of a hive mind was also very present in emerge with the dancers moving in perfect unison together often to complete a single goal, both beautiful yet somewhat disturbing as one dares to imagine the goals which could be accomplished should our own race be controlled in similar fashions.

Overall while both performances were interesting the risk taken on the first performance did not pay off, only being brought back from despair with a outstanding and hypnotising second sequence.

Dance

Scottish Ballet

Festival Theatre

Emma Sunter

Four stars

WHEN watching the Scottish Ballet, what is blindingly apparent is the sheer strength of the dancers. MC 14/22 (Ceci est mon corps), it is clear, could not be accomplished without this tremendous physical strength.

It is an expression of the male body and a celebration of masculinity. The performance begins with a ritual washing, precise caring touch. This affection and the depiction of The Last Supper show a brotherhood. Yet there is aggressiveness. This horrific obstruction of angelic lightness denounces violent force.

It is striking that what is produced through the mighty strength and stamina of the dancers is in fact so graceful and light. Like insects, the immense power of their bodies working appears as delicate scuttles and wing flickers.

In Emergence their arms became wings and it was beautiful. Their togetherness in movements and whispered counting formed a community of joyful order. The work produces an admiration of nature.

The production was successful in expressing the huge capabilities of the human body and the effectiveness of unity.