The Dome was full of enthusiastic supporters of the company, many of whom were meeting and greeting in the theatre on arrival, which filled the auditorium with warmth and positivity.
Brighton and Hove’s Three Score Dance Company were presenting three fascinatind, poignant new works; Act 1, Act 2 and Act 3 by Russell Maliphant Dance Company, Rhiannon Faith and Artistic Director Jason Keenan-Smith in an exhilarating and poignant exploration of older, bolder dance, as soundscapes, voice and light shape the space and our understanding of memory and time.
Rose Until It Touched The Sky’s, title comes from the poem ‘As I Grow Older’ by Langston Hughes, the Harlem Renaissance activist and writer . It was made on ten dancers aged over 55 from the Three Score Dance Company, inspired by RMDC’s current touring production Vortex, over ten sessions taking place between January and March 2023.
Sessions were led and the performance piece devised with the dancers by RMDC dancers Charlie Brittain and Edd Arnold; with music by Atmo Music Productions and lighting design by Ryan Joseph Stafford.
Act 1 was a fascinating and unusual blend of speech, dance and music where nine disparate people arrive at a meeting. Eventually we realise that they have a need to be heard, to be seen and validated. They seem lost, alone within the group and as the physical and movement desperation grows some of them tell us their stories.
Although disturbing there is much humour throughout which you won’t find in many dance pieces.
At the end of Act 1 the 9 dancers turn their chairs into a circle, supporting one another and there is piece.
Act 2 opens in total darkness where chinks of emerging light reveal hands stretching out to grasp an unexplained entity. Ultimately the light reveals a writhing group of bodies who slowly peel off leaving one dancer to take the stage. When others re-join they are rolling through the space every now and then being pulled to their feet by fellow performers. It’s exceptionally moving and lighting, shadows are performers in their own right, hiding and revealing in turns.
Act 3: A single figure is revealed centre stage in miniscule, almost imperceptive movement. Other dancers appear dancing to a different pieces of music; seemingly trying to encourage her to engage with their movement. However she remains isolated but with each change of music her movements become very slightly pronounced but still separate from the others. To me the piece seemed to be saying that there is a strength in standing for what you believe and want – that you don’t have to conform. However I’m sure that others will ‘see’ something completely different!
It was a fascinating and intriguing evening and I look forward to seeing more work from this company.
The Dome
23rd May 2023 7.30pm
Brightondome.org
