Reverb

Reverb, by Luail. Image Patricio Cassinoni

****

Reverb is something of an odd statement for recently formed Irish National Dance Company, Luail. While it exemplifies the company’s collaborative ethos, working with composer Lisa Canny, and might likely see dance appeal to a wider audience given Canny's involvement, as the production progresses the whole takes on a curious vibe. Choreographically, dancers begin an expressive dance recital on the joy of connection and belonging. But the longer it goes, the more they’re reduced to back up dancers ending up as a musical floorshow. In what, thematically, starts like a fairy rave in The Random but ends like a Celtic nights concert on a cruise ship.

With Canny on vocals, harp and banjo live on stage, accompanied by musicians Josh Sampson on drums and Laura Doherty on violin and guitar, initial appearances suggest something of The Random. That mystical, magical place trad musicians disappear to on the way home from a late night session in the west of Ireland, returning days later having learnt new music from the fairies. Musicians surrounded by dancers Robyn Byrne, Jou-Hsin Chu, Clara Kerr, Sean Lammer, Tom O’Gorman, Hamza Pirimo and Rosie Stebbing who lounge like positive pixies with faux smiley, blissful joyousness. LaurA Farjardo Castro's pastel coloured ponchos looking festival rainproof and winglike. Ciarán Bagnall's lights reinforcing the warm otherworldliness. Katie Davenport centrepiece circular stage, on which Canny is perched, dominating the space. In which memory and legacy suggest a 21st century Disney Riverdance injected with a Florence Welch energy.

A maestro on the harp, Canny plays some lively tunes. To which bodywork is initiated in response to the music rather than movement. Seven supple dancers fluidly flail, fall, pitch, pivot, spin and shoulder shake as they undulate in and out of lines, tableau, solos, duets and group pieces. Short, rhythmic phrases, like shared, signature moves, determined by the length of the song. Sarah Golding's flowing, energetic choreography full of vibrancy, even in slow motion, borrowing from breakdance, hip-hop and tai chi at times. A step to turn routine, in which patterns appear to organically evolve from solo to partnered, to group, appears to heavily reference I Contain Multitudes by choreographers Guy Nader and Maria Campos, seen in Luail’s inaugural work Chora. Smile bright, energetic, flowing, it’s all terrific good fun. But at any given moment you're half expecting Dua Lipa to appear and join her troupe. Or Canny. Following what is essentially an audience involvement encore, a musical big finish brings it all home with individual showcases to ensure a riot of feel good applause. Indeed, those looking for a concert with first rate dancing will be very pleased indeed. Those expecting more than a support act to a musician, no matter how good the musician, might feel they'd been given a tasty quarter pounder, in which dance served as the dressing, rather than the dance fillet they were hoping for.

Reverb, by Luail, is currently on tour.

For more information visit Luail

This review is of the performance at Riverbank Arts Centre on Sept 24, in Newbridge, Co. Kildare.