Ageless Festival: On the usefulness or futility of looking backwards – Yorkshire Dance, Leeds

Choreographer: Susan Kempster

Spectator becomes performer in Susan Kempster’s immersive On the usefulness or futility of looking backwards. The audience arrives to receive headphones playing music, set to at least three different channels – the only thing the audience controls is the volume. Your reviewer’s headset was playing a classical piece, and it is evident from a gently swaying audience, there are different genres of music being heard.

Kempster moves onstage with calm dexterity and a quiet smile, as her voice emerges from the headphones, politely explaining her slightly contentious relationship to hindsight and the learning that comes from living and making art. She welcomes and thanks the audience for helping her realise the piece, both as spectators and soon, performers. 

Her wry, gentle and open vocal delivery and demeanour make this request much less intimidating than it might otherwise seem. Sure enough, after a solo section by Kempster to an industrial sounding grind, this reviewer and around 10 audience members are invited to step onstage. 

Her instructions are well-written as they are clear, simple and brief and the audience is not alone onstage so can rely on one another for visual cues. The effect is a temporary collective. The audience that remain seated are hearing at least two different soundtracks and do not hear the instructions for the temporary performers. This separation creates an exciting tension throughout the piece, as it is such an individual experience, yet is danced together.

Then your reviewer was invited to sit once more, and another collective emerges from the audience, with new instructions and music that one cannot hear. Your reviewer’s soundtrack consists variously of funky pop music, opera, the recurring industrial grind and classical arrangement. Kempster mentions these pieces evoke memories for her and it is unclear if those memories are of a personal or professional matter. Another line beautifully blurred.

They step around the space calmly, reaching up with arms waving like seawood, gathering close and scattering suddenly. Then it is over, with all participants invited onstage for the curtain call. On the usefulness or futility of looking backwards is a deeply intelligent, silent-disco masterpiece, that provokes thought, allows for genuine immersion and is a total joy to watch. It must be danced to be believed.

Reviewed on 11th July 2026