Choreographer: Lili De Grammont
This seven-person troupe from Brazil brings a double-bill of eclectic contemporary dance to the Fringe and it doesn’t disappoint. As you might hope, the hour-long show is energetic and action-packed as it plays with ideas of public and private gestures.
The São José dos Campos Dance Company build from small, slow, individual movements, up through the gears to expressive ensemble workouts. Their synch work is excellent. Smooth and lyrical reflective passages give way to jerky mechanical moments that hint at the stresses of modern life. A busy score of sharp electronic sounds works well with this section, which also offers some powerfully defiant stances.
The whole company work together to create memorable imagery that spins off gracefully into pair work. This provides a special focus as the theme develops of resistance to burnout, benevolent samba rhythms leading the way.
Some of the movement here is remarkable, resembling slow-motion replays of sporting tussles that seem possible but unlikely on the field of play. There’s humour too, as when a trio sitting on a sofa lip-synch to what sounds like a radio interview about time pressures.
You don’t have to be a dance expert to enjoy a show like this. The skill of the dancers, the quality of the choreography and the beauty of the images shine through. Allowing your mind to cruise in a daydreamy state, picking up hints and signals from the many sights and sounds on offer, is exactly the kind of respite from the demands of everyday life that the show advocates.
Runs until 24 August 2025 | Image: Paullo Amarall
