Young Associates: Mixed Bill – Sadler’s Wells, London

Choreographers: BLUE MAKWANA, Elisabeth Mulenga, Maiya Leeke and Roseann & Sula

The opportunity for Early Career creatives to present their work to a paying audience is invaluable and the Sadler’s Wells Young Associates programme recruits four individuals or choreography teams each year aged between 18 and 25. The 2023-24 class presents four 20-minute pieces in The Young Associates: Mixed Bill in the Lilian Baylis Studio, offering a variety of styles, musical influences and thematic approaches that are largely works, or at least careers, in progress but showcase the rich diversity and potential within the Sadler’s Wells training programme.

The most exciting pieces of the night come in the second half of the evening, first with Roseann & Sula’s At the foot of the brae immediately following the interval. Described as a ‘journey through faith, loneliness and juvenile hunger,’ the reality of this piece belies its melancholic description with an exciting disco-infused energy that has huge appeal. Danced by Yu-Chien Cheng and Naissa Bjørn, the ragdoll image of Bjørn alone, unable to stand and splayed on the ground is soon replaced by big rotation of the hips, head and pumping arms as the performers explore the wildness of controlled movement against a soundtrack and a physicality that moves from funk to an 80s-punk rock freedom.

Likewise BLUE MAKWANA’s MY GLIMMER BOO is a surprising construction that opens out in unexpected and interesting ways, as sequences of hip hop are followed by more restrained contemporary shapes and finally ballet. There is narrative here, a story of evolving friendship at key moments of connection initially between dancers Lauren Jenkins and Tanisha Addicott and then with the viewer. Some of this is comedic including when the pair film a “viral dance challenge” for their social media followers but there is also a directive purpose in the pop concert-like opener, a fourth wall-breaking performance aimed at the audience instead of containing the characters within the world of the choreography.

Maiya Leeke’s is arguably the most traditional approach here but no worse for it, starting the show with Falling Forwards which muses on adaptive intelligence. Leeke plays with lighting and visual effects to bring fresh shape to a contemporary dance approach that is filled with fully body twists, crouches and emotional drama. In place of a music soundtrack, Randolph Matthews provides a breathy composition that suits the intensity and elegance of the dance as its two characters find solace and support together, urging one another to continue.

Ida’s Solace is a dance that takes the most risk by placing the visual experience above the chorographic choices. Elisabeth Mulenga’s approach is fairly static, two women exploring an interaction that is sometimes sinister and at others supportive, using animalistic gestures and shaking movements. This piece lacks content and is uncertain of its stance on these female behaviours but disguises it with, admittedly enjoyable, technical effects that create cinematic drama including spotlighting and a disturbed fairground feel.

This Mixed Bill certainly lives up to its name but remains an important route for developing eclectic young talent who can experiment with form and theatricality on a major stage.

Runs until 23 November 2023.