Ad Hoc Dance (Salford)

Venue: The Lowry
Where: Salford

The Lowry hosts presentations by community dance groups. Commotions – the Young Dance Company of Salford  - are pre-teen to young adults. The eight members present Blade of Time choreographed by Giorgio de Carollis opening with an austere metronome building to a dramatic pounding beat. The company are athletic and impress with their technical ability and discipline. Working together as a team they achieve synchronised high leaps and lifts. It is exciting to see such talent being developed.

The 15 members of  Ad Hoc Dance are more mature and Body of Work by choreographer Ruth Jones skilfully ensures that all are able to contribute as she shapes the dance around the abilities of the individuals. The piece makes a number of plays on the human body. The company work in pairs to illustrate the phrase ‘joined at the hip'. Some of the best sections are the simplest – the group form a chain as in a school playground or move (reflecting the involuntary twitches of the body) rhythmically whilst seated. A spoken sequence of facts about the body feels unnecessary – as though the company did not want to waste their research.

Community projects are often more fun to do than to watch; these projects go some way to redressing that balance.

- Dave Cunningham