Triptych by choreographer Lewis Major plays with light and movement across three distinct works.
Seasoned dance enthusiasts will enjoy the technicality of the choreography and its meticulous execution. However, for the very same strengths, these may be barriers for general audiences, who are unlikely to share the same appreciation.
The first piece in the repertoire strikingly blends light and dance to captivate the audience. The thin lines of projection ripple, fracture and amplify the dancers’ movements. A highlight of this piece is the whirling illusion created as the lights rotate in sync with the dancers. This interplay is visually captivating but leaves little room for error. Every minor moment where the dancers are out of sync are especially prominent, literally highlighted due to the lighting.
The dancers, choreography and artistry truly shine in the second and third works. In the second, Stefaan Morrow’s strength and control are effortlessly showcased as he continuously keeps Rebecca Bassett-Graham suspended. The final piece stars Bassett-Graham in a dazzling display of her flexibility and finesse, power and delicacy woven through the intricate choreography.
Where Triptych risks losing general audiences is in the structure and intricacies of the choreography. The pieces are certainly emotive but at times, that emotion leans towards confusion. At times, the ambient music creates a detached energy where it felt like dancers moved through the music but without musicality. Instead of building anticipation, this uncertainty peppered throughout the pieces means that casual audiences are reliant on the rest of the audience’s reactions, rather than their own impressions. There are many captivating sequences, but this is also punctuated by unsynchronised textures and timing. Despite these setbacks, all audiences can appreciate that the dancers are exceptionally well trained and in peak physicality.
Triptych thoroughly rewards those who are familiar with contemporary dance, providing extraordinary moments of intricate beauty and technical mastery. However, this experience may prove a little pretentious and less enjoyable for wider audiences. Despite this dissonance in experience, all can appreciate the unique use of lighting and the fantastic physicality on display.
