LABAN In-House Artists Bonnie Bird Theatre, Deptford, 2 & 3 March 2004

Line, Circle & Loop
X2 & Dip
And (between two)
Alluvion

This first of two programmes at LABAN (nearly two hours without an interval!) was stimulating, if a little tiring. Tastes must differ, and I responded enthusiastically to two of the four offerings, which is roughly what one expects in contemporary music programmes with items in diverse idioms. The music was mainly electronic and I have previously reported on the state-of-the-art sound and lighting equipment at Laban which always enhances the dance.

Line, Circle & Loop was three studies (given continuously) in 'making different aspects of time visible' was engrossing if, perhaps a little over-long - that itself another aspect of time. It began with an unforgettable image, two dancers walking across the stage right to left, gradually decelerating to near standstill, before creating memorable gestures, echoing each other's movements though never touching, and then accelerating back to the other side with a rich mixture of movements. This "line" was repeated several times and was a foil to the collosal energy expended in running round the Circle in the next section, with a male dancer joining the two young women. The last "loop" section seemed a little extended - the whole took most of half an hour, which we were given no clue to expect.

And (between two) was a total contrast, tentative affectionate approaches and retreats between two young women, close physical contact and interaction (including lifts more associated with a male+female duo) - a very compelling and erotic interchange, with a parallel musical duet created from recordings of cello and flute.

I take some of the creations to be work in progress and subject to possible modification? Tom Paine's film Dip (an upside down seascape with a ship travelling backwards, apparently steaming into harbour - the smoke going in, not out) palled, and followed by with a danced duet by Marina Collard ("density juxtaposed with space, leaving a sense of scarcity") it took me not beyond that last.

Julia Gleich's Alluvion had nice costumes by Olga Danylyuk and old fashioned ballet movements on points (not typical of Laban) but Stephen Dickinson's distorted and grossly over-amplified Faure music (the sublime late piano trio, I think?) was horrible to suffer and seemed to pander to the young wanting all music loud? It would have worked far better with musicians on stage (as with a work danced to a Shostakovich string quartet last year) and no amplification was called for.

The evening as a whole showed the strength of Laban's in-house artists and I strongly recommend going to tonight's (different) programme if you live near enough to Deptford and read this in time:

3 March at 7.30, £10 / £7 (concessions) 020 8469 9500; www.laban.org

info@laban.org