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Sarah Frater's rating
, Bloc vote winner in Overture
By
Sarah Frater
3 Nov 2008
If you were planning a community-dance project for 120 children from ordinary London schools, you probably wouldn’t suggest the Royal Albert Hall nor Shostakovich’s 10th Symphony. Tinkly-winkly Tchaikovsky, perhaps, or the hip-hop latest, but the 10th? Nor would you ask children to evoke the composer’s life, nor the bleak Soviet era when millions went to the gulags.
Yet choreographer Royston Maldoom has assembled a group of eight to 16-year-olds (as opposed to stage school semi-professionals) to do just this. The scale of Maldoom’s ambition is extraordinary and it’s matched only by the children’s success.
Their understanding and stage presence was assured, with not a step forgotten — no mean feat with the 50‑minute 10th Symphony. Indeed, Overture 2012 was better than many professional ballets I’ve seen at the Royal Albert Hall, not only in terms of filling the difficult space but also in its authenticity and directness.
The performance is in the style of a “movement choir”. The multi-culti, mixed-ability children danced in loosely synchronised waves and eddies, then lines, chevrons and circles, and then formed groups to evoke protests and parades that reminded you of Antony Gormley’s Field. Two older boys played Shostakovich and Stalin, with the group cowering and then cheering at the dictator’s death.
The London Symphony Orchestra was rather upstaged by the children who left you marveling at what can be done when you aim high.
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
Reader views (2)
i was in this dance and it has been a great opputunity to meet new friends and people rooyston is a great person and nice working with him and all off the volunteers and espesially max and stewert i love the dance and wuold like to do it again thiss is great!!!!!!
- Ayo Olufowobi, london, 19/11/2008 21:17
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I agree wholeheartedly with your reviewer. This was not just a 'feelgood' experience for the audience but a 'wow! it's great to be alive!' affair. WHY WAS THE ALBERT HALL NOT PACKED OUT? If this is what London's annual Dance Umbrella festival can produce, it ought to last all year not just one month. Thank you, Dance Umbrella. Thank you, Royston Maldoom. Thank you, London Symphony Orchestra and Francois-Xavier Roth. Wake up, London! This was ADVENTURE and involved 120 children/young people from 32 London boroughs. Where was the local press? I am told that it was life-changing for the kids. What I hadn't anticipated was that it would be so, so humbling for those privileged enough to watch and witness one of the two performances. Where were the 'movers and shakers', the celebrities, our Royal Family, the government ministers? A case of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. This was a 'community performance' and ought to be advertised on tubes and buses and in libraries, not kept as exclusive news for those people already in touch with The Arts. We're told there's to be a DVD. So pleased this experience won't be lost to those unfortunate enough not to have seen 'Overture 2012/Power and Passion', live. Wonderful stuff!
- Awestruck Of Clapham, London, England, 04/11/2008 19:09
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