After our inability to produce the next Margot Fonteyn, the next most popular dance moan is the lack of opportunities for contemporary dance makers. The moan goes that somewhere out there the next Pina Bausch or Kenneth MacMillan is wasting away for the low-cost crumbs of opportunity — a mini-festival, perhaps, or subsidised performance space where waters can be tested and wings spread.

That’s why we cheered when the Arcola announced a four-week season of dance and physical theatre with no fewer than 40 fledgling troupes. We didn’t expect it to unearth 40 future greats. We didn’t even expect four, but we did think the curators would winnow out a spark or two, or a visible working method, or just the energy of Strictly Come Dancing.

On the evidence of last night’s first night, the Arcola will struggle to achieve even that modest goal. The first programme, which you’d assume would be a strong one, fell flat. Despite their commitment, many of the dancers had less ability than street performers, although it was their inability to realise their ideas that really let them down.

The two dancers in the opening act, Etta Ermini Dance Theatre, rambled their way through an incoherent piece about a bike, while the mouthful that is Kabula Arts and Culture with Steak Studio produced only so-so capoeira. The presence of a tricksy projection revealed the limit of their movement ideas. However, their musician was excellent.

The final piece, Icescream by Yael Loewenstein, was stronger, with a nice use of low-cost props.

Despite this small reward, you came away feeling that there aren’t hordes of choreographers banging on Arcola’s doors because the current system has missed their talent or won’t let them in.
 
Until 2 August (020 7503 1646, www.arcolatheatre.com).