Innovations’ mixed bill this week at the Studio Theatre featured dance groups from across Europe. Creative director Oliver Anwyl brought together a unique collection of works that had the audience gripped.
Before the show started, dancers in button-down shirts, dress-trousers, and ties slinked about the audience, leaning on chairs, stomping, and otherwise curiously fading into the bustle of the slowly-filling theatre. Created by composer-performer Blanka Barbara Stahl and choreographer Anthony Matsena, Blokowisko explored themes of displacement and the fragility of human connection within urban environments, beautifully representing the juxtaposition between the mundanity of corporate life and the vibrancy of club culture. Choreography throughout the performance featured compelling moments of flocking, interaction with the onstage musician, and stunning dynamic variety. Carried forward by a soloist and a simple piano motif, the tone of the piece seamlessly shifted from corporate to club environment as the dancers stripped each other of collared shirts to reveal costumes fit for a night out. The choreography, lighting, and music shifted from stark and intense to more grungy and playful, demonstrating not only the versatility of the dancers, but of Stahl and Matsena as well. This piece was enthralling and thought-provoking from the moment I entered the theatre to the moment the dancers left the stage.
A creative, tech-driven piece, Home Sweet Home by Jemma Stein featured a duet between two performers with flashlights. The dancers shared a tight embrace in the dark for a substantial amount of time, building anticipation. Not until the embrace was broken was any light brought to the stage. The audience only could see what was lit by each dancer’s flashlight. Hands, faces, and limbs flashed in the dark, giving hints to, but never fully revealing the movement. Towards the end of Home Sweet Home, the dancers played with shadows made by stage lights upstage centre and downstage. The contrast between the atmosphere each light source created was beautiful. Throughout the performance, physical space placed between the bodies of the dancers clearly illustrated Stein’s effort to examine the importance of how space can shape relationships and feelings of belonging.
Ordinary People by Frantics Dance opened act-two with an alien-like duet. Exploring the interplay between competing and cooperating in everyday life, the choreography of Marco Di Nardo and Juan Tirado stretched what seems physically possible. With heads bowed below their necks, they created the illusion that they were figures made of back muscle and arms. Backs turned to the audience, Di Nardo and Tirado performed seventy-five percent of their piece intertwined, creating an image of an organism experiencing mitosis. The trust between the two performers was clear, allowing beautiful partner work and floor work to shine. This choreography was the standout of the showcase. Its unique athleticism, artistry, and nerve to be weird made for an incredibly memorable performance.
Cia Laia Santanach’s piece, Jarana, was playfully interactive. The work featured a live trumpet, many colourful coats, and a variety of vocal elements. The performance began casually with each performer addressing the audience and making them laugh. This made the beginning of the choreography especially impactful, as it came very suddenly. The ‘coat-ography’ in this piece was its strongest element, manipulating reality through images created by the coats. The group phrase work in this piece lacked dynamic contrast and variety in staging, also suffering from a lack of clean movement. The energy, however, was contagious throughout, and each performer engaged the audience with their stage presence.
Innovations 2026 Mixed Bill Showcase was ultimately a stunning, inspiring display of artistry and creativity.
Image provided by Capital Theatres for press use.
