Dublin Fringe Festival 2024: Hyperphysical

Hyperphysical, by Irish Modern Dance Theatre. Image Patricio Cassinoni

*****

Passion and play. Individuality and the collective. Old and new. Vital opposites necessary for the creation of dance. All evident in Irish Modern Dance Theatres double bill Hyperphysical. A yin yang, diptych of contrasts and harmonies making for a rather unique whole.

With The Future is on the Way by American choreographer Abby Z and the New Utility, five dancers undertake a punishing, durational performance, pushing the body to its physical limits only to keep on going. Rigour constantly maintained. Synchronicity, sharpness of articulation, never allowed waver. Even when tempo changes, tension never lessens. Opening with martial arts horse stance, rising arms are imbued with tai-chi grace. A descent to the floor sees street and hip hop elements added. Pace quickens. In no time the hybrid of forms evolves and intensifies. Dancers grunting, calling, encouraging each other to keep going, to press on. The choreographer calling out from the auditorium like some invisible drill sergeant. Solos, duets, and duets of duets feeling like a military parade ground drill. Pummelling bodies pushed to their limits to become the troop, the battalion, the unit, the company. The indiviudal subsumed into the whole. Keep going, don’t quit, don’t slacken. A strategy as old as the hills often condemned for promoting elitism in the name of weeding out the weak. Or of finding the very best. Like Inez Berdychowska, Roberta Ceginskaite, Boris Charrion, Rosie Mullin and Adam O’Reilly, each astonishing to watch. Repeating patterns and movements till it's impossible not to be impressed by their stamina, dexterity, commitment and resilience. The five becoming one. Five fingers making a fist.

In contrast John Scott's revival of Actions [now] offers a shorter, calmer, more playful duet featuring two male dancers; O’Reilly and Charrion returning for more. If less physically demanding, Actions [now] is imbued with hyperphysical searching. Its apparent randomness suggesting a feeling out of form rather than setting its course by something already determined. Here, two do not become one, despite the duet. Rather, like individual soloist, they learn, share and evolve through a process of mirroring, imitating, synchronising and playing together. Children showing off, collaborating, calling to each other to follow me, or asking instruction from the audience of what they'd like to see them do. Running, spinning, ballet and explosions sees the stern focus of the driven adult complimented by inclusiveness, openness and vulnerability. Its playfulness and charm simply irresistible.

Full of John Scott's signature stylings and a love of collaborative endeavour, Hyperphysical is Irish Modern Dance Theatre at their best. Individually, each work makes for a remarkable whole. Seeing both side-by-side is to get a rare view of both ends of the dance spectrum simultaneously. Hyperphysical making for a sensational production, doing exactly what it says on the tin.

Hyperphysical, by Irish Modern Dance Theatre, ran at The Lir as part of Dublin Fringe Festival 2024. It transfers to Dance Cork Firkin Crane for Sept 20 and 21.

For more information visit Irish Modern Dance Theatre or Dublin Fringe Festival 2024.