The Studio, Edinburgh until 29th April 2023
REVIEWED BY RACHEL FARRIER
4****
Lost Movement are a dance company based in Milan who are touring various European locations with their triple bill this Spring, and were brought to Edinburgh by Dance Horizons.
The arc of the evening built satisfyingly from a thoughtful solo performance, ‘Teseo’ by Enrico Luly, to an almost frenzied and utterly joyous finale by almost the whole company in ‘POPoff’.
I was particularly struck and very moved by the second piece, ‘O’ performed with a beautifully balanced power and tenderness by Giole Cosentino (the stand out dancer of the night for me) and Manolo Peruzzi. The piece explored hidden desire between men with a brilliant evocation of longing as the performers initially played a physical game of football with one another. My companion observed that there can be something incredibly powerful and beautiful in men dancing together – the strength and athleticism of the dancers last night were perfectly matched and this created an energy and intensity which radiated out into the audience. By the end of the piece, both dancers were naked which might have felt unnecessary in other settings, but here demonstrated a tender vulnerability.
The final piece, with seven dancers, used a range of dance styles (to my untrained eye), which seemed to effortlessly move between more traditional ballet, to hip hop and breakdance, and doubtless other styles in between. The effect was electrifying and the only disappointment to me was that the dancers did not have more space; the energy and exuberance could have done with a larger stage in order to be fully expressed.
This was an ensemble performance in the truest sense, and there were moments when the it felt as if the dancers were a singular masse. This was punctuated elegantly by outstanding solo and paired routines which were captivating.
This triple bill certainly expanded my dance repertoire experience and I would be keen to see more from this ambitious and talented young company.