Revolutionary Dance Performances at Brighton Festival
Brighton's Corn Exchange and Dance House recently hosted innovative performances as part of the Brighton Festival. The showcased works included Stopgap’s "Lived Fiction" and Lîla Dance's "Fault Lines", which demonstrated both poetic and political artistry.
"Lived Fiction" by Stopgap, performed at the Corn Exchange, featured a diverse group of dancers including Deaf, disabled, neurodivergent, and non-disabled individuals. The performance aimed to cater to various audience needs, providing large print and braille guides, ear defenders, fidget toys, a quiet space, captions, and live audio descriptions by Lily Norton. The dance, described vividly by Norton, highlighted individual dancers' unique qualities and moments of tenderness, creating a profound and inclusive theatrical experience.
At Dance House, Lîla Dance presented "Fault Lines", a piece addressing climate change. Projections indicated distressing future scenarios, and the dancers illustrated these through their movement, projecting a sense of urgency and necessity for change. Despite the dire imagery, the performance retained a hopeful outlook for the future.
"Lived Fiction" continues touring until 15 November 2024, and "Fault Lines" is on tour until 14 June 2024, with an upcoming performance at Assembly @ Dance Base, Edinburgh, from 20-25 August 2024.