Myriad

Making its second visit to the Fringe, Collisions Dance and its founder, Laban-trained David Beer, is back complimenting the impressive Dance & Physical Theatre line up at Zoo, this time with three dancers – a boy and two girls.Whilst last year’s show, Interrupt, was angsty and challenging, this year their show Myriad is brighter and offers much to smile at. It follows the intertwined paths of three people as their lives touch each other, exploring the concepts of seeking out company or running from the crowd. Like their work last year, each section is clearly delineated by its music. There’s upbeat pop, pulsating electro rythms and the edgy staccato of the violins. Each describes its segment well, and common themes in movement tie the disparate parts together. It’s contemporary ballet that doesn’t get tricksy or gimmicky; it’s challenging and abstract at times but without being self-indulgent. And the third person adds a really interesting texture that you don’t get with the dynamic of the normal boy / girl pairing.The move from last year’s Zoo Southside’s studio space to the original Zoo building on Pleasance does change the feeling of the show. Interrupt was a close, intense production and the performers spilled into the audience; this year there’s a far bigger tone to the show and they remain behind the fourth wall, but the intensity is still there. Rudolf Laban can be proud of what he has inspired.