In Any More Legroom?, Liverpool John Moores University showcases its recent graduates’ dissertation dance pieces. The six studies all show promise and the girls work hard, but timing and harmony of the dance ensemble let them down; they never reach a high standard. ‘Eve’, the first piece, seems to be full of solo performances where none of the dancers feed off each other. It is difficult to enjoy their work when it does not seem to gel together as a whole.A highlight during a particularly slow and calming section, also supported by good lighting, is when the girls are in simultaneous motion. It demonstrates how well the girls can perform in unison. The dancers also exhibit their best talents when they seem to be enjoying the work; watching the girls rejoice in their choreography makes for a heightened audience experience.The individual pieces unfortunately lack coherence. The range of dances do not seem to display any through-line or theme. A prime example of this is the out-of-place addition of three student films. The show may have been more stimulating if they had taken advantage of this multimedia section and echoed the footage through live performance. Without doing so, transforming the space from theatre to cinema was not fitting and I was slightly confused by what the company wanted to gain from their showcase: a selection of work that stimulated their audience or merely exhibited their physical portfolios?It is frustrating that the work does not develop to a climax. The show claims that it ‘oozes with infectious energy’ but there is nothing catching about this piece which lacks the ideas to really push boundaries or challenge anything. This performance displays both talent and potential but plays it safe and, without any personal connection to those involved, it is hard to to take anything away from this.
