The Booking Dance Festival is a self-titled ‘dance festival within a festival,’ and their annual Fringe showcase certainly offers the opportunity to experience a smorgasbord of bite-sized chunks of accessible dance from American artists, all in one sitting.This year’s programme kicks off with a crowd pleaser from Rhythmic Circus, a 4 dancer, 7 musician outfit from Minneapolis (all other performers are New York-based), whose energetic and funky percussive tap act is both entertaining and unashamedly cheesy. The same could be said of the next act from Ballroom Dancing for Tough Guys, which features a couple of good old-fashioned duets with a few laughs thrown in, highly polished and performed with bags of character. The dynamic ensemble of DAMAGEDANCE brings a raw energy to the stage with their colourful and heartfelt brand of contemporary dance. The striking aesthetic of Clyde Forth Visual Theatre’s detailed and compelling contemporary performance is a highlight of the show, and Gehring Dancetheatre follow with an elegant gymnastic display that would not be out of place at an Olympic opening ceremony. Labyrinth Dance Theatre brings a narrative element back to the stage with a couple of numbers featuring live musical accompaniment and thoroughly engaging, passionate performances. The most innovative work of the evening is offered up by Ashley A. Friend in her intriguing and playful exploration of personal identity. The showcase concludes with Emily Faulkner/Wind-Up Dances, who present us with a delightful piece of dance theatre featuring miniature teacups, tables and chairs, that appeals to the child inside.Although the work showcased here may not be entirely groundbreaking, as is stated in the show listing, the high standard and variety of the work make it a unique production at the Fringe.
