Apr 29 - AIMing High – A Review
Local playwright Julian Felice reviews last week’s Art In Movement performance.
Dancer and choreography Nathan Conroy is one of a generation of exciting young indigenous artists who, having gained experience away from Gibraltar, have returned to our shores, eager to share this experience with the local cultural scene. Nathan, of course, appeared in the West End spectacle Stomp! and in the opening ceremony for the London 2012 Games, and has worked with artists such as Kylie Minogue and the Spice Girls. Having no doubt initially encountered the inevitable cynical resistance upon his return to Gibraltar, Nathan went on to set up Art In Movement to present many of his ideas, revolving around dance, performance and art as a whole.
AIM’s production at the John Mackintosh Hall last Friday was intended as a showcase of the work carried out by the group. From the very young to the more experienced, variety was at the heart of this platform. The breakdance and street style that Nathan is possibly best known for mixed with capoeira, hip-hop, contemporary dance, percussion performances, and even a judo demonstration, all reflecting his wide tastes, talents and experiences. It is clear that AIM is an ambitious organisation, with Nathan very much at the centre of this ambition. The result was a dynamic and vibrant series of performances that delivered the lively energy that has characterised Nathan’s work since his comeback.
But, amidst the spins, the somersaults and the moves that simply seem to defy the laws of biology, perhaps the most satisfying and encouraging aspect of the show was seeing the large number of young boys currently involved in AIM. In an interview with the local press, Nathan expressed a desire to increase opportunities for this demographic in the world of local dance, and to motivate these youngsters towards taking advantage of these. In this, he has clearly succeeded. A few dozen young males – some of them already displaying a great deal of talent and, most importantly, stage presence – took part in the performance, many of them clearly enjoying the experience. Also good to see was the willingness of the group’s older members – including Nathan himself – to encourage and even perform alongside these youngsters, reflecting the spirit of co-operation and collective enjoyment that permeates the group.
It was not all about the young, though, and the performance gave ample opportunities to showcase the abilities of AIM’s more seasoned performers, including Joelle Montegriffo, Nathan’s assistant choreographer. These displayed an imaginative elegance that contrasted, and yet also complemented, the more urban nature of some of the other acts. Nathan’s abilities were also in abundance, be it playing the cajón, or conducting Stomp-style audience participation, or engaging in capoeira “bouts”, or, of course, being at the heart of some of the more exciting pieces. Despite these appearances, there was a sense of the audience wanting to see more of his class and professionalism.
Yes, some aspects of the show were a bit rough around the edges, but this was largely in keeping with an informality that revealed the work-in-progress that Art In Movement very much is. As this work develops, however, it promises to open up an exciting future. Nowhere was this more obvious than in the “pilot episode” for Nathan’s exciting up-and-coming project A New Language, one which clearly reflects his willingness to embrace multi-media technology in performance (a common, and intriguing, theme throughout the show). With the intention of drawing in other local practitioners into this scheme, this is something which we can all look forward to in eager anticipation.
For the meantime, however, many congratulations to Art In Movement for a stimulating, vigorous and, above all, enjoyable showcase.
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