Reviewed by Alicia Graham & Jan Halloran

Opening Night verdict ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Sâo Paulo Dance Company, filled the Lyric Theatre at the Lowry, and by the reaction of the audience we sincerely hope they will return after this, their first UK tour. Presented by Dance Consortium and led by Artistic Director Ines Bogea, this beautiful contemporary company of exceptional dancers, delivered a triple bill that was contrasting yet cohesive.

Dance, which in terms of popularity is on a par with football in Brazil, is an integral part of the culture, think of capoeira, Samba and Carnival. The twenty-two strong company exhibited incredible musicality, technical talent that was outstanding and an equality of strength that shone through in all the contact work indicating the trust amongst the couplings and highlighting the creative contribution the dancers made to the choreography.

Anthem, choreographed by Spain’s Goyo Montero, opened with a sound score (Owen Belton) of breath, the dancers breathing as one with cellular like gestures. With a theme of lifecycles and identity we saw, the solidarity of togetherness, individuality, rebellion, conflict and separation. A comedic nod to national anthems led to military stylised movement. A music box, haunting, lullaby, had a soporific effect on one dancer as automatons danced around her. Exquisite lighting design pulled together the theme, seamlessly shifting the atmosphere from one section to the next. Costumes gave an illusion of being barely there, enabling the viewer to focus on the body and movement, whilst alleviating, gender, character and status.

Nacho Duato, created the spiritual, hypnotic, second piece, Gnawa, accompanied by ritualistic music from North Africa, created by seven composers.

Ammanda Rosa and Neilson Souza were outstanding in the central, ethereal duet, where Rosa rose as a flame, a nymph like creature of nature. Her contrast, to the other more human dancers, highlighted by her costume. Fire and water linked the segments of choreography where the unison dancing gave a sense of collective community, with antler like arm movements and grounded wide plies. It was a spiritual celebration of humans and nature alike. 

Metronomic movements opened the third and final exhilarating piece, Agora, choreographed by Cassi Abranches. The dancers echo the Afro-Brazilian percussive beats of Sebastian Piraces’ score in their bodies, with hanging arms and open collar bones the movement emanates from the hips with a staccato swagger redolent of catwalk models and adolescencesass. A funk, retro vibe was interpreted as the dancers ran in fast forward and rewind, entering and exiting with speed. Astonishing jumps, feet first as if careering into their partners, only to be caught horizontally are an explosive highlight which build throughout the piece, making the audience gasp. Yoshi Suzuki was standout, his sinuous spine, the centre of every move. A trick was missed by ending the piece by going back to the beginning, the party fell a bit flat at the end rather than being a climatic celebration, however it was still an impressive and well-choreographed piece. 

Even though the clarity of the stimulus for each piece was apparent there was still plenty of room for individual interpretation by the audience. Sao Paulo Dance Company relates to a diverse audience fromyoung adults upwards. The dancer’s fluidity, technicality and equality of strength were outstanding. 

Anyone with an inquisitive, creative, curious mind will find much to appreciate in this thematic yet non-narrative production. Unmissable.

São Paulo Dance Company are at The Lowry until Wednesday 13th March tickets are available here.