The Circle of Senses show opened with the "five senses" hovering round the stage to a background noise rightly emerging from a gramophone that Daron Galea , the "sense of hearing", was playing while walking through the audience and finally joining his colleagues, the "other senses", on stage. There were three large screens and another six small ones filling the backdrop which consisted of footage depicting various subjects according to the theme of the dance being performed. At many instances, words like taste, touch and feel were projected onto these screens.
The first dance opened with the Taj Mahal on screen and took us to the East. This choreography gave a good idea of the energetic style that followed throughout the show. When you go to watch a Yada show, you expect good technique, risky lifts and lots of energy so you tend to look out for other features in a Yada performance: originality and entertainment in general besides good dancing and choreography. The technique of the Yada dancers was confirmed all throughout the performance.
The first surprise in this dance was a row of lady dancers emerging with trays of incense that filled the auditorium. The sense of smell took over; the sense that was represented by Mario Grech whose athletic ability was one to steal the show.
The male dancers lifted the female protagonist in ways which would make me tremble with fear if I were her. The performers fused into one big group to perform to an upbeat tune... jingling sounds were an additional touch created by little appendages expertly sewn to the Beatrix costumes. They gave a very Eastern feel. The dance was active and the acrobatic moves gave the audience a sense of life and energy.
The Mediterranean dance was a relaxed, soothing dance which felt like you were literally watching the waves teasing the seashore to the rhythm of a light breeze. Justin Roy Barker was the light breeze. Four female dancers accompanied him and as usual he was a joy to watch. He floated around gracefully and with ease. The costumes were brown and light blue like the rocks and the sea. The choreography was athletic but also very romantic and passionate. Backdrops included Maltese scenery like the Verdala Palace, the Roman Villa, Yada dancers on Maltese shores in skin-coloured costumes (this was very elegantly expressed), luzzus, and vedettes. The duet between Kristina Schranz and Justin Roy Barker was the dance's forte.
"Watch the birth, feel the pulse" was projected on screen as the opening line of the African dance. This was Theresa Kerr's doing. The guest choreographer worked on a dance which really brought out the power of life. Backdrops of African wildlife portrayed the beauty of our planet and a duet between Daron Galea and Kristina Schranz conveyed passion and vigour. They wore monochrome tribal costumes. The company of dancers coupled up and risked some more high lifts and throws. The choreography was fast with emphasis on the importance of posture, technique, lines and flexibility. As the music became more upbeat, the dancers gained momentum and there was a real ethnic ambiance until the dancers ran off stage.
Act Two opened with Daron Galea's choreography which had an Arabian motif. There were four girls dancing in a purple burka and Fiona McKeown was all in white. They depicted the same women under the burka, depicting the various levels of religious tolerance towards women in the western world. The dance finished off with ladies washing their hands and feet with water. Very original indeed!
The choreographies presented in Act Two were more daring. Next was an oriental buoyant dance choreographed by Vivienne Fielding Refalo. Justin Roy Barker was an agile Samurai opening the show while footage of a Samurai fight scene accompanied. The music grew threatening and the lights were dim. The dancers also extracted "katana" to aid them as a dancing accessory.
Felix Busuttil's choreography was perhaps the most daring and unusual. It was up and coming. It dealt with love and its different forms, be it sensual, sexual, brotherly, sisterly, family love, romantic love... even prudish love. There was a duet between Daron Galea and Daniela Falzon which was stunningly romantic. The dancers wore skin-coloured underwear which glittered but once again looked elegant and effective. The rest of the protagonists then emerged. They were wearing a variety of costumes all in silver and white. Some looked more conservative and some were wearing sexier outfits. This part of the dance was more to do with bodily love and passion and not pure romanticism. Thus, Mr Busuttil very cleverly portrayed the different aspects and senses which have to do with love in a playful and very modern choreography. Backdrops ranged from renaissance paintings by Michelangelo to tangas and words like porno shop. Couples danced sexily, conservatively and always with members of their same sex. At one point, a number of fans were suspended in air and lowered down from the stage's ceiling to be used as props in the dance. Very unexpected!
The next dance was the 10 minutes of fear that Mr Busuttil had mentioned in his previous interview with me. A choreography based on war and horror showing an opposite aspect of our planet and a great sense of fear. "Smell the fear" was the opening line and fear is what we saw in the eyes of the communities at war projected on screen. The corps de ballet wore gloomy grey costumes and stared at the scenes on the screen quietly. Then came sounds of explosions and shooting and there was panic on stage. The dancers danced around fearfully but gracefully to footage of the 9/11 happenings. There were moments of silence, panic and dancing which were more like choreographed movements. The lights flickered to the sounds of war and fear and the auditorium became a dark, scary place to be, like our planet. The dance ended with the dancers climbing up the "scaffolding" on stage as though to run away.
The finale was a message of hope as Lynne Salomone Reynaud glided out on stage in her gold costume surrounded by specs of gold glitter. Her classical dance and light steps literally calmed the situation as the music changed and the sixth sense gave her contribution. She danced around on points as the rest of the senses joined her in their original costumes. They lifted Ms Salomone Reynaud up and as she rose a shower of confetti fell onto the audience. There was peace and joy at last.
The screen showed the most adequate message of hope one could show: the picture of a baby's smiling face. Even the curtain call was perfect as the cast came out and joined into a dance of joy. The six senses took their position on centrestage and ended as they had begun in a pose representing each sense. Catherine Strawbridge reaches out her hand; Daron Galea touches his ear and so on and so forth - a circle of life and senses.
The first dance opened with the Taj Mahal on screen and took us to the East. This choreography gave a good idea of the energetic style that followed throughout the show. When you go to watch a Yada show, you expect good technique, risky lifts and lots of energy so you tend to look out for other features in a Yada performance: originality and entertainment in general besides good dancing and choreography. The technique of the Yada dancers was confirmed all throughout the performance.
The first surprise in this dance was a row of lady dancers emerging with trays of incense that filled the auditorium. The sense of smell took over; the sense that was represented by Mario Grech whose athletic ability was one to steal the show.
The male dancers lifted the female protagonist in ways which would make me tremble with fear if I were her. The performers fused into one big group to perform to an upbeat tune... jingling sounds were an additional touch created by little appendages expertly sewn to the Beatrix costumes. They gave a very Eastern feel. The dance was active and the acrobatic moves gave the audience a sense of life and energy.
The Mediterranean dance was a relaxed, soothing dance which felt like you were literally watching the waves teasing the seashore to the rhythm of a light breeze. Justin Roy Barker was the light breeze. Four female dancers accompanied him and as usual he was a joy to watch. He floated around gracefully and with ease. The costumes were brown and light blue like the rocks and the sea. The choreography was athletic but also very romantic and passionate. Backdrops included Maltese scenery like the Verdala Palace, the Roman Villa, Yada dancers on Maltese shores in skin-coloured costumes (this was very elegantly expressed), luzzus, and vedettes. The duet between Kristina Schranz and Justin Roy Barker was the dance's forte.
"Watch the birth, feel the pulse" was projected on screen as the opening line of the African dance. This was Theresa Kerr's doing. The guest choreographer worked on a dance which really brought out the power of life. Backdrops of African wildlife portrayed the beauty of our planet and a duet between Daron Galea and Kristina Schranz conveyed passion and vigour. They wore monochrome tribal costumes. The company of dancers coupled up and risked some more high lifts and throws. The choreography was fast with emphasis on the importance of posture, technique, lines and flexibility. As the music became more upbeat, the dancers gained momentum and there was a real ethnic ambiance until the dancers ran off stage.
Act Two opened with Daron Galea's choreography which had an Arabian motif. There were four girls dancing in a purple burka and Fiona McKeown was all in white. They depicted the same women under the burka, depicting the various levels of religious tolerance towards women in the western world. The dance finished off with ladies washing their hands and feet with water. Very original indeed!
The choreographies presented in Act Two were more daring. Next was an oriental buoyant dance choreographed by Vivienne Fielding Refalo. Justin Roy Barker was an agile Samurai opening the show while footage of a Samurai fight scene accompanied. The music grew threatening and the lights were dim. The dancers also extracted "katana" to aid them as a dancing accessory.
Felix Busuttil's choreography was perhaps the most daring and unusual. It was up and coming. It dealt with love and its different forms, be it sensual, sexual, brotherly, sisterly, family love, romantic love... even prudish love. There was a duet between Daron Galea and Daniela Falzon which was stunningly romantic. The dancers wore skin-coloured underwear which glittered but once again looked elegant and effective. The rest of the protagonists then emerged. They were wearing a variety of costumes all in silver and white. Some looked more conservative and some were wearing sexier outfits. This part of the dance was more to do with bodily love and passion and not pure romanticism. Thus, Mr Busuttil very cleverly portrayed the different aspects and senses which have to do with love in a playful and very modern choreography. Backdrops ranged from renaissance paintings by Michelangelo to tangas and words like porno shop. Couples danced sexily, conservatively and always with members of their same sex. At one point, a number of fans were suspended in air and lowered down from the stage's ceiling to be used as props in the dance. Very unexpected!
The next dance was the 10 minutes of fear that Mr Busuttil had mentioned in his previous interview with me. A choreography based on war and horror showing an opposite aspect of our planet and a great sense of fear. "Smell the fear" was the opening line and fear is what we saw in the eyes of the communities at war projected on screen. The corps de ballet wore gloomy grey costumes and stared at the scenes on the screen quietly. Then came sounds of explosions and shooting and there was panic on stage. The dancers danced around fearfully but gracefully to footage of the 9/11 happenings. There were moments of silence, panic and dancing which were more like choreographed movements. The lights flickered to the sounds of war and fear and the auditorium became a dark, scary place to be, like our planet. The dance ended with the dancers climbing up the "scaffolding" on stage as though to run away.
The finale was a message of hope as Lynne Salomone Reynaud glided out on stage in her gold costume surrounded by specs of gold glitter. Her classical dance and light steps literally calmed the situation as the music changed and the sixth sense gave her contribution. She danced around on points as the rest of the senses joined her in their original costumes. They lifted Ms Salomone Reynaud up and as she rose a shower of confetti fell onto the audience. There was peace and joy at last.
The screen showed the most adequate message of hope one could show: the picture of a baby's smiling face. Even the curtain call was perfect as the cast came out and joined into a dance of joy. The six senses took their position on centrestage and ended as they had begun in a pose representing each sense. Catherine Strawbridge reaches out her hand; Daron Galea touches his ear and so on and so forth - a circle of life and senses.