This year the Malta Arts Festival wanted to serve, among many things, as a platform for dance. It also sought to link Maltese and international artists.

In this spirit, the festival presented Triple Bill: Duets in Motion, showcasing works of artists from Malta, Spain, South Africa and the UK. Being reviewed here is the first event.

Brenda Lee Grech, the only Maltese dancer of the evening, took to the bare stage first with her partner Victor Zarallo. The young dancers form part of the Scottish Ballet and it was instantly evident that they receive similar training.

Grech and Zarallo’s somewhat traditional yet fresh performance eased the audience into a night of diverse energies. Grech stood out not only because she was the only female performer of the night but also because of her impeccable technique throughout.

Their first duet, A Deux, choreographed by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa to music by Olafur Arnalds, was the most traditional of all four choreographies. Grech and Zarallo complemented each other so perfectly that it was at times difficult to tell one dancer from the other.

The two dancers embodied what a duet is all about

The dance film Origine followed the first performance. Grech took the lead, a refreshing shift from the more traditional opening piece.

It also served as the perfect link to the second duet by Grech and Zarallo, Jealousy. Aptly named, the piece allowed both the performers and the audience to experience the frustrations that come with jealousy.

Set to music by Ben Frost and choreographed by James Cousins, the piece confronted the raw emotions that two people feel when jealous.

Spanish Roberto Olivan (bottom) and South African Gregory Maqoma stir up the programme with their energetic performance. Picture taken with multiple exposure function.

Frost’s minimalist style was an ideal choice, tainted only by the occasional loud feedback which could have been avoided.

As the piece progressed, it became more intense and Grech and Zarallo effectively juxtaposed feelings of lust and anger through flawless floor work.

The next duo was made up of Mavin Khoo – one of the four artistic coordinators of the festival – and Nico Monaco. The contrast between the previous pair and the second was obvious yet welcome.

Local choreographers, Maria Cassar, Valentina Azzopardi and Dorian Mallia were on a par with the rest of the international choreographers, and created a choreography that showcased Khoo and Dival’s impeccable techniques.

The piece, Tell Me Who I Am, took the performers and their audience on a journey of self-discovery. Mozart’s Concerto No. 23 in A Major fit perfectly, yet surprisingly, it was the parts without any music that kept the audience on the edge of their seats.

The dancers brought to the stage certain ambiguity which worked well with the choreography. Clearly, the piece was created specifically for Khoo and Monaco.

The final duet of the evening by Gregory Maqoma and Roberto Olivan once again stirred up the programme. Choreographed by Maqoma and Olivan themselves, the routine is part of a new project which premiered in July.

As both dancers had distinctive features, which they mostly used to bring out the strengths in each other, they were at times too different from each other and this was occasionally somewhat confusing.

Maqoma and Olivan also performed short solos and while it allowed them to freely show off their own individual style,at first it seemed to break off the momentum that the two had built up together. However, as the solos came to an end, both dancers picked up with the same energy and synchronisation as before. The two embodied what a duet is all about: showcasing one’s skills while responding to those of the other dancer.

Triple Bill: Duets in Motion proved to be a very entertaining dance event and it will hopefully serve as motivation for dance to be given a more prominent place in future editions of the festival.