Review: Dance Nation

Being met with the jarring glare of the blurry dance studio mirrors counterpoised with a toilet on stage is perhaps one of the best visual encapsulations of what it’s like to encounter the messy act of entering puberty. Clare Barron’s ‘Dance Nation’ follows the lives of seven dancers about to embark on the great journey of growing up on the rocky path to nationals.

In a world where dance is, quite literally, a religion, the horrors that accompany their journeys are exposed when ‘harmless dances become sites of ritual, teeth become fangs and 11-13-year-old girls become pagan gods’. Elizabeth Laurence‘s take on this ambitious coming-of-age tale is highly visceral and will leave you wanting more.

This production offers the perfect level of absurdism without descending into confusion; it directly engages in ways that you would not expect of a piece of theatre. What you are treated to by going to this play is essentially also a free dance show, in which the amateur imperfection of the dancers made room for incredibly emotive performances that ranged from thrilling numbers that had the entire audience laughing to the utter gut-wrenching tragedy of the nationals dance. I cannot pick a favourite, since the ‘When I Rule the World’ dance had the audience cheering and screaming for more, whereas the nationals dance was perfect in conveying the despair of failure looming over so many kids threatened by intense perfectionism at such a young age.

Image credits: Thea Melton

The music and lighting were also incredible; at times eerie, at others empowering, and at times accompanied by the entire cast screaming at the audience. Choreography and action in this aspect were great in balancing moments of quietness and contemplation with ones of pure unbridled pre-pubescent rage. As well as this, sensitive topics were handled in a plethora of ways which was very gratifying to see: the almost comedic horror of experiencing one’s first period, dealing with objectification from a young age which turns into a farce of self-love, and mental illnesses and eating disorders resulting from such a toxic atmosphere.

This was a success due to the stunning cast, especially the main dance group, who handled each of their individual monologues with stunning sincerity and emotion. And indeed, the talent is equal across the board. Maya McFarlane‘s breathtaking perfectionist tyranny, Aria Baker‘s heartbreaking pursuit of excellence, Joy Adeogun‘s delightful and vicious passion, Priyanka Voruganti‘s relentless need to be seen, Sarah Mulgrew‘s dry and witty cool and ‘mature’ girl act, Rose Painter‘s heartwarming kindness and finally Kailan Hanson‘s poignant loyalty all created an image of each character that made the audience feel like they intimately knew them all.

Image credits: Alicia Powell

Equally commendable were the supporting roles of Jacob Benhayoun, whose convincing role as Dance Teacher Pat transported us all back to the terror of teen coaches with expectations that rarely coincide with reality, balancing horrible moments of misogyny with hilarious portrayals of his vision for a dance inspired by Ghandi. Additionally, Mei Alozie‘s skilful multi-rolling as a universal mother figure which still allowed space for nuance between portrayals was effective and much-needed in grounding the dancers in a reality not solely ruled by dance alone.

Image credits: Thea Melton

Needless to say, I loved every second of it; this is the first time in an ADC production that I was genuinely shocked and upset by the interval curtain coming up, as I was desperate to see and experience more.

This production of ‘Dance Nation’ is absolutely stellar, and not one to miss (else you run the risk of being chased by 11-year-olds who have just consumed – God forbid – coffee!).

4.5/5

Dance Nation is showing on the 8th – 12th of November at 7:45 pm at the ADC Theatre. Book your tickets here.

Feature image credit: Thea Melton

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