UCLU Dance Society: Freshers Showcase

Grace Nalty rides the tube and thinks deeply about dance

★★★☆☆

The UCLU Dance Society Freshers Showcase is, unsurprisingly, a compilation of dances performed by freshers, which can normally be quite a ramshackle and unfocused affair – not because they’re freshers, but because there isn’t a theme. This year, however, they do have a theme! And that theme is London tube stations, which gave the show structure and dynamism.

This tubular experience was in the intimate Quad Marquee, a venue that’s unforgiving to small mistakes due to its size. And, so, minor issues such as the video projection showing me someone’s (frankly, very nice) laptop background were quite noticeable. BUT, an imaginative set of dances in a small venue was always going to have its pitfalls, so let’s talk about the dancing instead!

I don’t know much about dance, but I do know that synchronicity is a bit part of it. It’s not unusual that in a freshers showcase – especially in such a broad society as Dance – there are going to be people of ranging abilities with different styles, but there was an issue with timings and general together-ness. It took slightly away from my immersive tube experience, but the dances were challenging and imaginative and they were overall enjoyable to watch.

Special appreciation goes out to the salsa performance, which brought a little performed dance to the stage and was extremely entertaining. And, being the hispanophile I am, I thoroughly appreciated it.

The final performance alone is well worth going to the show for, it made everyone laugh and reminded us that dance is all about fun. Oh, and the ballet was stunning, and really showcased how talented a bunch of freshers these were. Love ballet.

Contemporary dance is dominant in the show. To say it was ‘creative’ doesn’t come close to how creative it was – it was very original, and was a credit to the choreographers. When I think of contemporary dance, I think of contemporary art and how it doesn’t really have a point but everyone really likes to go see it because it’s so deep and that makes us cultured, right? Maybe it’s just the word contemporary. Or  maybe I just didn’t get it. It was deep, man.

If you like dance, it’s worth going to see. If you’re invested in the future of dance at UCLU, it’s worth going to see. If you want to explore London but can’t afford the tube, it’s worth going to see. £3!

UCLU Dance Society Freshers Showcase is on at the Quad Marquee, today (7th December 2014) at 2:30 and 8pm. Admission £3

Image credits: Danté Kim