EdFringe Review: Springboard ‘25

Sequins ***
Blind Spot **
Echoes of Architecture ***
Wee Wifeys ***

This year, theQR.co.uk is partnering with the Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland (TDFS) to support the continued development of new dance critics they began mentoring last year. This review of Springboard ‘25 has been contributed by Alena Shmakova of the Edinburgh-based, Les Danses Antiques:

The evening featured four distinct pieces performed by emerging artists and recent graduates of Edinburgh College, showcasing a range of creative approaches and thematic explorations.

The programme opened with Sequins, a recent production by the Traditional Dance Forum Scotland choreographed by Kalubi Mukengela-Jacoby. Set to a soundscape by Robert Russell and accompanied by Sequins of Poems to Dance, a sequence of ten rapping poems read by the iconic BBC broadcaster and author Ian McMillan.

The work stood out for its bold attempt to merge traditional and contemporary cultural forms, using dance as a medium to respond directly and instantly to spoken word. This created a compelling interplay between language, movement, and imagination, inviting the audience to experience poetry not just aurally but physically.

The most compelling moments emerged when the spoken word fused with the melody, challenging the choreography to respond to the fusion and rhythm of the combined soundscape. However, the piece occasionally struggled to translate every word into movement, resulting in pauses that felt more pronounced in solo performance.

More imaginative lighting and careful modulation of the spoken word volume could enhance immersion and better support the choreography’s nuances.

“This created a compelling interplay between language, movement, and imagination…”

The second piece, Blind Spot, choreographed by Caleb Ross for a group of five dancers, offered a refreshing visual diversity. The cast included performers of varied body types, including one dancing in glasses, a rare sight on stage, which added authenticity and challenged conventional aesthetics.

While the performance was engaging, the thematic intent was difficult to discern without reference to the synopsis. Given the complexity of staging abstract concepts without dialogue, narrowing the focus to a single form of prejudice might have clarified the message.

Nonetheless, the ensemble worked cohesively, and their differences were embraced rather than obscured.

The third work, a videographic piece by Daniel Taylor, Echoes of Architecture, explored the relationship between architecture and dance. Set against the backdrop of Dundee, three dancers responded to the city’s landmarks through movement. The black-and-white format reinforced the title, enhancing the haunting atmosphere.

The choreography resonated particularly well with the geometric forms of the V&A, the flowing lines beneath the Tay Bridge, and the solemn presence of St Paul’s Church. However, the Dundee waterfront gardens, a vast square punctuated by vertical lamp posts and distant spires, proved less effective as a choreographic canvas.

The dancers appeared visually lost, and the curvilinear movement vocabulary didn’t fully complement the stark, angular space.

The final piece, Wee Wifeys, was a theatrical sketch exploring stereotypes associated with Scottish towns, Dunfermline, Glasgow, and Edinburgh. Confidently performed and wittily written by Sunny Macaulay, the piece offered sharp cultural commentary wrapped in humour and character-driven storytelling.

Overall, the programme reflected a vibrant mix of experimentation, social reflection, and artistic promise – an encouraging showcase of Scottish-based emerging talent navigating the intersections of movement, narrative, and place.