Le Patin Libre: Vertical At Somerset House 14th January 2016
On Thursday evening we made our way to Somerset House to watch a
performance of contemporary ice skating. This was the extent of my prior
knowledge. The ice rink was a smooth glossy platform lit by purples and blues
surrounded by the royal like architecture of Somerset House. The five
dancers (four men and one woman) entered their clear canvas in casual clothing,
tones of yellow, grey and white. As they stand in stillness the outside air
blows their shirts in the wind.
As the piece began it was hard to not notice the marks being
made upon the ice by the blades of their shoes. Some were clear and direct,
some at an angle churning up the ice like piles of dust. The ice became a
conscious element of the piece evolving with the movement being performed upon
it. By chance as the wind blew throughout the piece the excess fragments of ice
blew swept across the floor which created a beautiful layer to the setting. The
dancers, unlike your usual performance on ground, could weave seamlessly in and
out of formations standing like statues. The gliding was effortless and almost
hypnotising. At times the expeditious spinning and gravity defying jumps were
terrifying as an audience member but they showed great skill and ability
throughout the whole piece.
A clear humanity was emitted from the dancers through their
focus. They gave a sense of individuality with alternating solos and
differentiating qualities. Despite this they came together harmoniously in
times of unison. Their connection between one another allowed them to speed up
and slow down without a second glance. The fusion of contemporary and skating
was structured seamlessly showing no division. Whilst watching the dancers I
was curious what came first, the contemporary or the ice skating, because both
were executed so well.
The connection with the audience really eradicated the fourth
wall usually holding boundary between front facing audiences and performance.
There was personality and playfulness and it was clear the dancers enjoyed the
performance just as much as their audience.
