Limbs Dance Company

Press, 29 July 1989, Page 8

Limbs Dance Company

Limbs Dance Company’s “Great Leap Forward” programme, James Hay Theatre, July 28, 29. Running time: 2% hours. Reviewed by Judi Brookfield. “Great Leap Forward” may not be the most fitting title for this programme, however, the Limbs dancers charmed their Christchurch audience last evening. "Kidnapped Too,” by Sue Healey, the first offering for the evening, was a light, fluid dance exploring the dynamics of movement. It achieved its goal much sooner than the. 16 minutes it was allotted. The varied individual skills of the dancers were displayed in Mary-Jane O’Reilly’s “Off With Their Heads,” a light-hearted look at Lewis Carroll’s famous characters. Taiaroa Royal shone as White Rabbit, Susan Trainor amazed with her sinewy

flexibility and Leonie Kaywood made an appropriately perplexed Alice. Brian Carbee demonstrated his usual wit and vigour in “Parts Unknown,” a choreography unlike any we have seen from him before. Simple and expressive ports de bras used in a novel manner were a feature of this piece. Lighting and costuming were stunning in the capable hands of Alan McShane and Elizabeth Whiting respectively. Their abilities do much to enhance and even flatter the action. Erotic, tragic and beautiful. “Otello,” a classic tale sensitively retold was completely beguiling. Stephen Nunley in the title role and Judith Froude as Desdemona displayed the right balance of drama and dance required for this work. Kai Tai Chan has again demonstrated that dance need not be busy to bewitch.