Motionhouse Dance, one of the top theatre and dance companies in the UK, took the main stage at the Staller Center for the Arts to perform Scattered.
On Feb. 16, as the doors shut and the lights dimmed, the first dancer appeared under the spotlight. A large half-pipe sat on the stage and was soon illuminated by images of large glaciers and cracking ice.
Scattered combines dance, gymnastics, film and acrobatics to deliver illusions such as sitting on an iceberg and hanging from the edge of a waterfall. The production focused on the fundamental aspects of water and the role it plays in life. A running faucet, raindrops and skimming across puddles were some of the scenes used.
The half-pipe became more than a backdrop, but an interactive and key player in the performance. At times performers came sliding down it onto the main stage or crawling backwards up it. The images projected onto it were also interacted with the dancers. When they would jump on to it, it would create the illusion that they were drops of water splattering on a surface.
Tranquil music and soothing sounds of flowing water accompanied these scenes. Halfway through the performance, they began to use harnesses and bungee lines to create even more astounding illusions, dropping themselves from the top of the half-pipe gliding back and forth and floating back to the top.
Motionhouse Dance has produced a number of performances, but is currently only touring to perform Scattered. Once they return to the UK, they will begin performing Broken. The dancers themselves are highly accomplished as well as extensively educated in the arts. They moved throughout the performance with one another harmoniously.
The theatrics of the performance were exciting and kept the viewer anticipating the next scene. It’s an incredible visual production from start to finish. Scattered has received excellent reviews from publications such as The Guardian, The Herald and The Observer.
The audience gave Motionhouse Dance a well-deserved standing ovation.