Technical tenacity meets colourful choreography in this exciting performance from São Paulo Dance Company

Currently touring the UK with Dance Consortium, São Paulo Dance Company is not holding back, bringing heat and energy to the stage through their entrancing movement and incredibly clean technical abilities. We start with Goyo Montero’s Anthem, introducing us to the company’s athleticism, strength, and identity, a core exploration of the company’s, as mentioned by its Artistic Director Inês Bogéa during the post-show Q&A. Bogéa encourages each dancer to explore their own individual identity while connecting collectively with the piece. Owen Belton’s mashup of voices creates what sounds like a broken record of a national anthem, its vocal power hardened by the dancers’ facial expressions and angular jutting of limbs.

The performance of Nacho Duato’s Gnawa saw a score full of Spanish and North African sounds matched with beautiful dance, especially the interspersed duets. However, this piece lacked the previous impact of Anthem I felt. Slightly more traditional and predictable, Gnawa brought us back to some degree of conventionality that was excitingly combatted by the radical anger and bodily androgyny of Anthem.

Finishing with Cassi Abranches’ Agora, a playful and more gymnastical piece set to Afro-Brazilian drums and beats, we really get to see the ability of the dancers. The dance involved a lot of running with impressive horizontal jumps, all executed so intentionally and flawlessly, it was a joy to watch.

Although no longer showing at Sadler’s Wells in London, São Paulo Dance Company will be on tour across the UK, and I urge you to check out their upcoming performances here.