Live Performance Review: Scottish Ballet performing New Voices (Edinburgh International Festival (E.I.F.) 2013), Monday 19.08.2012 17:00 On Stage Studio, The Festival Theatre, Edinburgh 

For the uninitiated (like me before I went to this performance) the 'On Stage Studio' involves the stage curtain being closed and the audience sitting at what is usually the back of the stage.

This performance consisted of five relatively short pieces.
The first was a very slick-synchronised performance by four young ballerinas, I found this piece very enjoyable.

The second featured two male and two female ballerinas, by the end of the piece all but one of the dancers was stood in their underwear, for which I could see no rationale.
The third piece featured two male and one female and the fourth piece was two male and two female. Both of these I enjoyed greatly. I found the third to have a staccato tempo and the forth's tempo to be quite ferocious, both had an urgency about them.

The fifth required the audience to move from where we were and move to the first floor foyer. I don't think the site-specific nature of this added anything, the performance could have easily been managed on the stage with a couple of simple props. This piece appeared cobbled together and rushed. I feel this was reflected in the music. The movement from one musical piece to another was quite abrupt, and this was the case repeatedly. The first time it could be seen to serve the purpose of jolting the audience out of complacency, though it appeared to occur so often that it just became jarring.
To paraphrase Meatloaf, three out of five ain't bad.

Rating: 06/10.

Live Performance Review: Scottish Ballet performing The Rite Of Spring (2011) (Edinburgh International Festival (E.I.F.) 2013), Sunday 18.08.2012 20:00 The Festival Theatre, Edinburgh 

This was another complete punt, though was one that paid off. The set was stark and there was only three performers. 

The narrative I felt was relatively straight-forward to follow; this is the first dance performance where I feel I actually understood what was being conveyed. The story appeared to simply convey the difficult subject of adolescence, sexual awakening & confusion/uncertainty and how in the process of establishing our (sexual) sense of self, we can be very cruel to others. 

The score by Igor Stravinsky was bold with playful elements.The dancers attire was simple yet elegant. 

It would have been nice if this were paired up with other work, the performance overall felt too short. 

Rating: 08/10.   

Live Performance Review: Scottish Ballet performing Sea of Troubles & Silhouette (Edinburgh International Festival (E.I.F.) 2013), Friday 16.08.2012 20:00 The Festival Theatre, Edinburgh 

This was a replacement performance, and was not the show I'd originally booked for.

I'll not beat around the bush. I only stayed for 'Sea of Troubles' and was so disappointed that I did not stick around for 'Silhouette'. The performance felt like a disjointed under-rehearsed rehearsal. Movements felt unsure and cut-short. There felt to be a lack of focus, including uninteresting repetition which appeared to be to fill time as opposed to adding anything of substance.

If I am at a dance performance I usually find the movement interesting. I know this is at least in part due to unfamiliarity with the art form. It is very odd for me to feel bored and annoyed at a dance performance. That this was achieved was an achievement of sorts.

The worst dance performance I can recall seeing.

Rating: 00/10.