Spellbinding dance show gets to grips with Highland witches, writes Susan Welsh
Audiences across the Highlands have been enjoying a taste of the genius that is legendary international choreographer Royston Maldoom OBE, courtesy of the Edinburgh Choreographic Project (ECP), but tomorrow night’s show at Nairn promises to be extra special for both audience and dancers.
For within the programme, there’s a dance with a strong local connection – The Confession of Isobel Gowdie, set to dynamic music with a strong Scottish feel, penned by Scottish composer James MacMillan CBE.
Dancer Ross Cooper said: “Isobel Gowdie, from Auldearn, was tried as a witch in 1662 at Nairn and, following eight weeks of torture, she confessed. Her confessions were among the most vivid recorded during the mediaeval period in Europe.
“The time during 1661 and 1662 was known as The Great Scottish Witch-hunt and Isobel was the last woman to stand trial and be executed for witchcraft during that period. She was one of 700 women in Scotland to be accused of witchcraft, most of them living in East Lothian, but many living at Nairn or in Moray. She was known as the witch of Auldearn but also as Isobel Gowdie.
“The dance, created by Royston, who is considered to be the founder of contemporary dance in Scotland, is a fantasy piece, dedicated to her memory, but it’s also a requiem to the 700 others who died that year, many of whom were women simply caught up in land disputes. Over the mediaeval period, it’s reckoned 200,000 women and men were executed throughout Europe as a result of witch-hunts. But the interesting thing to remember is that these witch-hunts were still happening in 2013, in Lagos, Nigeria, and in India in 2009, so it’s still happening and relevant today.
“As a local story, kids will learn about it in school, but this is a way of them getting to see it in a different way,” said Ross, who has been dancing for 37 years, having started at the tender age of five.
The Royston Maldoom Retrospective, an evening of four short works of modern dance, is at the Strathpeffer Pavilion tonight Thursday, November 13, and members of ECO have kindly agreed to do one or two dance workshops for youngsters at the pavilion during the day.
The show visits Nairn tomorrow, Friday 14, and the Arts Centre, Aberdeen, on Saturday night. All performances feature The Confession of Isobel Gowdie and three other dance routines, with the programme being described by Ross as “like an ideal night out at a restaurant, there’s a wee bit of something to start you off, followed by something meaty in the middle and something sweet at the end”.
The programme includes Black Earth, with haunting music by Fazil Say, one of Turkey’s best-known classical composers, while the choreography was created originally for the Ballet of San Marco in Lima, Peru, in 2011. Royston says that Black Earth is a “homage to all Moslems who have shown great kindness to me on my travels around the world – not only in Turkey, where I have spent many happy times, but in Bosnia, Palestine and other lands.”
Adagietto No. 5, music by Gustav Mahler, returns by popular demand following the success of ECP’s 2013 production.
“It has been described by the choreographer as looking at a relationship of two men and one woman, from the wrong end of a telescope. Make from that what you will,” said Ross.
Adagietto was Royston’s first attempt at choreography, presented originally at a Royal Ballet Open Workshop in the mid-70s. It has won numerous awards over the years, including first prize at the 1975 Bagnolet International Choreographic Competition in Paris. It has been performed by many companies worldwide since then, most notably The Dance Theatre of Harlem, where it has remained in repertoire for 30 years.
“The final piece is Hook, danced to music by Graham Fitkin. Created for Ballet San Marcos in Lima, Peru, Hook is a very energetic, lighthearted work redesigned for ECP’s tour and set to Fitkin’s music from his album of the same name.
Ross said: “The cast changes with each venue, but there’s normally 14-15 dancers, some professionals and others final-year graduates from all over Scotland and based here.
“For those who have never come to a contemporary dance show, I’d suggest what they should expect is emotion, as this type of dance can show moods and feelings, but in an abstract way. What we do has slightly more narrative edge to it.
“This retrospective is for all people, regardless of dance knowledge or understanding. These short pieces selected by Royston Maldoom are a great way to experience modern dance for the first time, as well as being enjoyed by the dance aficionado.”
The dance event can be seen tonight, Thursday, November 13, at the Strathpeffer Pavilion, Strathpeffer, at 8pm. (01997 420124 and www.strathpefferpavilion.org); Nairn Community Centre tomorrow, November 14, at 7.30pm (01667 453476 or in person at Nairn Community and Arts Centre), and at Aberdeen Arts Centre on Saturday, November 15, at 7.30pm (01224 635208).