Dance

Floating in the Light

Impulse Dance Theatre

Memorial Theatre

Impulse Dance theatre gave its first of three performances in the Memorial Theatre to an average sized but enthusiastic audience.

Each dance was preceded by a short description of the effects and ideas the choreographer had in mind. Each member of the company had choreographed several dances of their own in the repertoire.

Impulse show obvious influences of the founder of modern dance, the Black American dancer Martha Graham. Her modern techniques are based on the principle of muscle contraction and following body release. Movement on the whole followed these basic techniques, but at times the geometric poses tended to halt the flow and interrupt movement.

Dance form ranged from stylised staccato motions to semi-classical, almost ballet steps.

Through their dancing, several of the pieces involved personal and social comment from the choreographer's own viewpoints.

The performance opened with 'Triangle', a vaguely oriental dance, which although entertaining failed to reach any climax. "Mobile", the only Jazz work was danced to the Santana hit "She's not there", and was excellent. It was crisp, up-tempo and synchronised, and the three dancers' co- or dination was spot-on.

This was followed by a piece in three sections, danced to three Beatle classics. One of the show's highlights was offered here with the Beatles' "When I'm 64".

This was a tongue-in-cheek vaudeville type act, elaborately miming "aging primadon- nas" who delighted the audience with their exaggerated humour.

"Membrum" with its three hooded red figures and effective lighting evoked a lyrical, futuristic mood surprising us all with it's abrupt ending. "A Wedding Album" threw in a farcical look at a typical social situation. The main attraction was the Mother of the Bride, sporting green chiffon and shedding ritual wedding tears. In comparison to the "Wedding Album" "Time piece" was a contrasting mechanical and dreamlike dance on the theme of clock watching. ". . . Of a Feather", revealed Paul Jenden's talent for designing costumes and masks, which were easily the best in the show. They finished up with a short snappy skit on sport-conscious New Zealand.

Throughout the show the lighting was used to maximum effect, changing the moods as often as needed. All five dancers gave a polished and well coordinated performance proving their versatility over and again. This small professional group is bound to go far if their present quality of entertainment is upheld.

Teri Sawers and Catherine Currie