Dance Currents 2011: Avant Garde Dance Illegal Dance at Stratford Circus

Illegal Dance: Dance, and any form of self expression is prohibited. Anyone caught dancing will be reported to the Enforcers and arrested. Set in a dystopian future, Avant Garde Dance’s new show at Stratford Circus is set to be as exciting as it is daring, featuring 360 immersive audio visuals and a text heavy script – as well as the dance!

The company has worked with Nic Sandiland to produce a show that will draw the viewer into the world where the Entity rules. Tony Adigun, artistic director of Avant Garde Dance won’t go into detail when asked about it, but he will tell us this:

“I’m trying to challenge where you’re looking, and where you’re going within the theatre as well. The whole theatre space is part of the process. You don’t just sit down and you’re separate from it, it takes place within. Like, next to you. It’s immersive, its 360 – you’re dipped in a pot of Illegal Dance, and you should come out feeling… full!”

It adds to the excitement of the show, where Tony was influenced by books like 1984 and films such as Equilibrium and propoganda and oppression to build Illegal Dance‘s dystopian world.

Going by Avant Garde and Wet Wipez’s collaboration at Collabo last year, it sounds like it will be full of suspsense and unexpected surprises.

Illegal Dance – Conform or rebel?

Illegal Dance has four main characters that make up its narrative in the battle against the Enforcers.

The Brothers – Played by Kofi Mingo from Boy Blue and Nas Evanson from C-12 – Two brothers that go against the regime of the Entity. The entity is the government, but one of them is a pacifist and the other is a rebel, so they have a struggle in terms of how they deal with state of play.

Madame –  Played by Lisa Hood – Around when expression wasn’t illegal, so she remembers the time when everyone was free and joyous and could express themselves, but now she’s the older figure, revered and looked upon highly, almost like an oracle. She’s a conformist, but under cover.

Activist – Played by Sean Graham – A passionate, strong character who you follow throughout the piece. He preaches to everyone against the Regime that you need to stand up and be counted.
The Entity doesn’t want people to express because in the artistic expression comes power.

Illegal Dance, part of Dance Currents 2011 at East London Dance takes place at Stratford Circus on 5 March. Tickets are £12 (£8 concessions) and can be bought from www.eastlondondance.org