‘Ice looks at spirit, animism and the spark from within, exploring the moment when we cross over and become something else. Do we lose ourselves? Or do we still believe we’re alive?’
And if you’ll all join me for the chorus… ‘WHAT????’
The above confused purple is how the MAC website sells ICE, the latest dance production from ACE – Birmingham’s African Cultural exchange. In collaboration with choreographer Akiko Kitamura, founder of the Leni-Basso company, and digital artist Akihiko Kaneko, Gail Parmel’s original production actually ‘reflects on how technology infiltrates our lives, set in a clinical white space with powerful visual projections.’
It features ‘six quicksilver dancers’ that lead a physical narrative, ‘asking questions about technology, crystalisation, cryogenics and what happens to the body when we lower the temperature, do we cross over and become something else?’ Its moniker comes from the opening, where ‘the temperature drops to freezing point, (and) ICE allows us to preserve the moment & dream together of how the future might be.’ And now I see the emperor new clothes.
Coming to the end of an 11 date UK tour, ICE’s penultimate pit stop is at the MAC theatre on Nov 24th & 25th, with a matinee performance on the Thursday. Tickets will set you back £12 (£9 concessions).
For more info (that we can’t guarantee you’ll understand) and bookings visit www.macarts.co.uk, or visit http://www.acedanceandmusic.com for full details on the company, ICE production and tour.
Robert Kornreich will be covering the Nov 24th evening production for Birmingham Review.