Can we call dance works schizophrenic? And are the multiple personalities an intentional choice, or due to the result of choreographic indecision? And do we really want to know the answer to that?

Kansaze Dance's Looking Back, created by Rachael Kansaze Nanyonjo, is a very good example of a dance work with multiple identities. Dispensing with programme notes altogether, the audience was forced to piece together the context of the piece, from the opening 'I have a dream' speech by Martin Luther King, to badly-distorted footage of protests around the world and riot-influenced choreography.

At least, that was the context of part of Looking Back. The rest of the work used very sweet choreography, reminiscent of backing dancers, eliciting sweet and happy performances with interesting use of sculpture - but failing to match the impact of Maria Fonseca's performances, or her powerful duets with Jack Webb. 

Looking Back would have been a much stronger work if it had focussed more on Maria Fonseca and her strengths: the emotional and dramatic nature of her role brought out the best in her as a dancer, and made her absolutely compelling to watch; the rest of the cast lacked her personality and flair, and struggled to win over the audience in her absence, especially with less meaty choreography to work with.

If Looking Back had been reduced to Jack Webb's and Maria Fonseca's performances, it would have been an outstanding piece, and the best so far of this year's Resolution season. Unfortunately, their roles were too out of step with the rest of the cast's choreography and performances, which diminished the impact of the material - as did the technological problems, from the distorted projection to the blinded audience for the final scenes. One of the multiple personalities was brilliant, just not all of them.


If you look up the definition of Third Culture Kid, you find David C. Pollock statement "A Third Culture Kid (TCK) is a person who has spent a significant part of his or her developmental years outside the parents' culture. The TCK frequently builds relationships to all of the cultures, while not having full ownership in any. Although elements from each culture may be assimilated into the TCK's life experience, the sense of belonging is in relationship to others of similar background."

This beautifully places Anaish Nathan Parmar's 'Mum... What's my gam?' in perspective: Parmar's exploration of his third-generation Indian roots, whether from the viewpoint of an adult trying to reconnect with his Asian heritage, or as a sulky recalcitrant child who is weary of curry and would much rather be playing cricket with his friends in Melton Mowbray.

Somita Basak, potraying Parmar's mother, is wonderfully skilled both at theatrical performances and at Bharatanatyam, and convincingly portrays Parmar's long-suffering mother, herself torn between her roots and assimilation. Parmar himself is a natural comic - but he's also an impressively fluid dancer, and it seems a shame that there's not more scope for dance within 'Mum... What's my gam?', as the audience no doubt feels cheated by not seeing more of both characters dancing.

Anaish Nathan Parmar has mentioned wanting to develop educational workshops with 'Mum... What's my gam?' for fellow "Third Culture Kids" to explore their roots, and there is definitely a lot of potential for this piece as an educational tool: it's accessible, entertaining and engaging - and it's got some wonderful dancing (if not nearly enough).


Hack Ballet's Zone offered the premise of contemporary ballet as an extreme sport, and it certainly delivered. Each of the six performers - including choreographer Briar Adams - was on edge, careful to keep the competition within sights, never allowing themselves to relax in case they suffer in the selection process. At times, the dancers seemed to be holding themselves back, but we knew that was because of the tough challenge ahead of them.

The use of solos allowed each dancer to distinguish his or her personality and physical strengths, from Natasha Usmar's strong character and expressiveness to Alice Gaspari's graceful and poised, yet heartfelt performance.

The group sections were not always as effective; they were at their most powerful when artfully lit by Antony Hateley, for example the dancers in silhouette holding dynamic yoga poses against a lit cyclorama, or as a shadowy mass of figures while a partially-lit dancer performs a solo. At times, however, Zone seemed to lose its way, either with too-literal choreography, or in floorwork, but at the opposite spectrum was one of Alice Gaspari's and Thomas McCann's duets, which brought a whole new level of energy to Zone, brief though it was.

As with many of the Resolution! performances, Hack Ballet has good dancers putting on great performances, with impressive strength and commitment.