Words: Mark Perkins
There’s nothing I like more than a summer’s evening in one of Sheffield’s parks, so the added attraction of an immersive modern dance event, with a specially composed electronic music soundtrack, made No Time Like The Present in the Botanical Gardens unmissable. Picnic blankets and chairs, Prosecco and nachos, or just sitting on the grass; it didn’t matter how you approached the event, it was hugely enjoyable for everyone who came. Small children danced while the rest of us marvelled at the skills of the dancers and choreography involved in producing this show. It all took place in the stunning surroundings of the gardens and created a space amongst the trees, one that was at once both intimate and spacious, as the five young dancers told their stories. The entire performance was created by the performers themselves, all under the auspices of Tala-Lee Turton’s production company, who you may have seen interviewed in last month’s magazine, and who was one of the five dancers. They all worked with composer Grace Stubbings to create their own pieces, where each of the individuals were supported by the others to create their own personal dance narrative. That’s the real beauty of ballet and dance performances: it is a narrative that absolutely anyone, regardless of what language they speak, can understand, and even relate to. At the end of the show, the dancers took part in a Q&A, explaining further what they each hoped to get over to the audience, a lot of which related to the way the world sees women and young girls, and how some things need to change. That was the perfect way to do it, for me. I like to make up my own mind on what something is about before I get told what the intention was. Just like being in an art gallery, it’s always best to take a good look at the artwork before deciding whether to read those little cards that tell you what the artist intended. More of this, please. It was a perfect evening of outdoor summer entertainment.
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