Traverse Dance

The Traverse might be better known as a major Fringe venue and Edinburgh's home for new writing, but Dominic Hill, during his time as artistic director, opened up the theatre to an annual festival of dance. New artistic director Orla O'Loughlin continues this tradition: for its fourth year, Traverse Dance Festival blends visual theatre, contemporary music, film and animation to demonstrate how choreography knows no limits - and how some unexpected companies are enjoying dance's potential.

12 Dancers / Deliberance is the product of TV's Andy Howitt's ambition to choreography twelve of Scotland's top male dancers. Premiered in Aberdeen, it stars Iain Spink (sometime choreographer for Scottish Ballet), Norman Douglas (star of his own company), Matthew Hawkins (Michael Clark's "hip priest") and pretty much every male dancer who wasn't in David Hughes Dance's Chinaski Sessions. 

SMITHdancetheatre brought Agnes & Walter: a little love story to the 2011 Fringe: inspired by James Thurber's The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, it insists that Mitty's fantasy life isn't mere time-wasting but a dynamic creativity.

Greg Sinclair pops down from Stirling's macrobert with a Sonata For A Man and A Boy. Featuring hot cello action, it focuses on how even a simple music lesson can become an epiphany for both teacher and pupil.

Another Fringe success - this time from 2012 - is Smallpetitklein's Within This Dust. A triple bill of works inspired by Richard Drew's photographs of 9/11, Tommy Small's choreography is a bracing reminder of art's ability to disguise the truth and lend a poetry to darkness.


The Mighty Red Note Ensemble - not content with bangin' Bollywood and Glassing science fiction, go back to to the 14th century for a spot of Persian mysticism. The Intoxicating Rose Garden illustrates the poetry of Divan e Hafez through music, song, dance and animation. 

Leaping back up to date, Jonzi D is throwing a party of contemporary hip-hop. Artists promised on this bill include Big Tajj, Jackin' The Box and Freshmess.

TRAVERSE DANCE FESTIVAL 2012 - Listings information



SMITHdancetheatre
Agnes & Walter: a little love story

20 November / 7.30pm



A delightful flight of fancy that set the 2011 Edinburgh Festival Fringe alight with its poignant and compelling comic story-telling. Inspired by James Thurber’s classic story, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.

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Citymoves Dance Agency & Aberdeen Performing Arts
12 Dancers /Deliberance

21 November / 7.30pm



Guilty or not guilty? Set in a jury room over one night, 12 strangers come together. Slowly and sometimes explosively begin to express their opinions.

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Red Note Ensemble
The Intoxicating Rose Garden

By Divan e Hafez translated by Jila Peacock

22 November / 7.30pm



A new hybrid piece of music, song, dance and animated image inspired by poems by Hafez, the 14th century Persian mystic.

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Greg Sinclair and macrobert
Sonata For A Man and A Boy

Created by Greg Sinclair, Michael Sherin and Karen Tennent

23 November / 7pm & 24 November / 2.30pm



An everyday cello lesson becomes a journey into the unexpected for a boy who’s nearly twelve and a thirtysomething man.

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Smallpetitklein Dance Company
Within This Dust

Choreographed by Thomas Small

23 November / 7.30pm



A stunning blend of beautiful movement and subtle storytelling. 3 live works with dance, film and animation explore the events surrounding 9/11.

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Breakin' Convention
Open Art Surgery - Experiments in Hip Hop Theatre

Hosted by Jonzi D

24 November / 7.30pm



Delve into the mind and souls of some of Scotland’s finest hip hop artists as they dare to try something new, dangerous and exciting!