DANCE & PHYSICAL THEATRE
Showing @ Assembly Hall, until 29 Aug @ 4:00pm
One of the major influences at this year’s Edinburgh International Festival is the East. This trend can of course be seen at the Fringe, with numerous acts keen to share what Eastern culture is really all about. Choreographed by Soo-Hoo Kook, whose work has been performed on the world stage in events such as the Beijing 2008 Olympics, Didim Dance Company are celebrating their Korean traditions with every kind of drum you can possibly imagine.
Despite the bare set, a careful combination of clever lighting and bright costumes makes this show visual in a way that stimulates the imagination. The troupe manage to capture a range of moods, from harsh macho men preparing for battle, to delicate ladies with fanning their way through the smokey mountains like fairies. The energy is absolutely immense, with the dancers twisting and jumping frantically, all the while performing some other task like drumming or spinning a giant ribbon on top of their heads – something that clearly requires huge amounts of talent as well as immaculately planned choreography.
But this is not just choreographed dancing – it’s choreographed drumming. Every single action is considered and deliberate with ritualistic grace and beauty, creating iconic montages synonymous with Korean culture. The military precision of movements and rhythms has to be seen to be believed, with each drummer moving every inch of their bodies in unison with the others, creating a spectacle that is nothing short of mesmerising. The drumming – both aurally and visually – is often too fast to even register, and yet it is all-consuming, beating right through into your soul. These are clearly performers who have put in enormous amounts of practice under strict discipline, coming across as exuding professionalism. Infectious, inspiring and captivating, this is a show not to be missed.
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