Beats on Pointe: Masters of Choreography – Assembly George Square

In this extravaganza of fabulousness, the outrageously skilled members of the Australian dance company, Masters of Choreography, seamlessly combine a boundless range of dance and performance disciplines including hip hop, ballet, commercial, breakdancing, and more.

Sometimes they synchronise with each other’s moves in different styles, with the ballerinas adapting newer dance styles to perform en pointe. A particularly exciting moment involves a break dancer spinning on his head while, behind him, three ballerinas pirouette in unison. The athleticism of the performers is astounding, with gymnastic backflips, leaps, and lifts galore. The ballet team enters a dance showdown with the hip-hop team, and the hip-hop group seems to win, though I’m not sure why. Even seemingly casual movements are choreographed, as evidenced by performers mirroring each other’s moves.

The multitalented group impress with their other performance skills,  including singing, drumming, and some enjoyable moments of physical comedy.

The tunes just keep on coming.  The soundtrack includes music from a huge range of artists including Beyonce, Mike Ronson, Michael Jackson (with moonwalking en pointe), Eminem, and a splash of Tchaikovsky to boot.

The costume team are kept on their toes with frequent outfit changes, providing a nonstop stream of eye catching colour, sparkle and variety, all mixed up with stylish casualwear. Some of my favourite looks included contrasting neon tutus, light up shoelaces, and (I confess), the shirtless outfits worn by the men from time to time.

I’d had a tough day before I went to see this show, and it was just what I needed to brighten my mood. I felt like I had spent an hour in an alternative universe of dance and colour, and I left on a high, feeling uplifted, refreshed, and full of hope.

Reviewer: Wendy McEwan

Reviewed: 21st August 2023

North West End UK Rating: