How one can Construct a Universe is a high-concept present. Think about you have been one of many previous few survivors on the planet after an apocalyptic occasion, and also you get up in a special dimension altogether, a tabula rasa dominated by a disembodied voice giving instructions to construct a brand new civilisation, hopefully higher than the final. That’s the setup of this new dance-theatre present from choreographer Jamaal Burkmar.

Burkmar’s final present for his firm Prolonged Play was the enjoyably feelgood Donuts, influenced by 90s and 00s sitcoms and the on a regular basis lifetime of three buddies. In contrast, this one swerves into sci-fi territory. The narrator-god determine seems to be the final exile from Earth, fumbling via making an attempt to construct a brand new utopia, however people maintain making the identical errors. There’s quite a bit happening right here: existential threats, grief, flawed humanity, historical past repeating itself, our insignificance within the grand scale of the universe. However it’s all taking place within the voiceover (impressed by Invoice Bryson’s A Quick Historical past of Almost Every part) reasonably than within the choreography.

The 5 dancers are named however stay largely nameless, brightened up by their vibrant boiler fits. The themes of this experiment dance in organised sequences (my notes say “mechanical funk”) till they quietly insurgent, then lastly rid of the established methods can start to assume for themselves, to take a look at one another, to hear and reply to one another’s actions, to bounce collectively. You’ll be able to see the shift within the choreography and a message about group. New dancers of various ages be a part of the group, all studying from each other. The motion model, exhausting to place in a field, has an off-the-cuff, vernacular really feel.

The power escalates after which ebbs, however there’s no drama (that could be a part of the purpose: no extra drama!) The dance doesn’t rise to take the place of the lacking creator’s voice, and the music by producer Jameszoo typically successfully underlines the temper, typically much less so, particularly the damp squib ending. There’s a very good massive thought right here and it’s important to love the ambition, however what could possibly be an epic journey presently feels too small.

At ACE Dance and Music, Birmingham, 22-23 March

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