The Bite Magazine - Autumn/Winter 2022 - Issue 32

biteperformance ing in was the final part. The entire ensemble showed community in a shared movement of body-folded arms-push. It was reminiscent of a West African move I know of, but not after the supporting cast danced movements indicating non-acceptance, ignorance and regard of the main characters' immigrant statuses as being invisible. Powerful stuff! Other stories told of how the trauma of loss and departure could lead to mental ill health and even turning to narcotics as a means to cope. Again emotive scenes, the dancing was quite a gentle but impacting way to convey the untold voices of those from another land. The main dance characters (comprising of Kristina and Sadé Alleyne, Bryan Doisy, Gior- gia Gasparetto, Juan Jesus Giraldi and Iro Kon- ti) each showed either resilience, strength, finding community or some angst and mental health issues that such traumatic life events can trigger in such beautiful movements and dance forms. I reflected that I regretted my chance of also watching their Close to Home performance. It was a similar regional project, drawing on the same themes but working with presenting venues to highlight the diversity and culture within their local areas. It involved an intergen- erational cast of 200-400 local performers ex- ploring the stories of Lewisham as part of 'We Are Lewisham' in partnership with The Albany and IRIE! Dance Theatre, and in association with Dance Umbrella and Trinity Laban, earli- er in October 2022. To encapsulate and lyrically direct all these amazing movements of stories and emo- tions was the music composed and directed by Giuliano Modarelli, which was acoustical- ly charming and, at the right times, poignant to the ears, driving the narrative forward. At the end of the performance, an adjudicator stepped out and awarded the sisters and team a Best Short Dance award for their 2020 film (Re) United, which had me compelled to want to know more about this dance company pow- erhouse even further. The Place in central London, close to Euston station, is a venue that strives to “develop, nur- ture and celebrate dance ideas and experienc- es for all.” Given its intimacy, it was the right venue to stage Far from Home . Check out The Place website to see What’s On at: https://the- place.org.uk . Catch Far from Home touring in spring 2023, with their first performance at DanceEast and Jerwood DanceHouse in Ipswich, on 21 April. www.alleynedance.com/home