The Yorke Dance Project’s latest performance, “Modern Milestones,” presents a compelling evening of dance that embraces serious themes without a moment of frivolity. A stark contrast to the holiday cheer that often dominates the season, this program offers four pieces that reflect the grittier side of modern dance, providing both intellectual depth and emotional weight.
A Journey Through Dance History
The evening opened with a collection of works spanning nearly nine decades, starting with Martha Graham’s “Deep Song” from 1937. A powerful tribute to the Spanish Civil War, the piece is known for its mournful and anguished tone, performed here with intense precision by Amy Thake. Her movements, tight and angular, evoked a deep sense of sorrow, capturing the essence of Graham’s legacy. Yet, while Graham’s work remains iconic, it can be challenging to strip away its reverence and recapture the immediacy it once had.
Following Graham, the evening explored Robert Cohan’s 2015 duet, which portrays Christ and Mary in a moment of shared grief. The black-clad dancers exude deep sorrow, their expressive movement inviting the audience to reflect on the emotional weight of the story. Another highlight was “Kinaesonata,” a 1970 work by Bella Lewitzky, which showcased an energetic clash of geometric precision and fluid motion. The dancers, dressed in striking sportswear, bounded and leapt across the stage with the vitality of deer on the hunt, their movements sharp and deliberate.
New Choreography Adds Spark
After the interval, the energy shifted with the premiere of “Troubadour” by renowned choreographer Christopher Bruce, who at 80 years old, continues to infuse vitality into the world of dance. Set to the music of Leonard Cohen’s 2008 live performance at the O2, the work blends sensuality with raw emotion. The lighting, heavy with smoke and amber hues, set the stage for a narrative of rough romance, with dancers dressed in sleek charcoal suits and elegant red dresses. The choreography saw playful interactions, from tap dancing to dramatic spins, offering a lively contrast to the more somber first half of the program.
In “Troubadour,” the dancers’ movements mirrored the fluidity of Cohen’s music—boisterous yet introspective, sensual yet melancholic. Carina Howard and Jonathan Goddard stood out with their flirtatious, heavy-footed movements, capturing the essence of Cohen’s romantic and often gritty worldview. The piece, though male-skewed, paid homage to the disillusioned artist, evoking Cohen’s iconic themes of love and loss.
Through “Modern Milestones,” the Yorke Dance Project offers a potent combination of history and innovation, bringing modern dance’s emotional depth and muscularity into focus. With performances ranging from the haunting legacy of Graham to the bold creativity of Bruce, the evening proves that serious dance continues to evolve while maintaining its profound ability to resonate with contemporary audiences.
Royal Opera House, to Jan 22; rbo.org.uk
