REFERENCES & REVIEWS

 

• Viking Dance for Carinish Primary School, North Uist - Choreographer.

 

" I was really impressed by the performance of the pupils at this school on their Parents’ Evening. Laura Johnston had worked with the whole school on choreographing a dance to fit in with their theme of the Vikings. Their ages ranged from five years old to eleven.

 

Concept

This inclusive dance piece was designed to convey a historical representation of what is known about the Vikings and the effects of their invasions of our islands. The pupils were engrossed in their performance and moved with enjoyment, vitality and focus.

 

Choeography

Grouped in small serried lines, almost like waves, the pupils worked together in a complicated set of oppositional cris-crossing movements, using all the performance space, but confident about where they needed to get to next. The patterning here was ambitious, but the individual groups wove amongst each other moving with flowing posture, and holding themselves strongly, suggesting all the toughness and energies of sea-faring , hauling boats and oars, managing sails and rowing against strong currents. 

Quite complex syncopated rhythms were stamped out efficiently with their feet whilst they held their bodies erect and tall, making sudden sideways shifts, which built up the sense of menace and gathering pace. The sound of wind and wave enhanced this. As the performance built to a crescendo, there was a final, totally unexpected climax. The pupils faced the audience and gave out a terrifying roar, first shocking them and then giving way to delighted and prolonged applause.

 

 An electrifying accomplishment."

 

Mary Morrison, Board memeber of Taigh Chearsabhagh and local Uist artist.