Scratch Night | Sun 26 March | 19:30
After a sell-out launch in Autumn 2023, Scratch Night returned for Spring 2023 with a brand-new line up of outstanding artists.
Dance Base Scratch Night is a unique platform in Edinburgh that brings live dance work to audiences and creates a supportive platform for dance and movement artists to try out ideas on the stage, experiment with an audience and share their work with their peers, the sector and the public.
Curated by independent artist Lewis Normand, the evening featured work by Max Evans, David Yates, Anya Sirina and Marios Ento-Engkolo.
The evening was hosted by Lewis Normand and Dance Base Artistic Director Tony Mills. The hosts created a safe space for artists to receive feedback from the audience and facilitated conversations.
There was an interval with networking drinks which allowed everyone to connect and rejoice in the same physical space.
The second Scratch Night was another sell-out, with friends, family and peers coming together to enjoy a showcase of the fantastic breadth of work being made in Scotland today.
Dualism by Marios Ento-Engkolo
This performance idea is inspired by my experience as a gay, mixed-race man (Black/Caucasian) living in a Greek white family and society. This prompted me to observe the concept of duality or the idea of two extreme energies, whose qualities are felt in all facets of life. Even though any pair of conflicting forces seem to be against each other, they also depend on one another for their existence.
In the human experience, this tension creates a constant movement through multiple spectrums that can be a source of change, pain and laughter. However, the lack of movement, through our personal and collective multiple spectrums, usually leads to stagnation and unfulfillment.
The question I am posing is, what is your set of opposing forces and how does this pull feel?
Collaborators:
Divine Amy Tasinda, Mentor
Marie-Claude Laffitte, Producer
Broken Circuit by Max Evans
“Broken Circuit” is a cutting-edge hip-hop and contemporary dance piece, presented as a solo performance by choreographer and dancer Max Evans. The work delves into the theme of our relationship with artificial intelligence, as AI increasingly permeates our daily lives and provides assistance in various areas such as work and productivity. It raises the question of whether AI can ever be used to fulfil our emotional needs. The piece transports the audience to a futuristic, yet familiar world through a vibrant soundscape. It delves into the themes of love, affection, and companionship and raises questions about why we seek these things, and whether there is a distinction between biological and artificial relationships.
Audience warning: the show may contain strong language and sexual references.
Contain by Anya Sirina
Anya and Elidyr first collaborated National Dance Company Wales’s Laboratori Week creating a short film PWYSO (pronounced [puy-soh]) – a choreography exploring tension – repetition – release. They will now perform their choreography to a live audience!
Lead Artist: Anya Sirina
Collaborator: Elan Elidyr, Dancer
Throat by Daniel Davidson
Scratch Night at Dance Base marks Daniel’s first performance since departing from Rambert Dance Company to focus on creating work. His piece this evening continues his exploration of his choreographic voice which offers a new perspective on sexuality and gender. ‘Throat’ is a work in progress influenced by change, loss, grief, strength and vulnerability.
Dualism by Marios Ento-Engkolo
Marios is a Glasgow-based dance artist, who is interested in storytelling and emotional expression through movement. Marios is half Greek and Half Cameroonian and he was born and raised in Athens, Greece. His journey with movement started in 2017 and has become the primary medium of expression, connection and release ever since. Marios has worked with many artists ranging from Street Dance, such as Hip-Hop and Afrobeats, to Contemporary and Experimental movement. Experimental dance and contemporary performance really convey his love for movement, as everything is possible and every expression is allowed as long as it is honest. The particular dance style allows him to combine many different art forms, as well as connect with what feels, presently, authentic. Marios has taken part in various projects and programs, such perform for the European Championships in 2018 with Ignite Theatre, DIG 2022 with the dance company Three60, in which he has been a member since the beginning of his journey. Lastly, he undertook the Dancers Emerging Bursary Scheme 2022 at Dance Base, where he was under the mentoring of Mele Broomes.
Broken Circuit by Max Evans
Contain by Anya Sirina with Elan Elidyr
Anya Sirina is a performance artist and choreographer based in Glasgow. In her work, Anya plays with the audience-performer relationship to explore the dichotomy of vulnerability and empowerment. Anya saturates her movements with meaning through the use of repetition, creating an atmosphere of changeability or flux wherein actions seem violent, sensual and humorous all at once. Audience and performer travel through meanings and power dynamics together in an attempt to reach a catharsis. Anya’s choreographic practice attempts to marry the cerebral and visceral, creating profound movement compositions driven by conceptual and visual narratives of transformation.
Throat by Daniel Davidson
Daniel was born in Edinburgh, Scotland and trained at The Dance School of
Scotland and Millennium Performing Arts. He joined Scottish Ballet in 2005 where he performed works by renowned choreographers such as Richard Alston, George Balanchine, Matthew Bourne, Trisha Brown, Christopher Bruce, Jorma Elo, William Forsythe, Christopher Hampson, Kenneth MacMillan, Hans van Manen, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Ashley Page, Krzysztof Pastor, Stephen Petronio & Twyla Tharp amongst others.
In 2014 Daniel joined Rambert and has performed in works by Mark Baldwin, Christopher Bruce, Kim Brandstrup, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Merce Cunningham, Ben Duke, Sharon Eyal & Gai Behar, Andonis Foniadakis, Hofesh Shechter, Wayne McGregor, Imre & Marne van Opstal, Jo Strømgren, Marion Motin, Shobana Jeyasingh, Didy Veldman, Wim Vandekeybus & Alexander Whitley amongst others. Daniel now works as a freelance artist and choreographer.
His choreographic work includes:
‘Doublespeak’ – performed as part of The National Theatre’s River Stage Festival.
‘DIAL/LOG’ – created for the MCC Showcase evening in Malta
‘Siren’ and ‘Auto-continuance’ – commissioned by Covent Garden Dance Company
‘MOTHER’ for Rambert’s Blueprints.
‘Heavenly Bodies’ created for the Ballet Nights Gala in London.
‘HOVER’ for National Youth Ballet at Sadler’s Wells (2022).
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