Wildly creative. Ambiguous Dance Company in The Belt – Past and Future

Coronet Theatre, London
September 10, 2024

‘Ambiguous’ can sound a little anodyne but it’s definitely not what Ambiguous Dance Company is. Their performance of The Belt – Past and Future at the Coronet Theatre is an experience like no other.

The show is in two parts: a theatre exploration, Past, followed by staged dance, Future. The introduction takes you hidden areas of the iconic Victorian theatre to experience dance creation close up and very personal. It’s a building with history oozing out of every corner, every worn staircase and distressed plaster wall: a space that has lived London’s history.

First to the past and into the cellars (the space used as an air raid shelter in war time) where, on a patch of cardboard in the dank stone box, the space becomes a ‘Struggle in Solitude’ for a powerful body releasing bursts of pent-up energy. The last of the sites is up on the rooftop pergola with Notting Hill nestled below. In the circular space, richly carpeted and cushioned, we reach the ‘Room of Identity’ where a white suited dancer with rainbow coloured facemask and socks gives a gentler performance.

The ‘Communication’ space is where the audience does its workout. Our guide, in mauve sequins and a winning smile, taught us moves we would see professionally performed on the theatre’s stage in the second half.

‘Creation’ is hosted by a pair of smartly suited dancers in the bar area, a well-loved space for regulars, decorated with an unimaginable array of previously loved items. First, in white chalk on a black board, a dancer devised a visual chart of Ravel’s Bolero before moving on to an innovative choreographed translation of the music. The dressing room for the chorus in bygone days is home to ‘Persistence,’ where a solo dancer perseveres with just four moves to create infinite musical interpretations.

Each room nurtures a gem of creativity. I’m sure this is what Einstein meant when he said, ‘Creativity is intelligence having fun.

Part two is pure dance. The performers: Kyungmin Jang, Hak Lee, SeonHwa Park, SoJeong Im, DeokYong Kim, GyuEun Han, Jisoo Gong, joined by choreographer Boram Kim, held our attention for just over an hour in a display of breathtaking energy and total commitment. Each deserves high praise and all got a spontaneous standing ovation.

The clever lighting by KyuYeon Hwang rings the changes with colour, style, shape and patterns much as Kim does with his structuring of the dance, and the space is alive to difference moods as the air clears or clouds. The music by HyeWon Choi, pulsates, generally at high volume with plenty of variants in texture and tone while the costumes gave proof positive of the group name: Ambiguous.

Each dancer becomes a fabulous creature, neither distinctly male or female, and while heads are mainly covered and all wear sunglasses there is no suggestion of uniformity except in the brilliance of the disciplined dance. The colour is black with materials varying from sheer voile and lace to dense leather look and plastic. The surface most often shiny and in infinite ways, a head covered in glitter net, or a totally sequined garment, a dense veiling or bare bottom; each is identifiable through their disguise.

Boram Kim’s hip-hop style references a wealth of other moves including ballet beats and turns. There were short solo moments where each dancer proved their worth and rare moments of stillness where dancers could catch their breath. Their stamina was truly awe inspiring and when they whipped off their head coverings and glasses at the curtain calls there was still energy to smile, laugh and wave.

These Korean dancers are a force of nature. I love their audacity, their phenomenal energy and most of all, their wild, fantastic creativity that so often make perfect sense. Don’t miss it!

The Belt – Past and Future by Ambiguous Dance Company is at the Coronet Theatre, London to September 14, 2024.