National Youth Dance Company: Wall

Sadler’s Wells, London
July 14, 2024

The National Youth Dance Company has become known for its high quality, innovative dance pieces. Wall is no exception. Directed by award-winning guest director, Oona Doherty, the piece was devised over four residencies, with a group of 32 young dancers between the ages of 16-24, drawn from across the country.

Wall is a depiction of youth greatness in Britain, shown through a weaving design of repetitive movement, resistance, and stamina. Stamina is certainly needed. At one point, the dancers are lined-up across the back of the stage, and move downstage, maintaining the line, by falling forwards and getting-up over and over again. This repetition by design, is mesmerising, if over-extended.

The National Youth Dance Company in Wall
Photo Manuel Vason

The work starts, or rather, doesn’t start, with about eight minutes of the dancers sitting on the stage, in groups, hardly moving, while a voice tonelessly repeats words that appear on a screen at the back of the stage. It is overplayed, and becomes boring and pointless; and while repetition is a key theme of the piece, there is too much for too long.

The dancers are outstanding. Their coherence was stunning, creating visual effects by moving as a group, shaping and reshaping the ‘Wall,’ defining and redefining what greatness in Britain means to them.

Less impressive is the lighting design by John Gunning, dark throughout with groups and individuals intermittently spotlighted. Indeed, so much more could have been done to add depth and character to the stage, which was presented as an unadorned black box.

Overall, the piece itself felt like a beta version that now needs editing and refining, although it certainly deserves a future in repertoire.

But Wall certainly made for an impressive showcase for the amazing talent of the National Youth Dance Company’s 2024 cohort of 32 young dancers. We will surely see many of them again, as professional dancers, in the years ahead.

The National Youth Dance Company are touring Wall until the end of the July 2024.