Dep is the Vietnamese word for beautiful. Here the UK-based choreographer Dam Van Huynh explores influences from his South East Asian heritage. In Vietnamese culture, death is also a form of rebirth.
They begin in a silent, naked line, staring implacably at the audience. The silence stretched, there were a few nervous giggles, but the audience were caught in their placid stares. Then we hear a Vietnamese woman sing and they break into movement. 3 of the performers tilt and flop, unable to support themselves. The other try to help maintain them. They continue to a running section which seems to be in hope, then convulsions, return to co-ordination and exhaustion. From a silent initial section, we move to a hypnotic score by Martyna Poznanska. Lighting adds greatly to the show, culminating in a strobe which leads to their exhaustion.
The progress from naked vulnerability to support and nurture of each other to a powerful end echoes the rebirth ideas the choreographer has developed from his return to Vietnam.
Derek Benfield