Dragons [Eun-Me Ahn Dance Company] – Review – Bradford Alhambra Theatre

By Christine Goode, March 2025

The Eun-Me Ahn Dance Company, led by the visionary Korean choreographer and dancer Eun-Me Ahn, has taken the UK by storm with its latest tour. Scheduled for only eight exclusive dates, this tour included a much-anticipated performance in Bradford, proudly designated as the 2025 City of Culture – and I had the pleasure of attending.

Eun-Me Ahn’s illustrious dance journey began in 1974, marking the onset of a career that would see her become one of Korea’s most celebrated artistic figures. As the founder and driving force behind the dance company, she has continually pushed the boundaries of contemporary dance. Her latest masterpiece, Dragons, brings a fresh and exhilarating experience to the UK audience and features Eun-Me Ahn herself, demonstrating her enduring passion and unparalleled talent.

“Style and energy”

Dragons is not just a dance performance, it is a sensory spectacle, we are immersed in a world of ultramodern and thought-provoking set designs. The stage is adorned with large silver tubes, creating a futuristic landscape that sets the tone for the entire performance. A permanent gauze serves as a canvas for projecting images, seamlessly integrating digital art with live dance. A combination that creates a dynamic and captivating visual experience that is both intriguing and enchanting.

The performance features an outstanding ensemble of eight live dancers, each bringing their unique style and energy to the stage. Complementing these live performers are six hologram dancers. The lighting design, music, costumes are all full-on with surprises along the way, beautiful flowing fabrics worn by both male and female dancers, adding yet another layer of visual intrigue. The choreography is strong, clever, and unique, notably one favourite being an optical illusion with six dancers and some nifty work with extraordinarily long costumes gives the appearance of the woman suddenly becoming about 10 ft long!

“Transformative”

Following the performance, Eun-Me Ahn holds a Q&A session, offering the audience a unique opportunity to delve deeper into the creative process behind Dragons. She discusses the innovative concept of virtual dancers, explaining how the integration of holograms and live performers enhances the storytelling and creates a more immersive experience. An amazing lady who I could listen to all evening, she also explains how she allows a section in each show for the dancers to share their personal goals and aspirations, providing insight into the dedication that drives their passion for dance. This is the first time I have seen this in a production and personally, I loved this section, as each dancer spoke in their native language with the projected translation in English whilst they moved freely, it was a refreshing change that allowed us to see how each artist began their dance career.

By bringing Dragons to the UK for the first time, Eun-Me Ahn not only displays her exceptional talent but also offers audiences a unique opportunity to experience the transformative power of contemporary dance. Each performance is a testament to the boundless creativity and dedication of Eun-Me Ahn and her dancers, and certainly left myself and the rest of the audience inspired and enthralled, I couldn’t wait to get to work this morning and tell my students about this phenomenal show, and encourage them to go see it!

images: Sukmu Yun

Christine Goode( Writer )

Christine Goode founded her own dance school – The May School of Dance & Theatre Arts over three decades ago. Her dedication to teaching and love of dance, has created many successful artists in the industry, and she is delighted that many of her former students have now returned with their children, allowing them to also discover this beautiful art. She has choreographed, produced and directed shows over the last 36 years, and is devoted to all live theatre and music. Now in her third year of writing about her obsession with the arts, Christine loves to encourage everyone to see as much live theatre as possible.
maydanceschool.co.uk

You do not have any posts.