Words: Elodie Marriott

3 stars

Inspired by 1920s New York, Dance N’Speak Easy has hip-hop tricks that are bound to impress. The routines do well to reflect the tones of the loose story, portraying seduction, possessiveness, and drunken fighting. So far so family friendly.

Aside from these themes, there are comedic interludes where the group splinters into solos and duets that are aimed at a younger audience. There’s dance slapstick with high-pitched voices, men attempting splits, and mock fights over a chair. But after these sections, the dark and sultry dances return, and are best suited for a different age range.

While the contrasting moods are both separately interesting, this mash can be a little jarring. The crew swig excessively from prop bottles and perform an intoxicated dance battle which is well-acted and appears genuinely realistic. There’s also a burlesque-type dance and a long interval where she repeatably rejects the men’s relentless pursuit through dance.

There are many different dance styles on display throughout the show, though most of the routines consist of breakdance moves. From Windmills to Shoulder Spinouts, the crew perform of variety of impressive tricks and freezes that are executed skilfully and entertainingly. Dance N’Speak Easy’s crew are highly enthusiastic and endlessly energetic.

Dance N’Speak Easy,
Underbelly, Bristo Square – McEwan Hall,
15:25
Aug 8-13, 15-19, 21-26,