MARTIN Robinson's body appears to have a mind of its own. Standing in a square of light on the Brunton Theatre stage, his torso moves independently, muscles rising and falling to the sound of a steady heartbeat, followed by undulating arms which give
the illusion of countless tiny bones clicking in and out of place.
The driving force behind Martial Dance, Robinson brings together two seemingly disparate worlds: contemporary dance and martial arts. With a spot of body-popping thrown in for good measure. Yet on him, they slot together perfectly. A karate-style high kick or deep lunge flowing into graceful arms as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Robinson's solo, Yin + Yang showed us one side of his dance vocabulary, with deep reggae beats provoking funky struts and shadow boxing. Meanwhile, male/female duet The Other took us into far more contemporary territory. Ross McCrae's beautiful orchestral score serving as the backdrop for this wartime drama, in which dancer Cat Casbon plays the dutiful but unfulfilled wife to Robinson's army husband. As the score grows bolder, so to does Casbon, finally finding herself – and her smile – at the climax.
The choreography, while always easy on the eye, feels a little safe at times. The occasional lift and close interaction hinting at the power these two could harness if they came together more often and took a few more risks.
The full article contains 242 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
