Sadler's Wells latest triple bill, Destino, opened with a new work by choreographer Hofesh Schechter, The Empire's Fall. From beginning to end of this 30 minute piece the audience was gripped by the physicality and dynamism of the six men on stage. The choreography which is characteristically minimalist in style does not abide by any strict narrative, but it is far from abstract. Through a select choice of elemental moves that are repeated and performed both in solo and in unison Schechter creates a piece of theatre that is a careful and perceptive meditation upon the evolution of mankind. He fuses criticism with humour in his account and sets it to a fast-paced percussive digital soundtrack. His portrayal of modern Man sees the six men isolated, each dancing alone under a single beam of light.
      Head-banging techno music and short, quick movements render them robotic - a reference perhaps to Marxist alienation of the worker in this mechanic, monotonous capitalist mill. Schechter takes his point a step further by juxtaposing these scenes with others that see men feigning madness, with gestures and expressions that point to schizophrenia in a disturbingly real way. The individualism and solitude of contemporary society is interspersed with group dances that point to a more communal, collective past. Moving in unison to time, in tribal folkloric sequences and sinuous floorwork, the men are graceful, elegant and compelling . Primeval man makes an appearance in the form of convincing monkey moves across the stage, but other motifs such as Christ on the cross and Master and Slave are less successful. All the cast are impressive but the stars of the show are the award-winning Ethiopian dancers Addisu Demissie and Junaid Jemal Sendi, who, with this piece, make their debut in London.
The agility and finesse of Demissie and Sendhi are honoured in the next work, A Holding Space, which sees them dancing a moving duet choreographed by Russell Maliphant and Adam Benjamin. As a follow-on from Schechter's more general take on the story of man, this piece serves well as a tribute to two very specific stories that of the journey of the two dancers and that of the friendship between the two choreographers. Here we see much more body contact as the men move seamlessly from one embrace to the next.
      The final piece, Full Circle, draws upon the energies of Destino's co-producer Dance United, an organisation famous for its superb work with marginalised people, and responsible for taking Demissie and Sendi from the streets of Addis Ababa to the stage of Sadler's Wells. Central to the piece are two beautiful orchestral works performed live by the Royal Philharmonic Samuel Barber's Essay No 1 and Leonard Bernstein's On the Waterfront Suite. Choreographed by Tara-Jane Herbert and Susannah Broughton this is an interesting and unusual composition which sees over 120 dancers of all ages fill the stage in a fast-paced tale of battles and peace.
        Destino is an important production that is the result of three years of hard work. It uses the beauty of contemporary dance to touch on many themes that are so poignant in today's world.
Florence Mackenzie