Rambert X (LA)HORDE - Bring Your Own

Rambert returned to Lowry this week with Bring Your Own, an evening of dance created in collaboration with French collective (LA)HORDE. I haven’t seen Rambert perform before, though I do know of them, so I was eager to see what kind of style and performance they do. From the title of this particular show, we can get a few hints at what’s to come - like themes of individuality, freedom and a sense of community.

Bring Your Own is a programme of three very different pieces, creating a show that is raw, energetic and unapologetically bold. The performance opened with Hop(e)storm, which channels the rhythms and spirit of the Lindy Hop through a modern lens. Here, the group’s energy was infectious, with flashes of playfulness set against pulsing beats. It felt like a celebration and a protest rolled into one, the kind of piece that made you want to move in your seat. It was a great piece to start with and really grabbed the audience’s attention from the get-go.

Next came Weather is Sweet, which turned the stage into something far more intimate. With themes of consent and sex-positivity running through it, the choreography was sensual and questioning, with duets that made you lean in closer. The dancers brought a vulnerability to this piece that contrasted sharply with the defiance of the opener, and I loved how it shifted the tone of the evening so completely.

The final act, an extract from Room With a View, was by far the most powerful. Here the stage became a place of uprising, the company moving together in a whirlwind of protest and rebellion. At times, the intensity filled every corner of the theatre and it was impossible to look away. This was dance at its most visceral – fierce, loud and thought-provoking.

The stage itself was completely bare, with only the black curtains lining the walls of the stage. This simplicity meant the focus stayed on the dancers, while the lighting design by Eric Wurtz took charge in creating atmosphere. From bright floods of light that revealed the whole company, to moody red tones and sharp spotlights isolating just one or two performers, the changes shaped the drama as much as the movement. Costumes by Salomé Poloudenny, in street-inspired muted tones, reinforced the feeling of a collective rather than a set of individuals.

I didn’t have a particular standout moment as each piece was completely different. What I enjoyed was the stark contrast between each, and the sheer talent of the dancers across these different styles and routines. From the full group performing together to make a power and energetic moment, to quiet duets that slowed the mood right down. That balance of chaos and calm ran throughout the evening, and it was one of the things that kept me engaged.

The music, by Pierre Aviat and RONE, was just as much a character in the show as the dancers. Heavy bass, distorted sounds and sudden silences created a rhythm that drove the performance forward and made the whole experience feel physical, even from the stalls. At times it felt relentless, but the dancers’ total commitment never let the energy drop.

Rambert, led by Chief Executive Helen Shute and Artistic Director Benoit Swan Pouffer, has a reputation for pushing boundaries, and Bring Your Own is proof of that. It’s daring, urgent and at times challenging, but it’s also thrilling and full of heart.

WE SCORE BRING YOUR OWN...