Init: The Warm-Up Project review – The pre-performance takes centre stage

INIT: THE WARM-UP PROJECT

The Lir Academy
★★★☆☆
Seeing dancers warm-up when entering the theatre is nothing new. But in Init, that internal and individual exercise continues after the safety announcement, becoming the focus of Lucia Kickham's choreography. All three dancers display individual approaches to warming-up: Nerea Gurrutxaga bounces on the spot, energising her body with breath and motion; Alessandra Ruggeri's tai chi-like movements show an inward focus on muscles and sinews; and Alish Maher stands in stillness, in both mental and physical preparation.

Listening is the primary sense, not just to DJ Robbie Kitt’s live mixing, but to their bodies, as simple movements are repeated and slowly travel to different body parts, constantly evolving into new forms. It is all very individual – even eye contact is minimal – and each performer has her own struggle, until eventually all three settle into an accommodating unison and satisfying conclusion. Passing up rhetoric, Init is nonetheless an eloquent recognition of symbiosis and community.

Runs as part of the Dublin Fringe Festival until Monday, September 16th