What to watch in July: Free dance online

Presented last October at Sadler’s Wells as part of Dance Umbrella Festival 2023, watch the full performance of South African dance company Via Katlehong‘s intoxicating and pulsating show Via Injabulo.

Mixing house dance and top rock with pantsula, a South African township dance, Marco da Silva Ferreira’s (Portugal) førm inførms examines the idea of collective identity. In Emaphakathini, Amala Dianor (Senegal/France) seeks to break down borders with a feast of rousing beats from live on-stage DJing, drawing on traditional dance techniques to explore the individual personalities within the Via Katlehong company.

If Via Injabulo has you wanting more, make sure to check out the post-show talk recorded at Sadler’s Wells and Marco da Silva Ferreira’s CARCAÇA, which is coming to Sadler’s Wells next February in partnership with Dance Umbrella.

A collaboration between British Turner prize-winning artist Mark Leckey and Northern Irish dance artist, Oona Doherty, who has previously presented her works at Dance Umbrella Festival over the years, including Hard to Be Soft – A Belfast Prayer (Southbank Centre, 2019); Hope Hunt and the Ascension Into Lazarus (The Yard, 2019); Navy Blue (Sadler’s Wells, 2022) and a number of dance films she has made with her regular collaborator Luca Truffarelli.

In this film, Oona dances a solo in London’s Tate Britain to a haunting soundscape created by Mark Leckey.

Shot in rural Colombia, Victor Bastidas’ short film centres a girl’s indomitable urge to dance to Champeta, despite her father’s objections – and her complex efforts to connect through music.

Acknowledging the deep feeling and emotion that underscores Latin American music – yet often forgotten in its representation – Ecuadorian director Bastidas sought to distance Salsa, Champeta, Reggaeton and Dembow from the sexualized narratives that commonly accompany the genres. Striking a fine balance between comedy and fiction with working class characters as the heroes of Latin American storytelling, Bastidas deconstructs the region’s music heritage and its connotations.

In January 2023 at Sadler’s Wells, internationally recognised dancer and choreographer Jules Cunningham (Julie Cunningham & Company) swept audiences into an intimate journey through space and time.

This work was captured in an empty theatre and is now released on Sadler’s Wells Digital Stage, allowing you to discover this contemporary dance piece for free. featuring Harry Alexander (Michael Clark Company), Melanie C (Spice Girls) and Jules Cunningham (Julie Cunningham & Company).

Set in the urban metropolis of London, Toke, is an intimate portrait of Danish-born dancer Toke Broni Strandby. Director NONO expertly visualises the emotionally layered journey we endure to fulfill our dreams while exploring themes of identity, contemporary alienation, and acceptance. An inspiring story about triumph, Toke, is a celebration of the beautiful resilience of the human spirit.

A child wandering alone in a desolate realm meets a faceless, militaristic lineup that transforms her into a woman. HYDRA is an experimental dance narrative exploring themes of identity, herd mentality, and indoctrination, directed and choreographed by Erin S. Murray.