One of the positive things that came out of our COVID lockdown time was the abundance of resources that became available online to stream. Living in a rural area of Costa Rica where it is a difficult drive on crowded and limited highways to get into live theatre and dance events in San Jose, I am so pleased when I discover venues streaming events.
Dance Umbrella is London’s annual international dance festival, now in its 48th season. It has both an in-person and a digital online presence. While the live performances are over, the digital part will run through November 30. If you are lucky enough to be reading this blog before November 30th you can get a digital pass and experience the diversity of videos available by going to https://danceumbrella.co.uk/digital-pass/
For the past two weeks I have been widening my understanding of what is happening in the international world of dance. Works have certainly pushed my boundaries, and I have found some pieces to be totally engrossing but others difficult to follow.
A general observation is that many artists need to express the anguish they are currently experiencing, especially those in a war-torn environment. Also, I don’t recall any video of a performance done in a traditional dance space. There are lots of examples of industrial spaces or outdoor natural environments being used for filming. Not all of the films were recent, and in fact my favorite film, Outside In, is from 1994.
Outside In (choreographer Victoria Marks; filmmaker Margaret Williams) is a landmark work from Candoco Dance Company which features a cast of disabled and non-disabled dancers. It was commissioned for the BBC and Arts Council England’s Dance for Camera series. It’s an amazing film using the camera in very innovative ways. It has won many awards and was a highlight of the festival for me. I am so glad this classic was included. I found the duets had amazing moves and were just plain fun to watch.
An outstanding performer in the film is David Toole (1964 -2020). David was a paraplegic postman in Leeds, England who was plucked from a dance workshop with Candoco to become a member of the company. His strength in the film was incredible to watch, along with his artistic sensitivity to the other company members. Below are two screenshots of David dancing with another dancer.
Outside In was the only film that I watched more than once or found inspiring. I was glad to see the others just to get an idea of different dance films. All of them made unique use of the camera with the movement. There are also panel discussions to watch and a 72-minute documentary about the contribution of Afro-Andalusian communities to music, dance and cultural expression.
The Artistic Director of the Festival is Freddie Opoku-Addaie. This is his sixth season in that position. He has had a relationship with the Festival since 1996, performing in it and attending it. To learn more about him check out this recent interview: https://danceartjournal.com/2026/09/21/a-close-look-at-dance-umbrella-2026/