Symphony of Light is an ambitious faith-based dance production which takes stories, imagery and messages from the Bible and translates them into movement. Rather than presenting these stories through conventional dialogue, the company uses contemporary dance, ballet, flags, visual projections and aerial performance to explore themes of faith, light and the human relationship with God.
At the centre of the production is the idea of Jesus as a guiding light, with the dancers taking us through a series of biblical and spiritual scenes. It is an interesting concept for a dance production, particularly because the company doesn’t restrict itself to one form of movement. Different styles and visual techniques are brought together to create what feels almost like a moving collection of biblical illustrations.
This show was only appearing at the Fringe for a very brief two-day run, so I made sure I managed to squeeze it into my diary. I’m pleased I did, because there was a lot of creativity on display and some very talented dancers bringing these stories to life.
The dancers tell much of the story through their bodies. Movement becomes the language of the production, with the choreography interpreting different moments from the Bible and expressing the emotions behind them.
A large projection screen at the back of the performance space plays an important role throughout, providing imagery, narration and video. This helps give context to the individual sequences and guides the audience through the different stories without taking attention away from the live performance happening in front of us.
The opening did cause me a little confusion. For approximately the first 30 seconds, no stage lights came on and I initially wondered whether there was a technical problem. Eventually the lighting appeared and the production got properly underway. If the darkness was intentional, I think this needed to be communicated more clearly through sound or another theatrical device, as there was definitely a moment where I wondered whether something had gone wrong.
Once underway, however, there was plenty to admire.
Choreographer Karen Hill has incorporated an impressive variety of disciplines into the production. Alongside contemporary movement and ballet, there are sequences involving flags and even performance using a freestanding aerial hoop.
The variety works well because it means we never quite know what form the next section is going to take. It also allows the dancers to demonstrate a broad range of skills rather than the production relying upon one particular dance style.
The skill of the dancers was impressive and a testament to the work that has clearly gone into creating the production. There is control, flexibility and confidence across the company, but there is also a sense that the performers genuinely connect with the material they are presenting. The faith at the centre of Symphony of Light doesn’t simply feel like a theme added to a dance show; it feels integral to why the production exists.
One of my favourite sections was the depiction of Adam and Eve.
I thought this was particularly cleverly directed. It takes a story that most people will already recognise and finds a physical way of communicating it without needing to explain everything through words. The choreography allows the audience to understand what is happening while still leaving the dancers to tell the story through movement.
It was one of the moments where the concept behind Symphony of Light really came together for me.
I also particularly liked the company’s resourcefulness when it came to creating imagery on stage.
Rather than relying upon elaborate scenery, the performers use relatively simple materials and their own movements to create different environments. At one point, for example, a large colourful piece of cloth becomes the sea. The material is manually pulled and manipulated to create the movement of water.
It’s a simple theatrical technique, but it works.
At the Fringe, where productions often have limited time, space and resources, I always appreciate seeing companies find imaginative ways of creating something visually effective without needing a truckload of scenery. Symphony of Light demonstrates several moments of that creativity.
Where the production loses some of its shine is in the transitions between scenes.
There were occasions where the different sections didn’t flow as smoothly as they could have done. Music and audio could cut off quite abruptly before the next sequence began, which occasionally broke the atmosphere that the dancers had worked hard to create.
Because Symphony of Light relies so heavily upon movement, music and visual storytelling, those transitions become particularly important. A smoother fade between audio tracks, tighter technical cues and greater consideration of how one section moves into another would make the overall production feel considerably more polished.
At present, you can sometimes feel one scene finishing before waiting for the next one to begin. Ideally, the audience should barely notice that transition happening.
That is probably the biggest area where I felt the production could develop. The individual components are strong, but they need to be connected together with the same fluidity that we see from the dancers themselves.
Unfortunately, I had to leave during the final minute of the performance in order to get across Edinburgh for another show, so I wasn’t able to see its very final moments.
Overall, Symphony of Light is a heartfelt and creative piece of dance theatre which brings together faith, biblical storytelling and an impressive variety of performance disciplines.
There is considerable talent within the company, some clever visual ideas and moments where the choreography communicates its story beautifully. Karen Hill has created a production with a clear identity and a company of dancers capable of delivering some impressive work.
The main thing holding it back is polish.
Nevertheless, there is plenty here to appreciate, and Symphony of Light succeeds in finding a creative and visually interesting way of bringing its message of faith to the stage.
Overall rating: ★★★☆☆
Symphony of Light – Christian Dance Company
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