Not for Glory review – folk dance and bagpipes, but not as we know them
Jack Anderson and Charlotte Mclean began as champions of classic Irish and Highland steps. Here, with piper Malin Lewis, they give them a new form
Jack Anderson was once a champion Irish dancer who toured the world in popular shows. But when he later enrolled at contemporary dance school, he hid his past like a shameful secret. Charlotte Mclean also tried to leave behind her childhood legacy as a competitive Highland dancer. She never liked Highland dance anyway (she just liked winning competitions) but as an adult, is she finally changing her mind?
These are just two of many talking points in this anarchic dance-theatre gig from Anderson, Mclean and piper Malin Lewis. The trio are all coming to terms with their artistic inheritance, by means of distortion, deconstruction and downright mockery, then reclaiming it on their own terms. (Lewis has arguably already done this, with the acclaimed album Halocline in 2024 which saw them tagged “the future of Scottish folk”).
There’s a lot here to ruminate on: lost histories, the tyranny of competition, the dance’s links to class, the military, misogyny and political resistance; what makes a particular style of dance cool or worthy. Most classical and traditional dance forms have been reinvented by this point, but I’ve never seen Highland dance get that treatment before.
So what would a new vision of these Celtic dances look like? Dancing a reel to a banging bass beat? Melting the strict lines and shapes into something gloopier? We see both, but the slightly wild-eyed, on-the-edge Mclean isn’t interested in creating a new set of rules. This show has gone freeform, somewhat unhinged in persona and direction. (It could benefit from tighter focus, a bit more meat and really honing the gags.)
While Anderson explores what you can do with Irish dance’s sharp hinges and segmentation of the body, Lewis performs CPR on their pipes. Not for Glory is about resuscitating these performers’ love for their art as much as remaking the art forms themselves. The best bit is when the three talk honestly about their pasts and demonstrate their renewed affection. Anderson, especially, is still a cracking dancer, and Lewis’s haunting piping might make you reconsider everything you think about bagpipes. I can’t wait to see what they all do next.
At Assembly @ Dance Base, Edinburgh, until 23 August. Then at Cecil Sharp House, London, as part of Dance Umbrella festival