Review by Catherine Coutts

As Greek dancer Vassia Bouchagiar-Walker moves lithely onto the floor at the Scottish Storytelling Centre, her task is not an easy one. The audience – largely Scottish traditional music afficionados – are there for the preview of Mairi Campbell’s Living Stone exhibition. They have already been sitting for forty minutes on a hot summer’s day listening to Campbell’s album (also titled Living Stone).

Curator Iliyana Nedkova explains that Campbell’s Living Stone has inspired Stones are Alive and that Bouchagiar-Walker is both performer and choreographer. The dances are part of the Rebetiko tradition which spread across Greece in the early twentieth century and became part of the country’s national identity. Although increasingly performed by women, this writer’s only prior experience of this dance form was by men at folk dance festivals– sharp, assertive moves with challenging gestures and forceful jumps, so what Bouchagiar-Walker will bring to the party is intriguing.

Wearing voluminous navy trousers and a white, linen shirt, together with a red neck scarf and a black hat, Bouchagiar-Walker slowly and softly undulates round a tripod-pendulum in the centre of the floor as the guitar gradually comes in. She is joined by fellow Greek Scots Petros Tsaftaridis and Georgios Sideris on bouzouki, guitar and vocals. Keeping her head down and avoiding eye contact, Bouchagiar-Walker forces us to come into her world as she continues to move. Music and dance very gradually build as she explores different heights and movements using the finger-clicking, stamping and occasional jumps that are characteristic of Greek dance and culminating in direct interaction with the musicians.

Considering that Living Stone is the inspiration behind Stones are Alive, it is extremely satisfying that the second dance is performed to Campbell’s track One String from Living Stone. Bouchagiar-Walker’s technique is excellent throughout, but in this piece her flowing, evocative spinning actions and use of scarf really complement the music. Rebetiko performers encourage audience participation, so it is uplifting to hear the audience joining in on the chorus. Bouchagiar-Walker has won them over and leaves the stage, allowing herself a small smile.

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This review is published by Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland as part of our Traditional Dance Criticism Course, led by dance writer and editor Róisín O’Brien and supported by dance scholar and editor Dr Wendy Timmons.

Catherine Coutts is one of the six applicants, alongside Yuxi Jiang, Inesa Vėlavičiūtė, Alena Shmakova, Vassia Bouchagiar-Walker and Yanmei Bowie, who were selected to participate in this pilot edition of the course in 2024.

Stones are Alive was performed at the Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh on 31 July 2024 as part of the Living Stone exhibition preview by Mairi Campbell. Stones are Alive is one of over 10 shows with trad dance roots across the Edinburgh’s summer festivals we hand-picked to be reviewed. Living Stone exhibition continues until 26 August 2024 and the music theatre under the same title is showing at the Scottish Storytelling Centre until 25 August 2024 at 5pm (odd dates only) as part of Edinburgh Festival Fringe. 

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Please find further details about our #traddance campaign at the Edinburgh’s summer festivals here.