Choreographer Marc Brew's new production, 'Boys Don't Dance', is currently running at Assembly @ Dance Base in Edinburgh. The show delves into autobiographical territory, focusing on Brew's childhood in rural Australia during the 1980s, where he was repeatedly told that boys don't dance.
Dancer Ross Malloy portrays the young Marc, expressing an innate joy in dancing through routines inspired by films like Footloose and set to a soundtrack of 80s pop hits from artists such as Culture Club and Wham!. The production captures the freedom and boredom of an 80s childhood, alongside the challenge of hiding one's true self.
Champion wheelchair Latin dancer Piotr Iwanicki plays the adult Brew, reflecting on his past. The staging, featuring video designer Jamie Wardrop's animated line drawings, transitions from monochrome to neon as Brew finds freedom in the city. The show, created with eight to 13-year-olds in mind, offers engaging storytelling and a brilliant soundtrack, particularly for those familiar with the era's cultural references.