Scirocco Dance: Invisible Cities UK Tour

Inspired by Italo Calvino’s 1972 novel of the same name, Invisible Cities by Scirocco Dance blends hypnotic contemporary dance with live drawing and an original score, taking audiences on a fantastical journey. An exploration of the possibilities of live performance, this dreamlike, though rhythmic, show by the London-based dance company harnesses illustration, storytelling and movement to bring Calvino’s fascinating novel to the stage.

Blending hypnotic contemporary dance with live drawing and an original score.

Calvino’s Invisible Cities centres on the uneasy relationship between young explorer Marco Polo and Kublai Khan, the capricious leader of a huge empire. City by city, the young explorer must transcend the language barrier between himself and the emperor, to describe the vast and spectacular empire.

Using an old overhead projector as a portal between two different realms – the physical and the imaginary – this dynamic and enchanting show will bring a compelling series of extraordinary cities to life. Anastasia, a city of desire and temptation; Isidora, a city of promise and memories; Armilla, a city unfinished. Nostalgic and playful, the audience are invited to experience a vibrant world of lights, sounds, colours and creatures.

This dynamic and enchanting show will bring a compelling series of extraordinary cities to life.

Poetic, pulsating and fierce, Scirocco Dance celebrate physicality, music and visual arts in this enchanting adaptation of Invisible Cities. Using their signature eclectic style, two performers work together on stage to explore each invisible city through movement and live drawing. The physical choreography is then translated into an illustration, creating a tangible archive of maps, illustrated in real-time throughout the performance.

Poetic, pulsating and fierce.

Co-founded by choreographer and researcher Irene Fiordilino and sound designer Aidan Good in 2020, Scirocco Dance Theatre’s practice sits in the space between choreography and architecture. Taking inspiration from both disciplines, the company produces interdisciplinary artwork where the relationship between bodies and space is explored through the presence of performers and stage design. An emerging company – and definitely one to watch – Scirocco Dance’s work has been presented internationally, featured in art magazines and supported by artistic residencies.

You can witness this intriguing and thoughtful performance at the International Anthony Burgess Foundation on 24 July and at The Empty Space on 25 July.