Jack Anderson, a former champion Irish dancer who toured globally in popular shows, once hid his competitive past when he enrolled in contemporary dance school, treating it as a shameful secret. Charlotte Mclean, a former competitive Highland dancer, also tried to distance herself from her childhood legacy, admitting she never enjoyed Highland dance itself—only the thrill of winning. Now, as an adult, she is reconsidering her stance. These personal reckonings form the core of Not for Glory, an anarchic dance-theatre gig created by Anderson, Mclean, and piper Malin Lewis, currently playing at Assembly @ Dance Base in Edinburgh until 23 August.
Deconstructing Celtic Dance Traditions
The trio collectively grapple with their artistic inheritance through distortion, deconstruction, and outright mockery, ultimately reclaiming their traditions on their own terms. Lewis, who released the acclaimed album Halocline in 2024 and has been dubbed "the future of Scottish folk," has arguably already achieved this transformation. The show delves into themes such as lost histories, the tyranny of competition, and the dance's connections to class, the military, misogyny, and political resistance, raising questions about what makes a dance style cool or worthy.
While most classical and traditional dance forms have been reinvented in contemporary contexts, Highland dance has rarely received such treatment, making this production a notable first. The performance imagines new possibilities for Celtic dances: dancing a reel to a banging bass beat, melting strict lines and shapes into something gloopier. Both are showcased, but Mclean, described as "slightly wild-eyed, on-the-edge," is not interested in establishing a new set of rules. The show embraces a freeform, somewhat unhinged persona and direction, though it could benefit from tighter focus, more substance, and refined comedic timing.
Resuscitating Love for the Art
Anderson explores the sharp hinges and segmentation of Irish dance, while Lewis performs CPR on their pipes. Not for Glory is as much about resuscitating the performers' love for their art as it is about remaking the art forms themselves. The most compelling moments occur when the three speak honestly about their pasts and demonstrate their renewed affection. Anderson remains a "cracking dancer," and Lewis's haunting piping challenges preconceptions about bagpipes.
The production offers a thought-provoking look at how traditional forms can evolve, leaving audiences eager to see what the trio does next. Following its Edinburgh run, the show will travel to Cecil Sharp House in London as part of the Dance Umbrella festival.
