EIF 2026 first look: Kelly Apter on dance
The dance shows in this year’s EIF explore our obsession with technology and our need for human connection, writes Kelly Apter
This year’s Edinburgh International Festival promises us dance that will, in their words, “leave you reeling”. It’s a term that conjures up images of both ceilidh dancing and social media scrolling, so it’s fitting that the programme explores our obsession with technology but also our need for human connection.
Belgian choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui has worked with so many companies, chances are you’ve watched his output somewhere, sometime. This August, he’ll turn sadness and tragedy into a call for love and kindness. Based on his own family history (Cherkaoui was a teenager when his Moroccan father died), and the horrific murder in 2012 of Ihsane Jarfi (a gay Moroccan man living in Belgium), Ihsane is guaranteed to be another Cherkaoui triumph, blending compelling contemporary dance with north African rhythms.
Two glorious returns also feature in this year’s programme, most excitingly from San Francisco Ballet. Last seen in Edinburgh in 2003, the US company is known for its technical prowess and spark. Delving into AI and other tech-related topics, Mere Mortals will finally give us a chance to enjoy the work of acclaimed choreographer Aszure Barton, whose piece BUSK was due to be performed at the 2023 Festival but was pulled at the last minute due to injury. With music performed live by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and electronic music DJ Floating Points, this will be very special indeed.
Dan Daw also returns, after delivering last year’s uncompromising piece, The Dan Daw Show. Similarly autobiographical, Exxy (Australian slang for “expensive”) takes us back to Daw’s working class roots, and will no doubt be as troubling but ultimately joyful as his previous show. Equally intriguing is When Prophecy Fails by Scottish physical theatre company Groupwork. Inspired by the true story of a 1950s UFO cult, this multi-media performance looks set to be a striking, home-grown addition to the festival.
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