Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker's EXIT ABOVE blends dance with blues, electronic music, and live vocals to explore the fundamental movement of ‘walking’. It examines walking as a primal, almost unnoticed form of motion that can expand and transform, in this instance guided through musical influence in the space. Here, music - a pulsing blues base that swells into electronic symphonies - drives the piece forward, reflecting the journey inherent in walking. Although the precise “destination” of EXIT ABOVE is not obvious, it reflects on a movement that we all instinctively know and just how telling it can be.

Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker is a pioneering figure in contemporary dance, known for her meticulous exploration of the relationship between movement and music. Since founding her company, Rosas, in 1983, De Keersmaeker has built a vast body of work that spans classical and popular music, incorporating everything from early music to experimental sounds. Her choreographic style is marked by geometric precision and complex spatial patterns.

Created in collaboration with Flemish singer-songwriter Meskerem Mees, guitarist and composer Jean-Marie Aerts (known for his work with the 1980s Belgian rock band TC Matic), and dancer Carlos Garbin, a long-time member of Rosas, this current piece of work showcases the strength of interdisciplinary artistry. Mees’ clear, resonant voice fills the space effortlessly, her expression subdued yet powerfully affecting, particularly in a rapid-fire spoken word scene that justly earns applause. The musicians also join the dancers in movement, a powerful choice that intensifies the seamless union of music and dance.

With a sparse set design, the performance makes full use of the Sadler’s Wells stage, allowing the choreography itself to command the scene. Early on, a giant floating sheet creates an expressive duet with a performer, a moment of striking visual poetry. The costumes, a mix of what looks like cycling gear, streetwear, and sheer fabrics, add a visually compelling, if somewhat puzzling, colour palette.

The choreography evolves from organic, simple motions into intricate spatial patterns exploring themes of individual and collective identity. Technically impressive and consistent with De Keersmaeker’s and those in her company’s signature styles, the piece does, however, occasionally veer into overly loose improvisation that risks pretension. At times, the freer movement sections feel slightly too controlled, lacking the full release they seem to seek in contrast with the proficiency and technique that appears more comfortable.

While the hour-and-a-half run time stretches thin in places, particularly as repetition and duration become overcooked in the centre of the piece, the final sequences redeem the work, building from a steady walk into a bold cantor, and finally into a grotesque, exuberant gallop - a riotous climax of movement that embodies both self-expression and social unity.

EXIT ABOVE may prove challenging for audiences less familiar with experimental dance, and its exclusivity could detract from accessibility. Yet, the sheer artistry and reputation of De Keersmaeker and her collaborators lend the work a compelling authority that makes its vision well worth encountering.

**** Four stars

Reviewed by: Stephanie Osztreicher

EXIT ABOVE plays at Sadler’s Wells until 13 November, with further info here.