Cambuyon Assembly Roxy

If you enjoy high energy dance you will love this show. Cambuyon comprises seven extremely talented dancers and musicians from Barcelona and the Canary Islands, who have put together a fusion of international dance styles, some amazing percussion using a variety of unlikely objects and instruments and an incredible singer.

The name Cambuyon literally means Come Buy On and was used by British ships in Spanish ports to advertise and trade their wares. The action takes place on board a ship and in the port where different people and cultures mix and meet and the basic set of wooden boxes provides an imaginative stage for the dancers and musicians to show off their skills. They use them in every conceivable way – to climb on, to hide inside, as a stage or a springboard, and as percussion instruments. Other instruments include a row of glass bottles, a bucket, a frying pan and various boxes. Who would think you could get such a rich variety of sounds from such simple objects?

The dancing is a wonderful mix of tap and jazz with echoes of flamenco and all sorts of other influences. Highlights include a brilliant tap duel, two bodypopping girls, a sand dancing routine and even some clog dancing All done with exuberant laughter and energy. And if all that were not enough, there is also Raul Cabrera, who not only sings beautifully but uses his voice as an instrument using scat and beatboxing. The whole show is perfect with surprise after surprise and the hour passes in a flash.

At the end the performers come back on stage and ask us if we want more, the answer is a resounding Yes! Go see it, you’ll love it.

Irene Brownlee