For the ‘Let’s Dance – National Day of Dance’ on Sunday 8th March 2026, EncoreEast was back on home turf at DanceEast for the second performance that weekend of ‘On the Nature of Daylight’. Choreographer: Luca Silvestrini for EncoreEast.  

The Let’s Dance campaign, founded by Angela Rippon, aims to inspire everyone in the UK to embrace dance, to get more people dancing together, regardless of age, fitness level or experience. DanceEast embraced this with a full day’s open event comprising dance workshops and taster sessions. There were opportunities to share the joy of dance, and EncoreEast did just that. When performing in a studio setting with open access for visitors, one never knows how many audience members will attend or indeed who they may be. It was quite something to have dance enthusiasts of all ages come in and quickly fill the chairs and the floor in front. They exuded warmth, interest and support. 

‘On the Nature of Daylight’ has filled large theatre stage spaces, the costume and atmospheric lighting giving the shape of it added dynamism.  But it is in the studio that the versatility of the dance is shown. A smaller space does not hinder the design of this piece, it tightens it. The light and shade are in the contrasts of the motion and stillness in the choreography, with the high tempo unison sections set alongside individual moments and longer softer phrases. Small group pieces show an interplay within daylight and the arc of the piece holds the narrative. There is a spacious calm to the closing of ‘On the Nature of Daylight’ and, particularly in the studio, the dancers can physically feel the audience silently leaning