Reaching for the Star, Holding the Pearl: Students develop original Dance show for Edinburgh Festival Fringe
Thursday 19 February 2026
This summer, Dance students Martin McDonough and Maya Aspen will take their original contemporary dance work A Star and a Pearl, to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, marking both a significant first step into the professional world and the final chapter of their time at LIPA.
The idea for the piece emerged in their first year, prompted by a simple but powerful question: how do you chase your dreams without losing yourself along the way?
“At the heart of the show are two concepts,” they explain. “The star represents your aspirations and dreams. The pearl is your identity: who you are at your core.”
Set between these opposing images – the star in the sky and the pearl at the bottom of the sea – the work explores the pressure to succeed and the risk of losing sight of yourself in the process. The piece begins with a child-like sense of uncertainty, before the dancers reach relentlessly and dangerously towards the ‘star’, culminating in a chaotic central section.
“You plummet,” Martin says. “You’re in your lowest moment. That’s when you discover the pearl. The pearl is your essence – by staying true to your pearl, you can then return to reaching for the star without losing who you are.
The result is a 35-minute contemporary work blending abstract movement, partnering, gymnastic elements and flashes of hip hop — at times playful and funky, at others raw and emotional.
While the journey is shared, each dancer’s individuality remains central. “We’re all very different as performers, and that’s celebrated,” Maya explains. “Everyone goes through the same journey, but in their own way.”
The cast features six LIPA students across second and final year, with an international mix including UK and Norwegian performers. Martin and Maya co-lead the project as directors and choreographers.
For the pair, taking work to the Fringe is about defining themselves early as makers, not just performers.
“Some people follow a more traditional route, going from dancer to dance captain, then choreography,” Martin says. “But Edinburgh lets us say straight away: we create work.”
At the same time, the Fringe represents a moment of transition.
“It’s the beginning of our careers, but also the end of our time at LIPA,” Maya adds. “It might be the last time we all dance together for a while. The first page is also the last page.”
Their training at LIPA has been central to making the project possible – from choreographic development to understanding collaboration, budgeting and producing large-scale work.
“Everything we’re doing links back to our training,” they say. “Even the less creative stuff we’ve done really matters.”
With rehearsals, fundraising and work-in-progress showings ahead, A Star and a Pearl captures the uncertainty and excitement of standing on the edge of what comes next.
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