Dance workshops with world-renowned dancer Akram Khan

Akram Workshops for Contemporary Dancers and Kathak Specialists

17-18 Sep 2011

Celebrated choreographer and performer Akram Khan will be delivering two specialist dance workshops as part of his latest world premiere DESH.

AKRAM KHAN DANCE WORKSHOP: MAN VS NATURE

Akram Khan's solo work DESH is jointly devised by Khan with writer and poet Karthika Nair. The direction of the piece was first guided by the exploration of the term "desh", meaning "homeland" in Bengali. In this master class, Khan shares his experience of using spoken word in his choreography for the piece. Participants will gain an insight of how he uses textual materials and narratives to help develop powerful choreography without over-complexifying the relationship between spoken words and body language.




The workshops are:

Workshop for contemporary dancers and university students
Saturday 17 September, 12-2pm

Workshop for professional Kathak dancers only
Sunday 18 September, 12-2pm

Tickets: £5 when bought with a ticket to see the show.
£20 for workshop only.

Please contact Ticket Office to book: 0116 242 3595

DESH, draws multiple tales of land, nation, resistance and convergence into the body and voice of one man trying to find his balance in an unstable world. DESH runs at Curve 13-17 September.

Photography by Tim Yip

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Tommy Franzen in indie ballet at Cloud Dance Festival

Versatile hip hop sensation Tommy Franzén will be taking over the role created by Royal Ballet's Thomas Whitehead, in Royal Ballet soloist Kristen McNally's "indie ballet" work 'Don't Blame The Player, Blame The Game'. This will hopefully be the first of many collaborations between Tommy Franzén and Kristen McNally.

Born in Sweden, Tommy began dancing at the age of 11 and has put the weight of this training into becoming as versatile dancer as possible. After dancing professionally in Sweden, he won a scholarship to The Urdang Academy, London, and then danced internationally ranging from musicals and hip-hop dance theatre to music videos and films. Recent performance credits include “Mamma Mia! – The Movie”, The Olympics in Beijing, ‘Goldberg’, a project by Kim Brandstrup and Tamara Rojo performed at the Linbury, Royal Opera House, and TV advertisements for companies including Pepsi Max, Nike/Footlocker and Sandisk. He has just finished a UK and European tour with the "Blaze" and is currently working on the creation of ZooNation's new show "Some Like It Hip Hop". Tommy was also runner up in BBC's “So You Think You Can Dance” and was recently nominated a National Dance Award Critic's Circle for Outstanding Male Performance (Modern).

Kristen McNally is best known outside of the Royal Ballet for her cutting-edge brand of "indie ballet", and for her innovative ballet-contemporary collaborations, having recently led Ballet Rocks at the Move It! show in March as well as her interactive performance to Kanye West’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy at the Apple Store in London’s Covent Garden in April.

Kristen McNally is also amongst 15 top emerging choreographers – including James Cousins, who is also performing twice at Firefly – to have been shortlisted for the prestigious New Adventures Choreographer Award 2011, created in celebration of Matthew Bourne’s 50th birthday last year.

More than 20 companies will be performing at Cloud Dance Festival’s next edition, Firefly, which will run at the Pleasance Theatre in Islington from 22nd to 24th July.
Other highlights of our lineup include acclaimed contemporary dancer Devaraj Thimmaiah, of Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Company and formerly of Tavaziva Dance; Ross Cooper, one of Scotland’s most popular choreographers, in an exciting partnership with Aikaterina Chatzaki; the 2011 Blueprint Bursary winner, Joseph Toonga; a new duet from the multi-faceted Gerrard Martin, a former member of Ballet Black, Phoenix Dance Company and Aletta Collins Dance Company; Mark Smith, who recently choreographed the box office successes Shoes (Sadler's Wells) and Iolanthe (Union Theatre / Wilton's Music Hall) with his new company Deaf Men Dancing. We will also be welcoming back Cloud Dance Festival favourites Sol Dans, Slanjayvah Danza, and Taciturn. 

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Free Dance Classes with Rosie Kay Dance Company

FREE company class with Rosie Kay Dance Company on the following days in July- 

Monday 4th July 9.30-10.45 

Wednesday 6th July 9.30-10.45, 

Monday 11th July 9.30-10.45, 

Monday 18th July 9.30-10.45, 

Wednesday 20th July 9.30-10.45. 


Classes will be contemporary, ballet or improvisation. DanceXchange Studios, Birmingham.

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Arranged Marriage by Devaraj Thimmaiah

Arranged Marriage

 

Now there is no more loneliness. 

Now you are two people, but there is only one life before you.

 

Choreographed by Devaraj Thimmaiah

Performed by Fukiko Takase and Devaraj Thimmaiah

Music concept: Alberto N. A. Turro

Lighting design: Rachel Shipp

Photographer: Tommaso Balasso

 

Exposure Dance: Royal Opera House, Clore studio.

PROGRAMME  - 21 AND 22 JULY: Devaraj Thimmaiah 'Arranged Marriage' / Alesandra Seutin 'Taal' / a new piece by Cameron McMillan.
Running time: 1 hour 10 minutes (no interval)

Cloud Dance Festival, Pleasance Islington.

Sunday 24 July: start time 7.30pm, finish 9.45pm
.identiti.co
Deaf Men Dancing
Deveraj Thimmaiah
EDDance
Ella Robson Guilfoyle
Kristen McNally
Richard Bermange
Taciturn

Arranged Marriage was performed in Resolution! 2011 to wide acclaim. Here is a review by Graham Watts for Resolution Review:

"A powerful, superbly performed, duet brought this excellent programme to a close in DevarajThimmaiah's Arranged Marriage.  A former dancer with Shobana Jeyasingh and Tavaziva, Thimmaiah has the rare performance quality of combining machismo, elegance and fluidity and he was consummately matched by the beauty of Fukiko Takase (Henri Oguike Dance Company). Supple, sinuous flexibility, with movement rippling through spines and shoulders and unfurling along Takase's long limbs into the very tips of her toes and fingers, raised the bar of anything I've yet seen in Resolution! 2011. Thimmaiah's choreography is punctuated by elements of Bharata Natyam and Capoeira within a broad contemporary structure that was often balletic in its use of developpés and arabesques. I always look at the words ‘experimental piece' with foreboding since it can be an excuse for ‘not yet finished', but Thimmaiah's fifteen minute choreography was not only complete but polished into a very fine gem. I would happily pay to see it again any day soon."

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C-12 Dance Theatre's World Premiere - Damaged Souls

C-12 Dance Theatre introduces the very latest electrifying piece, "Damaged Souls".  The world premiere is at Live Vibe July 16th.

“Damaged Souls” is Choreographed by Annie-Lunnette Deakin-Foster and Directed by Adam Towndrow.  This physical and theatrical piece will have you on the edges of your seats, some of the finest movement C-12 has ever produced. This is their first piece since the UK tour of The Chair.

Bodies dragged, bodies carried, bodies in a bag.

Booking Info:

Online booking for Live Vibe:- www.redbridge.gov.uk/dance then click Redbridge Dance Festival BOOK NOW! Or telephone Kenneth More Theatre box office 0208 553 6644 Tickets are £10.00, concessions £8.00 photo ID must be produced at entry.

Click here to read Danceground's review of The Chair & Enough

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Job Opportunity - Impact Dance - Social Networking & Communications Officer

Summer Internship for Impact Dance

Salary: Expenses (£500 total for a 10 week engagement)

Hours: Part time post - 16 hours a week (flexible)

Impact Dance, the highly successful Hip Hop Theatre Company, Street Dance Organisation and Educational Facilitator is seeking an enthusiastic and driven individual to take on the specific role of social networking and communications officer within the company.

An opportunity for a post/undergraduate student, to add some fantastic experience to his/her CV in a very competitive time for the job market. This role will offer the successful candidate a great insight into the workings of the modern dance world and how to successfully leverage online networking tools. It could also potentially open doors to valuable contacts in the industry.

Role:

To manage the Impact Dance website and social media activity including Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. To take a strategic lead on the development of the company’s website and related services in order to maximise the impact of the company’s marketing effort.

The candidate will be highly efficient with social networking and website administration skills. They will have strong knowledge of the UK dance sector and current trends in all aspects of dance, with an emphasis on the urban movement.

Requirements/qualities:

Personal access to the Internet

A sound knowledge of the UK dance sector.

A sound knowledge of Impact Dance and its current partners.

Excellent attention to detail.

Ability to think on their feet and make decisions.

Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

Enthusiasm, energy and a passion for dance.

This post is ideal for a university graduate, or possibly undergraduates studying dance, but we also welcome applicants who are not graduates/undergraduates.

The successful candidate needs to be available from early July until early September.

In order to be considered for interview, please submit a hard copy of a current CV and covering letter indicating why you are interested in this role to:

Hakeem Onibudo

Impact Dance

17 Godolphin Road

Shepherds Bush London W12 8JE

Or email: admin@impactdance.co.uk

For an informal discussion about this post please contact Hakeem Onibudo on

07768 413 869

Closing date: 5.00pm 22 June 2011   Interview date: 24 June 2011

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Workshop & Performance Opportunity in East Midlands with Adaire To Dance

As part of their experience at the Bakewell Arts Festival 2011, Adaire to Dance are offering young dancers and choreographers aged 13 - 19 the opportunity to join them to create a curtain raiser piece for the opening of their first night.

This will take place over two workshops, on the 8th & 9th August. In this time students will be given a contemporary technique class followed by creative work that will result in a piece created and performed entirely by the participants of the workshops.

This piece will be performed on the opening night at the Medway Community Centre, Bakewell, with a dress rehearsal taking place that afternoon.

We welcome all levels and abilities. If you would like to take part, or have any questions then contact us at:

info@adairetodance.co.uk

(Book now as places are limited)

Important Information:

The total cost per person for this project will be £30.

This includes two workshops at three hours each and a performance.

Dates and times:

Monday 8th August : 10am - 1pm

Tuesday 9th August : 10am - 1pm

Wednesday 10th Aug : Dress Rehearsal 4.30 -

5.30pm

Performance 6pm

All participants will receive free tickets to see the rest of the show on the first night, 10th Aug.

Workshop Address:

Medway Community Centre

New Street


Bakewell


Derbyshire

DE45 1DY

Join the event on Facebook at : https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=154613964607555&ref=nf

To find out more about the company visit www.adairetodance.co.uk

Find our facebook page – Adaire to Dance

Follow us on Twitter - @alicealicev

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Professional Dancers' Mentoring Forum - Feedback33

Set up by Sheron Wray, Feedback33 is a non- profit organisation which provides dancers with a space where they can try dances from around the globe and gain insights on the dance sector via the guest teachers who lead the Forum's sessions. The forum also provides informal networking opportunities for attendees.

Feedback33 currently runs workshops during term time on a Thursday evening at the London Studio Centre. 

Upcoming Classes:

Cuban Contemporary Dance Triple Bill with Shelly Maxwell, Thursday 16, 23 & 30 June, 7.30pm – 9pm (class registration 7pm – 7.25pm)

Venue: The London Studio Centre, 42 - 50 York Way, London  N1 9AB (adjacent to Lincoln Lounge)

Shelley's class is a fast paced Cuban technique class merging elements of la technica Cubana with her own unique contemporary flavour. The Cuban technique is loosely rooted in the Graham technique and through additional inclusions of undulations and spinal manipulations forces the dancer to master the shifting of weight through space. The class is highly physical with challenging exercises in the centre and travelling sequences that demand a sense of attack and musical dynamism. The class culminating in a challenging movement sequence to end.  

Cost per class
£5 Members / £8 Non-members
Concessions*
£3 Members / £5 Non-members
Annual Membership fee
£10 Teacher’s Bip

Founder and choreographer of the MaxwellDanceProject (http://tinyurl.com/63zesj6) Shelley Maxwell trained at La escuela Nacional de Arte in Havana, Cuba where she studied The Cuban Modern Technique (La técnica Cubana).   She was a principal dancer for the National Dance Theatre Company of Jamaica and was a member of the Tavaziva Dance Company here in London.   She has performed in the London Production of The Lion King and most recently worked with American choreographer Bill T.Jones in his award winning production of Fela! She holds a MA in Choreography from Laban. Her choreographic movement style is heavily physical with a strong relationship to music.

To book a place on these workshops please email Paula Allen at feedback33forum@gmail.com or phone: 07800959664.

* Concessions are open to students and to unemployed professional dancers only.  ID/proof of status is required.  To check if you qualify for the unemployed professional dancer concession, please phone number above.

Click here to find out more about Feedback33 

Feedback33 on Facebook  

Feedback33 Dancers' Mentoring Forum: “Let's celebrate our differences by coming together"

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Royal Ballet Soloist Kristen McNally Showcasing at Cloud Dance Festival

Cloud Dance Festival: Firefly

Pleasance Theatre, Carpenters Mews, London N7 9EF
22 – 24 July 2011

Royal Ballet soloist Kristen McNally is amongst a crop of leading choreographers and dance companies showcasing their work at Cloud Dance Festival’s twelfth festival, Firefly, which runs from July 22-24th at the Pleasance Theatre in Islington and which features works from 20 different companies.

Kristen McNally, who is best known outside of the Royal Ballet for her cutting-edge brand of "indie ballet", will be presenting her work Don’t Blame it on the Player, Blame it on The Game, originally performed by fellow Royal Ballet soloist Thomas Whitehead. McNally is well-known for her innovative ballet-contemporary collaborations, having recently led Ballet Rocks at the Move It! show in March as well as her interactive performance to Kanye West’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy at the Apple Store in London’s Covent Garden in April.

Kristen McNally is also amongst 15 top emerging choreographers – including James Cousins, who is also performing twice at Firefly – to have been shortlisted for the prestigious New Adventures Choreographer Award 2011, created in celebration of Matthew Bourne’s 50th birthday last year.

As part of Cloud Dance Festival's inclusion of modern and contemporary ballet, we are showcasing new works from emerging contemporary ballet choreographers Edd Mitton and Richard Bermange, neoclassical work from Newcastle-based company Exquisite Corpse | Dance Theatre, and rising contemporary ballet stars Diciembre Dance Group.

Acclaimed contemporary dancer Devaraj Thimmaiah, of Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Company and formerly of Tavaziva Dance, has been described as “having the rare performance quality of combining machismo, elegance and fluidity" (Graham Watts, Resolution Review). Thimmaiah has trained in Capoeira and several styles of contemporary dance and has made appearances for fashion designers, Bollywood singers and local and national satellite TV in his native India. He is performing his duet Arranged Marriage which was first seen at The Place’s Resolution! earlier in the year.

Ross Cooper, one of Scotland’s most popular choreographers, is presenting his new work in an exciting partnership with Aikaterina Chatzaki. Cooper is best known as the founder and artistic director of The Curve Foundation, and is the man responsible for helping to launch a number of prominent choreographers' careers, including that of Royal Ballet’s Jonathan Watkins.

Other well-known names making an appearance include Sol Dans, whose powerful choreography was recently seen on the BBC hit programme So You Think You Can Dance; 2011 Blueprint Bursary winner, the Cameroon-born Joseph Toonga, and a new duet from the multi-faceted Gerrard Martin, a former member of Ballet Black, Phoenix Dance Company and Aletta Collins Dance Company, who has also danced with many commercial artists and bands, including Lionel Ritchie, Misteeq and Shaggy. Mark Smith, who recently choreographed the box office successes Shoes (Sadler's Wells) and Iolanthe (Union Theatre / Wilton's Music Hall) is presenting his new company Deaf Men Dancing.

Fans of the legendary Hofesh Shechter will be treated to a performance by James Finnemore, one of his dancers, in addition to Udifydance Company, an all-male dance company currently being mentored by Hofesh.

Further highlights include fierce choreography from new Laban graduate Charlie Dixon Dance Company, and Van Huynh Company dancer Dom Czapski.

Cloud Dance Festival: Firefly
Dates: 22-24th July 2011
Times: 7.30pm – 9.45pm
Venue: Pleasance Theatre, Carpenters Mews, North Road, London N7 9EF
Tickets: £10 (£7.50 concessions)
Box Office: 020 7609 1800 or www.pleasance.co.uk
Website: www.cloud-dance-festival.org.uk

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Dance Video: Hofesh Shechter 'Political Mother: The Choreographer's Cut'

Hofesh Shechter introduces his fans to his latest version of Political Mother - The Choreographer's Cut

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Hofesh rips out the stalls at Sadler's Wells ' Political Mother – The Choreographer’s Cut'

Hofesh Shechter took over the Roundhouse with an incredible re-staging of his double bill Uprising/In your rooms two years ago. Now, his 2010 hit Political Mother gets the same treatment in Political Mother – The Choreographer’s Cut.

40 performers - 16 dancers and 24 musicians - storm the Sadler’s Wells stage on five nights from 12 to 16 July. Shechter himself will make guest appearances in the part of The Politician.

Notably for a choreographer, Shechter also composes his own music. For The Choreographer's Cut, he is creating substantial passages of new music for his band of drummers and guitarists as well as new choreography for the dancers, giving this apocalyptic vision an even more galvanising power.

Shechter ramps up the rock concert atmosphere by ripping out the stalls seating at Sadler’s Wells to create a vast open space for a standing audience.  His collaborators on Political Mother – The Choreographer’s Cut are Lee Curran (lighting design) and Merle Hensel (costume design).

The Choreographer’s Cut is commissioned by Montpellier Danse, Sadler’s Wells and spielzeit'europa / Berliner Festspiele.

Hofesh Shechter Company successfully applied to Arts Council England’s National Portfolio funding programme and has been awarded a grant of £400,000 per annum until 2015, an increase of 73.5%.

Hofesh said: “Arts Council England South East have been supportive and visionary partners since the inception of my Company and I’m truly delighted that they have again responded to our ongoing growth and the increasing professional and public interest in the work. In what must be difficult times for many art organisations, my team and I feel extremely privileged to receive the support and appreciate that the Arts Council, whilst under enormous pressure, has had the focus and coherence to recognise the potential in what we and others do and the benefit it gives individuals and our community”.

DanceGround's review Political Mother

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UCHENNA DANCE SUMMER SCHOOL - All dance styles

Monday 1st to Friday 5th August. 

Time: 9:30-6pm, 5 classes a day!

Venue: Studio 1, Bernie Grant Enterprise Building, Townhall Approach, N15 4RX. Nearest tube Seven Sisters. 

Classes: Urban Contemporary (Vicki Igbokwe), Ballet (Denzil Bailey), Contemporary (Delene Gordon), African Dance (Akosua Boakye), Afro-Eclectic (Alesandra Seutin) House Dance (Carla Trim-Vamben), Waacking (Karou Mendy), Vogue (D'relle Wickham) AND you will learn company rep from Vicki Igbokwe. 

The summer school will also form auditions for the professional company. You will need to send a CV and photo when booking your place, if you want to audition. You can sign up for the summer school and not audition. 

PRICE 
£100 if booked by Friday 8th July
£120 if booked by Sunday 24th July
£140 if booked W/C 25th July

PLEASE NOTE if we reach our maximum capacity we will hold a SECOND summer school Monday 8th to Friday 12th August. 

For more information email info@uchennadance.com 

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platform ONE - Urban & Contemporary Dance ~ Saturday 11th June

idance presents platformONE,
a showcase of urban and contemporary dance theatre.
Saturday 11th June, 7pm at Watford Palace Theatre

The team who brought you the UK Hip Hop Dance Championships at Thorpe Park last weekend are busy preparing another tasty slice of dance pie just for you. And it’s not just idance who aren’t sleeping, some of the crews who flexed their competitive muscles in the champs will be heading back on stage this weekend and getting all creative...

platformONE is about encouraging the development of hip hop and urban contemporary dance towards theatrical,  conceptual work. Now onto its third season, with a line up that has boasted the likes of Plague and Peridot,  this Saturday features a welcome return from pioneering theatrical breakers, SIN Cru, an international cast from Heartcore Collective and an all-female powerhouse in the shape of Project G- choreographed by such luminaries as Kenrick Sandy and Rhimes Lecointe.

Swindon based dance company,  T21girlz and members of Project G who competed in the championships, adhering to strict rules, time limits and criteria, can throw off the shackles this weekend and explore a much wider scope; the programme for platformONE promises intrigue, enchantment and social comment , featuring pieces with content as broad as family therapy,  fairytales, heavenly beings, female empowerment, dream exploration and an orphan with cursed boombox (courtesy of the ever-creative Rte Crew). Don’t miss out on an evening of exciting and interesting dance theatre.

You can get your tickets from the Watford Palace Theatre Box Office on 01923 225671

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Dancing for the Games, Staffordshire

Staffordshire County Council, on behalf of the Dance Development Group for Staffordshire & Stoke on Trent, is delighted to announce that they have been commissioned by Dancing for the Games to deliver a county wide dance project which will celebrate the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games across Staffordshire.

Dancing for the Games is a West Midlands-wide dance programme, which is inspired by London 2012 and part of the Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands. It has been funded by Legacy Trust UK, an independent charity set up to help build a lasting cultural and sporting legacy from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, as well as Arts Council England and Advantage West Midlands.

The project will be an innovative, first ever county wide project and will deliver an ambitious high profile programme of dance activities, projects and performances across Staffordshire. This will provide Staffordshire communities with the opportunity to engage with and take part in a unique celebratory event with a specific focus on the 2012 celebrations.

Naomi Temple, Programme Manager for Dancing for the Games said: “We are delighted that the Dance Development Group for Staffordshire & Stoke on Trent is part of our Dancing for the Games programme, which aims to make the West Midlands the region for dance in the run up to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. It is fantastic that through this project people from across Staffordshire will have the opportunity to work with Retina, an internationally renowned dance company and to create their own choreography to be performed throughout the county.”

Working in partnership with all districts and boroughs the project will aim to develop 35 district project groups. Led by experienced Staffordshire dance artists these district projects will create new choreography to be performed at district venues as well as a spectacular final county showcase in July/August 2012.

Artistic Director, Filip Van Huffel of Retina Dance Company will lead on the creative vision of the project working with the 7 Olympic and Paralympic themes. The company will deliver open workshops to engage with participants and recruit them onto the district projects. An artistic mentorship programme, led by the Artistic Director, will provide professional development opportunities for Staffordshire dance artists involved in the project. A young leadership programme will provide 7 young dancers the chance to develop skills as young dance leaders and the opportunity to be part of a developing county wide network.

If you would like any information about the project or would like to get involved in any of the dance activities that will be on offer please contact Alison Lord, Dance Development Officer at Heritage and Arts on 01785 278647 or e-mail alison.lord@staffordshire.gov.uk

www.retinadance.com
www.facebook.com/retinadancecompany
www.twitter.com/retinadance / @retinadance

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