Laban Theatre - Autumn highlights

Love on a bed of leaves, Sunday morning smells, how we define God – these are the themes in just some of the autumn-winter performances at Laban Theatre. Based in Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, Laban Theatre is host to high performance quality contemporary dance. 

Fri 4 November 2011, 7.30pm 
Duet for a bed of leaves – choreographed by Angela Praed 

Enter a world where the floor is leaf, and the dancers (Polly Motley and Luke Birch) search for love and answers, in an atmosphere which is electric.

Working with extremes and peripheries of dance, Angela Praed’s unconventional creations investigate new territories for performance. From durational all-night productions to dance installations on rooftops, from large multi-generational casts to intimate encounters in private bedrooms, Angela challenges conventional performance making, while presenting works of psychological depth, intellectual rigour and a strong visual signature.

Angela says: “What is constant in my work is the exploration of relationship. My works emerge from concepts of dualities: young and old age, personal intimacy and public display, sexuality and mortality. All my work actively seeks the engagement of the audience beyond the ‘viewer’. I set up situations which create a cyclical loop between artist and viewer – initiating emotional responses through placing the viewer in a shared situation with the performer.” 

Wednesday 9 and Thursday 10 November, 7.30pm
Experience by the Fleur Darkin Company

 Following the sell-out national tour of 2010’s DisGo, the Fleur Darkin Company returns to Laban for two nights with the Blake Diptych. This collaborative production brings together great artists such as Lucy Carter Lighting designer (Wayne McGregor’s Infra) and Lou Cope, dramaturge (Olivier award winning Babel words) and Fleur Darkin, choreographer and The Place Prize Winner. 

An enquiry into the mystery of being, The Blake Diptych is inspired by William Blake who saw the human imagination as the “body of God”. This dance theatre experience asks how we define God in a secular world. With a world class cast this performance brings together innovative design, original music, contemporary research and dance theatre to create a compelling experience. 

Jerwood-nominated choreographer Darkin formed the company in 2003. It is dedicated to creating a space in culture which is not economically or politically indebted to compromise or petty realism, a space that does not reproduce dominant forms, but creates dance that is led by and celebrates the boldest act: imagination. 

Friday 18 and Saturday 19 November, 7.30pm 
Hagit Yakira’s Sunday Morning 

After two successful performances in July, Sunday Morning triumphantly returns to Laban Theatre. Inspired by the different origins of her peers, Hagit Yakira presents Sunday morning as a place of memories of childhood, family and of the fear of loss. Through evoking these memories and feelings, she explores the emergence of individual identity, and our incessant desire to belong.  

Tickets

Laban Theatre, Creekside, SE8 3DZ All tickets: £12 (Concession £8) Ticket office: 020 8463 0100 www.trinitylaban.ac.uk

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Joss Arnott Dance workshops

Joss Arnott Dance will be holding workshops in London this December following their residency at South East Dance Studios.

The workshop will include Class, Repertoire from their new work '24' commissioned by South East Dance and a Creative Session.

Come and participate in an exciting and technically gruelling two day workshop led by Artistic Director Joss Arnott

Tuesday 6th December 2011 &
Wednesday 7th December 2011

12:00-16:00

movingeast, St.Matthias Church Hall, Wordsworth Road, Stoke Newington, London N16 8DD

Price - £15 each day

Please familiarise yourself with the company work before booking your place.



There has been a high number of requests for more workshops since September's but spaces are very limited.

Please email

info@jossarnottdance.co.uk

With your name, age and dance experience and we will get back to you shortly after.

Do not miss out on this opportunity so book early, spread the word and we look forward to seeing you there!

www.jossarnottdance.co.uk
Facebook and Twitter @jossarnottdance

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Auditions - Errol White Company

Errol White Company (formerly Errol White Dance) (UK) – is looking for experienced male and female dancers with a minimum of 3 years experience to join the company for a project starting on the 9th January 2012. 

The project will run for a period of 12 weeks including a tour of Scotland. Candidates should have strong contemporary and classical technique and extensive performance experience. 

Please send a CV + photo/headshot by e-mail to applications@errolwhitecompany.co.uk by 7th of November 2011. 

Auditions will be held in Edinburgh on 22nd November. You must be available on this date.

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National research project finds dance talent can be trained

The question of whether artists are born or made is now closer to being answered, according to research released today by dance science researchers from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance.

The research team studied nearly 800 young dancers in collaboration with the country’s Centres for Advanced Training (CATs), and found that dancers training at the CAT centres showed steadily increasing levels of physical fitness, high and stable levels of psychological wellbeing, low to moderate levels of injury and dropout, and positive creativity experiences.

Report author and Head of Dance Science at Trinity Laban, Emma Redding, said the evidence was clear:

“To be successful, a dancer must be technically and artistically proficient, while also being motivated, committed and able to cope with a demanding profession."

“Talent is not static or just about particular individual characteristics; it is dynamic and affected by a wide range of factors such as relationships, the environment, and cultural and societal aspects.

“Our research found that the best way to produce such an environment was through training centres such as the CATs.”

Funded for three years by the Leverhulme Trust and the Department for Education, the research comprised investigations into the psychology, physiology, anthropometry, injury, adherence, and creativity of this talented cohort of young dancers.

Emma continued: “While the individual is at the heart of this process, it is how she or he develops during training that ultimately matters. Dancers with many different backgrounds, training histories, and bodies can be successful, and the structure of the training process, the quality of instruction, and the nature of interpersonal relationships are crucial to talent development.”

The research project is the largest of its kind anywhere in the world, unprecedented both in terms of its entirely representative and large sample, its interdisciplinarity, its longitudinal nature, and the way in which it addresses unanswered research questions related to dance talent development.

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PLATFORM A.D. PERFORMANCES AND WORKSHOPS AT THE ACTOR’S CHURCH, COVENT GARDEN 3rd-5th NOVEMBER 2011

We are sorry to announce that due to injury, James Wilton will not be performing as part of Platform A.D but will still be teaching at the Platform A.D. workshops. In place of James Wilton we are pleased to announce that Diciembre Dance Group will be joining us for the Platform A.D. performances.
 

Platform A.D. runs from the 3rd-5th November and is a three night choreographic platform presenting dance from six dramatically different dance companies that showcases the best in new UK choreographic talent and performance.

For this platform we will be presenting innovative work from Diciembre Dance Group, Who will be performing Lewis After Wonderland, based on the poem 'A Boat Beneath a Sunny Sky'. A striking new work ‘Patriot’, choreographed by James Finnemore, current dancer with Hofesh Schecter Dance Company, first premiered at Cloud Dance Festival in July 2011. The world premiere of No Tomorrow by Stewart Kennedy Dance Company, choreographed by Stewart Kennedy, Scottish choreographer and Post Graduate student of Jasmin Vardimon Company. Dead Voices a hauntingly beautiful piece by Exquisite Corpse Dance Theatre, choreographed by Anthony Lo-Guidice associate artist of both Dance City and Arc Stockton. Returning for the second time to Platform A.D. is Beyond Repair Dance Company with Room, a graphic and moving piece about grief. And finally host company A.D. Dance Company performing their new work FAWN to Mozart’s Requiem. Choreographed by Holly Noble, Dance Artist with Sadler’s Wells.

In conjunction with the performances, we will be running workshops on the 4th & 5th November which will be led by the choreographer’s and companies performing. The workshops will run from 9.30-5pm and will include morning technique class followed by a company repertoire session, taught by the choreographer, and then a creative led session in the afternoon. Workshop tickets cost £30 and include entrance to the evening’s performance.

Platform A.D. was created in August 2010 by Holly Noble, Artistic Director of A.D. Dance Company. The platform aims to help and provide emerging dance companies, of all genres, the opportunity to showcase their work in the beautiful surroundings of The Actors Church in Covent Garden as well as providing a regular platform for dancers and choreographers to participate in. Along with offering choreographers a unique opportunity we also hope that the platform gives people of all ages and backgrounds the opportunity to come and explore and be involved with exciting new and innovative dance.

"Set to become an established platform for small scale dance companies and their choreographers" Graham Watts, LondonDance.com

Tickets available via SeeTickets.

Prices: £15 On The Door, £12 Pre Booked, £10 Concessions Limited number of £5 tickets available per performance Workshop & Performance £30

To Book Tickets please visit:

http://www.seetickets.com/Tour/PLATFORM-A-D-AT-THE-ACTORS-CHURCH-COVENT-GARDEN

For more information visit Facebook.com/Platform A.D. or www.addancecompany.org.uk

A.D. Dance Company, 126 DOWNTON AVENUE LONDON, SW2 2TT

TELEPHONE: 07977 112134, EMAIL: INFO@ADDANCECOMPANY.ORG.UK WEBSITE: WWW.ADDANCECOMPANY.ORG.UK

photos by Benedict Johnson

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International choreographer returns to the dance world

Award-winning choreographer and director Darshan Singh Bhuller is featuring in DanceXchange’s (dx) tenth anniversary season as part of his highly anticipated choreographic return. 

Previously a long-standing member of London Contemporary Dance Theatre, Bhuller has choreographed for companies including Rambert Dance Theatre, LCDT and Scottish Dance Theatre. This autumn marks his choreographic return with his new work, Caravaggio: Exile and Death, based on the tempestuous life of the 17^th century painter Caravaggio

Combining highly physical choreography, groundbreaking projections and a driving score, his seven-strong cast takes the audience on a journey of one man’s search for forgiveness and redemption after a lifetime’s obsession with violence, love and abandonment.

David Massingham, Artistic Director of DanceXchange (dx), adds: “Darshan is a hugely influential choreographer and director, and we’re excited that he’s returning to the stage. He’s renowned for producing shows which tackle some of the most divisive topics in society, turning them into his unique style of dance.”

Caravaggio: Exile and Death is part of a special line-up of performances marking ten years since the powerhouse of dance, DanceXchange, moved to Birmingham Hippodrome. Responsible for bringing outstanding artists to Birmingham, dx’s latest season includes a UK premiere from Chinese dance company TAO Dance Theatre and the world premiere of British dancer Aakash Odedra’s new work Rising.

To find out more information about dx or to purchase tickets for performances please visit www.dancexchange.org.uk. 

photo by Sean Micheal 

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Neshima Dance Company Opens Company Class

Neshima Dance Company will be starting rehearsals for our new piece Beyond Words and we will be opening company class at:

DanceSpace 

The Island, Bridewell St entrance
Bristol
BS1 2PY
Bristol
South West

Open class will be held on the following dates:

Monday 07/11/11

Tuesday 08/11/11

Friday 11/11/11

Saturday 12/11/11

Monday 14/11/11

Tuesday 15/11/11

All classes will run from 10am-1130am at £4 per class.

Classes will be open to professional, undergraduates and young dancers. These contemporary technique classes will be led by artistic director Batel Magen and company dancers.

Book or turn up!

For enquiries email Batel on neshimadance@gmail.com
www.neshimadance.com

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Successful choreographer hits the Midlands

Critically acclaimed choreographer Frauke Requardt presents a darkly atmospheric new show as part of DanceXchange’s (dx) anniversary season at Birmingham Hippodrome.

Episode draws on the human desire for safety and clarity to create an experience that revels in the highs and lows of humanity with a surreal and dark humour. Originally from Germany and now based in London, Requardt has garnered critical acclaim for her previous recent works.

Featuring live on-stage music by pianist Niko Meinhold and vocals from Andrew Plummer, Episode is supported by an eerie, immersive soundtrack. The exceptional dancers performing are among the most risk-taking currently working in theatre.

David Massingham, Artistic Director of DanceXchange (dx), adds: “I’m pleased to welcome Frauke’s show to be part of our celebrations. dx prides itself on supporting rising talent and this unusual and innovative show demonstrates that she is one to watch.”

Established in 1993, DanceXchange is a powerhouse of dance responsible for helping to take British dance to a worldwide audience. Having moved to Birmingham Hippodrome in 2001, dx has been bringing outstanding international artists like Frauke Requardt to Birmingham for a decade. In celebration of this, dx is presenting an exciting line-up of performances this autumn including Company Decalage and a UK premiere from Chinese dance company TAO Dance Theatre.

To find out more information about dx or to purchase tickets for performances please visit www.dancexchange.org.uk.

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Free Event - Neshima Dance Company & Swerve Dance Theatre present PreText