December 2013 – Dance Direct Blog. News, Reviews & Advice About Dance

Flagship Children’s Theatre For Darlington

Darlington Borough Council

Darlington Borough Council has announced it intends to use £600,000 of ring-fenced funds from the future sale of Darlington Arts Centre to help create a flagship children’s theatre which will become the first permanent performance space for children’s touring company Theatre Hullabaloo. The company will bid for £1.5 million of Arts Council England capital money for the project and the local authority will provide its own cash as match-funding if the bid is successful.

The proposed theatre would include a 150-seat studio theatre space for professional performances by Theatre Hullabaloo, as well as rehearsal areas and a cafe. Other arts organisations and community groups would be able to stage works and use the space as well. While Darlington Borough Council would be unable to subsidise the new venue, its proposal would entail running the building and sharing management costs with the Darlington Civic Centre while Theatre Hullabaloo would programme the space.

The council-owned Darlington Arts Centre, which was the previous base for Theatre Hullabaloo as well as other arts groups, closed in July 2012. The new venue will not replace the Darlington Arts Centre, but will form an important part of a proposed cultural quarter for the town that would also have national significance as a small theatre space for the town.

The proposal is for the venue to embody the values of the company which are that children should not be compromised as an audience by having to be secondary users in an adult-designed space. The venue will be a children-centred space that would allow the company to create and perform its own work and create a hub for artists developing their own practice in theatre for young audiences.

The Art of Food

Nutrition Pyramid Following injuries, it is paramount that dancers recover as quickly as possible, and diet can particularly aid this. And it’s not just about what you eat, it’s about what you shouldn’t eat too; junk food fills holes without providing any nutrients, just empty calories, and caffeine reduces bone-mineral density and increase fluid loss.

In order to promote healing, the following foods are of particular benefit: produce, dairy and meat aisles, rather than pre-packaged goods. Every nutrient plays a part in recovering from injuries, particularly protein, vitamin D and vitamin C. For calcium choose milk, yogurt, low-fat cheese and almonds; for vitamin A try sweet potato, carrots, blue/orange/purple fruits and vegetables; gain vitamin C with broccoli, citrus fruits and berries; to increase magnesium have almonds, spinach, pumpkin and ground flaxseeds; for omega-3 fatty acids: walnuts, ground flaxseeds, beans, wild salmon; and for protein: milk, eggs, tofu, beans and lean meat.

To ensure strong bones, rather than gorging on milk and other calcium-filled products, try adding a little more virgin olive oil to you meals, such as salad or pasta. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism reports that men put on diets that included the Mediterranean staple showed a significant increase in levels of osteocalcin, a marker of healthy bone formation.

Another unexpected food tip is to use juice to stay slim. Juice is usually associated with ‘bad foods’ due to its high sugar content, however if you’re craving a fruity drink, try watermelon juice. A recent study published in The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry found that an amino acid in watermelon juice called citrulline might help with weight maintenance.

MOVE IT 2014: The UK’s Biggest Dance Event

MOVE IT, the UK’s biggest dance event is back for 2014. From 7-9 March, Olympia London will be the home to over 100 live performances, inspirational dance classes spanning all genres and live interviews with renowned dancers and celebrities from the dance world. Tickets for this fantastic dance event are now on sale, in addition to MOVE IT 2014 merchandise, is available to pre-order online at http://www.moveitdance.co.uk/Content/MOVE-IT-2014-merchandise/5_50/

Join over 20,000 dancers at the UK’s biggest festival dedicated to dance of all styles and levels and enjoy an array of spectator and participatory activities. MOVE IT 2014 includes…

The interview sofa: discover useful expert knowledge from dance stars with interviews on the latest dance topics with guests including Darcey Bussell CBE, Strictly Come Dancing judge and Prima Ballerina. Darcey will answer questions, pass on invaluable tips and talk about her work as President of the Royal Academy of Dance.

The main stage: this central performance area is THE destination for live dance, with performances from the UK’s biggest dance stars and fresh new talents from all over the UK including Lukas McFarlane (presented by Beautiful Movements), Boy Blue, the English National Ballet Youth Company, the cast of West End show STOMP, BalletBoyz, and the Royal Academy of Dance.

Tasters and masterclasses: over 220 dance classes in a huge range of styles are available to try, open to budding dancers, enthusiasts and professionals. Masterclasses are taught by some of the UK’s leading choreographers and dance experts from the worlds of hip hop, ballet and contemporary, and will host a series of intensive dance lessons for those wishing to progress and take their skills to the next level.

MOVE IT still has much more to offer! Catch the latest spins, freezes, flips, shimmies and dance moves live on the Freestyle Stage in a showcase of raw talent. Bag the latest trends in dancewear at the range of retail stands and top up on your careers advice at MOVE IT to find out everything about the dance industry and community from experts, workshops and every major performing arts university/colleges under one roof.

West End Star To Launch Events Company

Renowned West End performer Louise Dearman is to start up a new events entertainment company with her partner Andrew Eastel and choreographer Ian Stroughair, named Backslap. Backslap will initially offer four productions that can be performed at events including private parties, awards ceremonies and corporate events. The four shows being created by Backslap are a burlesque show (Legs), a 1940s-themed production (Bombshells and Brylcream), an urban dance show (Swagger) and a theatre show (Curtain Call).

Backslap is a project of Dearman’s that she is able to manage while continuing her own performance work in London’s West End. She recently left West End musical Wicked, after a year playing Elphaba, following a three year musical theatre course at Laine Theatre Arts in Surrey. Her work within events management will continue beneath what Dearman is passionate about: i.e. performing. Dearman has equally acknowledged that while entertainment of this nature is not a new concept, she wanted to ‘raise the bar’ with Backslap whilst leading it from the front.

It is thought that Backslap will launch in the new year, aiming eventually to produce its own one-off events on a grand scale. Dearman has said that each of these would be set in a unique location with an original theme and brimming with well-known faces and voices, giving the company a familiar yet professional feel. Dearman feels that although there are some great acts and entertainment providers already out there working, unfortunately audiences have probably seen or heard of more bad than good.

Backslap therefore aims to provide ‘off-the-shelf’ shows that have each been especially constructed from scratch by the best creative people in the business, and will only ever be performed by trained, professional singers and dancers; Dearman consequently hopes for the best that can be found in the UK.

The Albany’s £1 Ticket Offer

South East London’s Deptford has a secret weapon in the form of The Albany, the Southbank Centre for non-central Londoners. The arts venue is also a meeting and training place, a social place, a work place and a performance space, in addition to being a cafe and a place for young children. The venue has had a longstanding and successful relationship with the Deptford market just outside its doors on Deptford High Street, mixing its cultural vibrancy with the theatres.

The Albany has recently launched a scheme with has integrated itself straight into Deptford market in the form of a pop-up stand offering a limited number of £1 tickets to events and performances at The Albany. Tickets are purchased first come first served, offering local residents and shoppers the chance to engage with the arts cheaply, and perhaps even take a risk and attend something they may not have considered spending money on a ticket for. Encouraging audiences to see different art forms broadens their appreciation and knowledge of the art scene, and London’s in particular.

10 were available for each show, and according to the theatre 182 were sold, with an estimated 70% of those being first time bookers. At £1 per ticket this isn’t a money making exercise yet the level of first time buyer response is good, along with the promise of repeat booking at the full price of £6. The Albany’s stall is now a regular feature of the market. It enables members of the theatre team to interact with audience members one to one and allows time for genuine relationships to be created.

Freeing cheap tickets to audiences is a fantastic incentive for those who don’t attend performances or arts events regularly to support their local arts venue. The Albany offers a wide variety of performances, including those specifically for children and young people. The Albany is also a central place to meet, discuss and share – as a mini Southbank Centre – offering the residents of Deptford an area which is theirs for the community, just outside the expense and bustle of central London.

Academy of Northern Ballet Talent Search

Northern Ballet has announced plans to take its Academy Open Days on the road to Hull, Doncaster and Harrogate in early 2014 in a bid to find Yorkshire’s most promising young dance talent. The open days are a chance for 9–12 year olds, with and without dance experience, to find out more about the training programmes, technique and auditions.

The free Open Days will take place at Hull College (19 January), Cast in Doncaster (26 January) and Harrogate’s Ashville College (2 February). The Academy of Northern Ballet will also host an Open Day at its home in Leeds on Sunday 16 February for prospective students aged 9–15 years, including a dedicated session for boys. Following the open days, preliminary auditions for all courses will take place on Friday 28 February and Sunday 2 March. Applications should be submitted by Thursday 20 February.

The Academy of Northern Ballet is the official school of Leeds-based Northern Ballet, and specialises in offering a holistic approach to teaching, nurturing and inspiring the professional dancers of the future. As the only recognised Centre for Advanced Training (CAT) in the UK specialising in Classical Ballet, Northern Ballet Academy is hosting Open Days to entice young dancers from across Yorkshire to audition for its professional CAT training programme which will celebrate its 10th anniversary in 2014. Graduates from Northern Ballet’s CAT programme have gone on to full-time vocational training at top training schools including the Royal Ballet Upper School, English National Ballet School and Central School of Ballet.

Students benefit from teaching methods developed by Northern Ballet’s renowned Ballet Mistress which focuses on developing technique and ensuring that students have the solid foundation required to build a long and rewarding career in dance. The organisation is committed to nurturing the physical and emotional wellbeing of each student in an atmosphere that centres on individual learning and professionalism.

I Can’t Sing! Casting Announced

I Can't Sing Full casting has been announced for new Wet End production I Can’t Sing, The X Factor Musical which premieres in Spring 2014 at the London Palladium.

Earlier this year it was announced that Olivier Award-winner Nigel Harman had been cast as X Factor supremo Simon and that Color Purple star Cynthia Erivo and Holby City actor Alan Morrissey had been cast as lovestruck contestants Chenice and Max. Joining Nigel as judge will be Ashley Knight as positive boyband manager Louis and Victoria Elliot as pop queen Jordy. Simon Bailey will play the affectionate X Factor host Liam O’Deary, with Billy Carter as Executive Producer and Simon’s right hand man, Gerard Smalls. Simon Lipkin plays Chenice’s canine sidekick and Joe Speare is her powerful singer Grandad. Along with Chenice and Max, the I Can’t Sing hopefuls include Katy Secombe as supermarket checkout girl Brenda, Charlie Baker as The Hunchback and Shaun Smith and Rowen Hawkins as Irish pop duo Alterboyz.

The I Can’t Sing! cast is completed by Luke Baker, Adam J Bernard, Jenna Boyd, Cyrus Brandon, Gabrielle Brooks, Scarlette Douglas, Kelly Ewins, Scott Garnham, Cherelle Jay, Faisal Khodaukus, Jaye Marshall, Brian McCann, Max Parker, Joseph Prouse, Steven Serlin, Kirstie Skivington, Philippa Stefani, Gary Trainor and Alex Young.

The brand new musical comedy, written by Harry Hill and Steve Brown, will feature 19 original songs, telling the sensational(ised) story of heartache and laughter that keeps millions tuning in to the X Factor every week. Harry Hill has worked with a lot of the cast in the workshops for I Can’t Sing! and have some new company faces. Harry has even commented on the uncanny likeness between Nigel Harman and Simon Cowell, especially with a wig and false teeth!

Injury Diet

Shin Splints With injuries perhaps the most feared aspect of a performer’s life, it is important that your diet is aiding recovery, aside from other treatments you may be using such as ice, physiotherapy and rest. Ensuring you are providing your body with good nutrition will reduce recovery times, which is paramount for getting back in the studio. It is said that there are three key nutrients to get you back on top form.

Protein is essential for both building and healing muscle, in addition to repairing bones and improving muscle contraction. Despite this, too much protein can be detrimental; it is important to eat protein intelligently in order to maximise its impact, which does not mean simply eating more protein. Many dancers already consume enough, so it is perhaps best to eat small amounts of high-quality protein with each meal for rebuilding tissue, such as yogurt, cheese, lean meat, beans, rice, quinoa, nuts and seeds. Too much protein forces the body to release calcium from the bones to balance it, which could slow recovery time.

Dancers must also get enough Vitamin D, due to the fact they spend long hours inside. Calcium is another vitamin that dancers tend to not get much of, both of which are vital for the repairing of stress fractures, for example. Vitamin D allows bones to absorb calcium and use it to repair stresses, hairline fractures and breaks: it also strengthens the immune system and helps reduce inflammation throughout the body. Just 15 minutes of sun exposure a day, even when it’s overcast outside, can help increase your levels for better healing. Other sources of vitamin D include yoghurt, fortified milk, tuna, salmon, and the yolks of eggs.

Vitamin C is also a great healer, from rebuilding ligaments to repairing blisters, however an excess amount becomes similar to excess protein. Because vitamin C is acidic the body will use calcium to neutralise the large amounts found in supplements, causing a weakening of the bones. The daily requirement is just 45–100 milligrams, which is around two oranges.

Northern Ballet’s Sponsor A Dancer campaign

Young students from Headingley Ballet School recently presented a donation to Northern Ballet, specifically the Company’s Sponsor a Dancer campaign. The students have previously used the premises as a venue for their dance shows, home to the inspirational ballet company. The funds were raised following the students’ Pass It On second hand dancewear scheme which allows pupils to buy second hand dancewear and shoes for a small donation. The dancers are set to carry on with the fundraising!

Sponsor a Dancer was launched in 2011 in response to severe budget cuts to Northern Ballet, and has since raised more than £500,000 to support the Company’s work, enabling it to retain a full Company of 40 dancers. Sponsor a Dancer has also been selected to be included in the Big Give Christmas Challenge 2013, an annual match funding event which means any money donated to Sponsor a Dancer from 10am on 5, 6 and 7 December could be doubled. These donations will see Northern Ballet continue to provide employment and development opportunities for the classical ballet dancers, nurture young and upcoming talent through training programmes and be able to continue to create and perform full-length ballets.

Online donations are matched on a first come, first served basis and donations will be matched as long as there are matched funds still available. If not, donors will still be able to make donations but it would not be matched so donors are encouraged to return to the site the following day and donate as close to 10am as possible. The Christmas Challenge will conclude once all of the matched funds have been exhausted until 18 December at 5pm.

Northern Ballet is one of the UK’s five large ballet companies mixing classical dance and theatre to give a unique interpretation of popular classical ballets. It is a busy touring company and typically tours for around 24 weeks of the year. The Company presents a combination of new works and repertoire to cities throughout the UK and are the only large scale ballet company to do so.

Body Of Knowledge

ResCen Early November saw the launch of a new strand of ResCen, the Research Centre of Middlesex University. This strand is dedicated to the reaching and works of Robert Cohan, a dancer with the Martha Graham Dance Company and now a teacher and choreographer in his own right.

Cohan went on to establish The Place, London, with Robin Howard, and London Contemporary Dance Theatre, bringing a specific style of contemporary dance to the UK.

The students at Middlesex University are taught the Cohan method of the Graham technique by Anne Donnelly, a student descendant, passed down from teacher to student to teacher again, creating a legacy which is both complemented and supported by ResCen. The Cohan method does not differ widely from pure Graham technique; the principles of movement remain the same, just with the additions of Cohan’s profound teaching method and incorporation of the body and mind.

Robert Cohan, is the founding artistic director of The Place alongside Robin Howard, who financed the years following The Place’s inception. It was born from the journey of the Martha Graham technique from America to London by Cohan, seeing his work and legacy documented in by his colleagues and students to preserve his teaching method and also include interviews about his ethos and various works.

Now The Place is home to many contemporary and jazz classes, alongside the Richard Alston Dance Company and London Contemporary Dance School, no longer London Contemporary Dance Theatre which became the recipient company of London Contemporary Dance School students. The Place offers termly classes in techniques such as Release, Cunningham, Limón and Graham, alongside some ballet and jazz.