May 2014 – Dance Direct Blog. News, Reviews & Advice About Dance

Life Without Dance?

Red Cross As a passionate young dance student, it can be hard to conceive of a life without dance. Perhaps you’ve been injured, or can’t get a job or even discovered a full dancing life just isn’t for you. You may be able to return to dancing, and if you do your body will not have forgotten, and you’ll be able to bring more to your dancing than previously.

For many, letting dance go and getting a different job is a welcome change. The change from dancing can be refreshing and the shift in routine can be a welcome break from a sometimes intense dance existence. Injury might also mean you need to take a break from dance and, if it permits, with the right rehabilitation you can return your body to dance.

In the return to dance it is important to retrain the body to return it to its optimum health. A combined programme of, for example, running for cardio, skipping for lower leg strength, Bikram yoga for flexibility, lunges for thigh strength and ballet classes for overall strength, coordination and movement pathways can get the body back into condition.

An alternative return to dance may be through teaching, either within an institution or, more likely, freelance. It is important to take it slowly and set good foundations as a gradual return will put your body at less risk. Focusing on gently increasing your flexibility, strength and fitness means there is less chance of injury.

If you’ve managed to stay fairly active, you might not find the physical side of returning to dance too tough, but it is still important not to be too hard on the body in the beginning by keeping your legs low and not at maximum turn out. If you haven’t been active, start with simple things like brisk walking, swimming or gentle yoga classes. Pilates is always useful for core strength, flexibility and overall conditioning.

Prepare yourself mentally for the fact that you body may have changed, especially if you are a little older or if you’ve had a particularly long break. This is not a limitation however, but a positive change in a new direction and an opportunity to learn more.

Osipova And Vasiliev Reunite!

Two of the world’s most celebrated dancing partners, Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev are to be re-united this summer at the London Coliseum from 6-9 August. They will appear in Sergei Danilian’s production of Solo for Two: three diverse pieces including two world premieres commissioned by the Segerstrom Center for the Arts and Ardani Artists.

The evening will open with a piece to be confirmed, followed by Passo by Ohad Naharin, artistic director of Batsheva Dance Company. Naharin has choreographed more than 20 works for Batsheva and its junior division, Batsheva Ensemble. Naharin has also worked with Nederlands Dans Theater, Ballett Frankfurt, Paris Opéra Ballet, Cedar Lake, and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. The evening will conclude with a new work by Arthur Pita named Facada. Pita is a highly talented and versatile choreographer and director. He has created works for Johannesburg’s Dance Umbrella, Resolution! and Spring Loaded at The Place, Royal Shakespeare Company, Phoenix Dance Theatre, CandoCo Dance Company and The Metamorphosis for The Linbury Studio Theatre Royal Opera House.

Osipova graduated from the Bolshoi Ballet Academy and joined the Bolshoi Ballet the same year, going on to reach the position of Principal Dancer. She has been a guest artist with the Mariinsky Ballet, Teatro alla Scala, Paris Opéra Ballet and American Ballet Theatre, and is currently a principal dancer with the Royal Ballet and American Ballet Theatre. Her vast repertoire includes Nikiya, Aurora, Juliet, Medora, Kitri, Swanilda and Giselle amongst many others.

Vasiliev is currently a principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre, having studied at the Dnepropetrovsk Ballet School in Ukraine and later at the Belorussian State Choreographic College in Minsk. In 2006, he was invited to join the Bolshoi Ballet as a soloist, making his debut with the Company, at age 17, and was soon promoted to the rank of principal dancer. Vasiliev has been a guest artist at the International Rudolf Nureyev Festival in Kazan and has appeared with the Novosibirsk Opera and Ballet Theater Mikhailovsky Ballet in St. Petersburg.

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Soft Tissue Therapy For Dancers

Soft tissue therapy is a method used to assist dancers in building and maintaining flexibility and facility, as well as treating injuries, in keeping the body both strong and supple. Using soft tissue therapy aids dancers in reaching their potential: sometimes referred to as massage, the technique covers such a broad range of entities the term massage cannot encompass them.

In soft tissue therapy, all the soft tissues of the body are concentrated on, as well as the systems of the body which maintain wellness. Dancers must maintain their bodies as their instrument, and in that comes muscles, ligaments, tendons, fascia, connective tissue and so on. Dancers may seek the therapy because of injury, or even small aches and pains. Others may come to increase flexibility or fluidity, and to check they are working at their capacity. As a result, soft tissue therapy can be about both improving performance as well as diagnosing and treating injuries.

For some therapists, working on soft tissues is not always about being ‘hands-on’, but also about working with occupational therapy and the mind-body connection which both affect the state of soft tissues. Dancers sometimes have to be trained to let the body relax and release tension to enable them to perform better – visualisation and relaxation techniques can help along with concentrating on breathing. Positive thinking is another technique that is encouraged to help dancers, along with visualisation techniques to help them see the body doing what they want.

In enhancing the benefits of soft tissue therapy it is important to be aware of the body and not ignore things, as early intervention is the best intervention. To get the best out your body you must ultimately believe in yourself, and believe that your body can do what you want it to do.

Crazy for Gershwin

Late April saw the new Crazy for Gershwin tour announced for October and November of this year. It is set to be a celebration of the works of George Gershwin, including classic orchestral compositions alongside a selection of show-stopping numbers, written in collaboration with his lyricist brother, Ira. The pair formed one of the most successful partnerships in the music industry and their music is known worldwide.

The performances from the Gershwin repertoire of music, song and dance will include ‘Rhapsody In Blue’; ‘I’ve Got A Crush On You’; ‘Someone To Watch Over Me’, ‘Oh, Lady Be Good!’, ‘Fascinatin’ Rhythm’; ‘S’Wonderful’; ‘Strike Up The Band’; ‘A Foggy Day (In London Town)’ and highlights from ‘Porgy and Bess’ such as ‘Summertime’ and ‘It Ain’t Necessarily So’. Performers for the tour then include the London Concert Orchestra: Jonathan Scott on piano, Meeta Raval as soprano, Rodney Earl Clarke as baritone and Richard Balcombe as conductor. The performances will also include a ballroom dancing duet and two tap dancers.

There have been other takes on the Gershwin success in other performances, such as English National Ballet’s production of Strictly Gershwin, which was staged in the round at the Royal Albert Hall and then in proscenium arch theatres around the country on the company’s tour. The performances included Gershwin hits such as those above, adding a multitude of ballerinas into the mix. There was a ballroom dancing duo here as well as some of the dancers donning their tap shoes and adding syncopated rhythm to their performances.

Dates and venues of the Crazy for Gershwin tour are yet to be formally announced but when they are the tour looks set to be perfect for any Gershwin or simply musical theatre fan.

Tamara Ashley: A Figurehead In Digital Dance

Tamara Ashley works as an artistic director, curator, academic, writer and choreographer. She is currently the Artistic Director of dancedigital and also directs the MA Dance Performance and Choreography programme at the University of Bedfordshire. As Artistic Director of dancedigital, she has led on projects such as Digital Futures in Dance and the recent dancedigital festival, with a particular focus on supporting artists in the development of their work.

Tamara began her dance education in Hertfordshire as a member of the Herts Youth Dance Company in the early 1990s. Following that she undertook her undergraduate dance training at Roehampton Institute London and Goucher College, USA. With the support of a full scholarship she went on to earn an MFA in Choreography and PhD in Dance from Texas Woman’s University.

Where did it all begin?

Coincidentally I joined Hertfordshire youth dance company which is now taken care of by dancedigital! I went on to study at university which led to me studying in the ISA and establishing myself as a dance artist. I then moved into teaching dance and working on projects before becoming part of dancedigital which I’ve been leading for four years. We had a rocky, challenging period of funding cuts, structural reviews and renewal of our focus but now we are expanding.

What is a typical day like at dancedigital?

Wow! First I check in with the staff and producers and go through the agenda for the day. I then work through my emails and speak to the artists we are working with, such as helping them plan. I talk to teachers, funders, write funding applications, present the organisation to national bodies and above all try to advance digital dance. I am also mentoring on the Youth Dance England Young Creatives scheme in which I give advice as the participants look at their work in progress. My main role however is to represent our organisation in advising and mentoring younger artists.

What do you like most about dance?

Aside from the digital aspects I am also really interested in the health and wellness side of dance. I am also a yoga instructor and look closely at connecting with the body and connecting interactive projections with somatic experiences. I look at new experiences of embodiment, leading onto the 4D experience of the body with digital dance as a view into the future. It is important to develop and understand the body’s place within the world.

Explain the idea behind the newest dancedigital project…

The dancedigitall festival is to be presented at the University of Bedfordshire from 25-27 May, including presentations by Focus, Essex’s youth dance company. Focus is for 14-18 year old dancers and the company is directed by Robert Gentle, a digital dance development specialist. The main focus of the group is on the creative skills of the dancers. The festival will be a full weekend of talks, performances, installations and immersive dance, such as that with lights which are fed by movement.

dancedigital received funding from the Royal Opera House bridge which prompted further experimentation with new digital techniques, meaning the organisation is the first to do this. The support for arts and technology came early on, resulting in interactive and light based work, 3D work, partnering and a rich quality of movement with detailed movement vocabulary.

What is your greatest achievement to date?

At the moment it is seeing the work of the artists of dancedigital and their innovation and success. They have secured funding and touring commissions which makes me very proud. I would also say the technological focus of the youth dance company is also a great achievement, as it is an innovation in their field and a very special experience for young people.

What’s next for you?

We are looking at the future network of the schools we work with in Essex and Hertfordshire, as well as working on a new app. It will be a choreographic app for young people to encourage them to make movement for themselves and to inspire them. It will be aimed at primary school children as a movement project for them.

Strictly Come Dancing ‘Meet The Stars’ Weekend

Donahey’s Dance School is set to host a special Strictly Come Dancing ‘Meet the Stars’ weekend in June in Warwickshire, offering avid fans of Strictly the chance to meet their dance icons on a weekend dance break. The weekend includes tuition and performances by Strictly Champion Aljaz Skorjanec and Janette Manrara, Anton Du Beke and Erin Boag, and Natalie Lowe and Ian Waite and is a unique opportunity for keen fans and dancers to get up close and personal with the pro dancers.

The weekend package includes four hours of Ballroom and Latin dance classes with the Strictly dancers, tailored to the participants’ dance ability. The workshops are perfect for both beginners and intermediates, as well as experienced dancers.

Guests will also be treated to dance showcases from floor-side VIP seating. This unique up-close and personal guarantee at is at no additional cost. The Strictly dance weekends have been hugely successful for the past eight years due to the personal experience offered. The school works in partnership with the stars of Strictly to offer a unique and coveted experience.

Donahey’s dance school was founded in 1968 and is run by mother and son Shirley and Paul Donahey. Teaching adults and children of all ages, Shirley and Paul offer classes in ballroom, disco, Latin American, salsa, rock and roll, and Argentine tango. Donahey’s also specialise in organising dance weekends across the UK featuring the Strictly stars, enabling people to meet their dance heroes and learn from the best.

Donahey’s Dancing With The Stars weekend includes two nights of dancing, a Black Tie Ball with live music from The Tony Greenwood 15-piece Ballroom and Latin Big Band, and a late night ‘Latin Lounge’. The weekend culminates in a breathtaking Grand Finale dance showcase from the Strictly dancers.

New Multi-Arts Festival For The Roundhouse Summer Sessions

Camden Roundhouse The Roundhouse, Camden, has announced a new multi-arts festival, named ‘Roundhouse Summer Session, in some of the best live entertainment for London this summer. Whilst lots is going on inside, outside visitors can enjoy Camden Beach, the Roundhouse’s very own seaside resort, all of which is taking place throughout July and August. On the terrace, Camden’s biggest outdoor space, there will be 150 tonnes of the finest sand, deck chairs, beach huts, live music and some of the best food pop-ups in the city.

Summer Sessions will present live music, dance, comedy, cabaret, spoken word and live-scored cinema in an intimate, table-seated setting. The eclectic line-up includes the world premiere live scoring of There Will Be Blood, exclusive UK headline performances from Sinéad O’Connor and Chilly Gonzalez, a preview of new work from BalletBoyz, performances from rising star Andreya Triana, Penguin Café, Funk Da Cirque, Boom + Bang Cabaret and The Nest Collective host London’s biggest Ceilidh.

Following international success, BalletBoyz present their award-winning show Serpent/ Fallen for the final time in London, together with a chance to see an excerpt from their much anticipated new full length work Young Men, choreographed by Iván Pérez, based on the theme of war and the men that train and fight together. Serpent is choreographed by Liam Scarlett (Royal Ballet Artist in Residence) and Fallen is choreographed by Russell Maliphant. Fallen won the award for Best Modern Choreography at the 2013 National Dance Awards.

Funk Da Cirque returns to the Roundhouse with Soul Trip, a show that combines street dance styles including boogaloo, house, waacking and b-boying – mixed with theatre, acrobatics, human pyramids and body percussion. Following sold out debut shows at Roundhouse CircusFest 2012 and hot on the heels of appearances at the National Theatre’s Watch This Space and Camp Bestival, Funk Da Cirque includes some of the best young street dancers and acrobats from across London, aged 11-25.

Boom + Bang Cabaret is a cabaret circus extravaganza featuring the most talented circus performers from around the world including evil clowns, fire breathing panthers, a drag ringmaster, a Russian prima ballerina, death-defying aerial feats and more. The Boom + Bang Circus is the new creative collaboration between producer Bioux Lee Hayes (formerly of Boom Boom Club and La Reve) and the award winning, international burlesque and circus performer Kitty Bang Bang.

Busby Berkeley: More Hollywood Treatment

The son of an actor and actress, Busby Berkeley became a Broadway dance director in the 1920s after serving in the army during World War I. He came to Hollywood to work on films like Eddie Cantor’s Whoopee! in 1930 and turned to directing with the 1933 She Had to Say Yes and then Gold Diggers. He continued to work throughout the 1940s and early 50s, aiming to help people escape the misery of those eras, full of breadlines, depression and wars.

Now Warner Bros. Pictures is giving iconic choreographer Busby Berkeley the chance to be reborn, with actor Ryan Gosling rumoured to play the famous director and choreographer of musicals from Hollywood’s golden age. Named “Buzz: The Life and Art of Busby Berkeley” by Jeffrey Spivak, the adaptation is set to be produced by Marc Platt and Gosling.

Platt has musical experience in that he produced Broadway’s box-office hit Wicked, and is currently working on Disney’s adaptation of the Broadway musical Into the Woods, for release in December. He also produced the popular film Legally Blonde, which was turned into a Broadway and then West End musical.

Berkeley became famous for his elaborate dance routines in Hollywood musicals, such as the 1933 42nd Street and the 1935 Gold Diggers, two of the many movies he choreographed for Warners. He was especially famous for his overhead shots in which chorus girls performed shifting kaleidoscopic patterns, and he earned three Oscar nominations for best dance direction, a category that no longer exists. These overhead spectacles are awe-inspiring, the choreographic movement impeccable.

Northern Ballet announces new ballet for children

Northern Ballet has announced that its much-anticipated enchanting new ballet for children, Elves & the Shoemaker, will première in Leeds this October, revealed on the evening of the television broadcast of its production Three Little Pigs. The company is extremely excited to launch this brand new production.

Elves & the Shoemaker is the latest in Northern Ballet’s award-winning series of Short Ballets for Small People which already includes the hugely popular Ugly Duckling and Three Little Pigs. The ballet has been created to introduce families and young children to live dance, music and theatre and encourage this participation. It will be performed in venues across Leeds before touring widely across north England and joining theatres on Northern Ballet’s national tour across the UK. It will then tour throughout the UK in spring 2015.

The production will retell the Brothers Grimm story about a shoemaker who receives some much-needed help from two elves: this colourful and heart-warming production is choreographed by Northern Ballet’s Ballet Master Daniel de Andrade. It will be set to an original score by composer Philip Feeney with set designs by Ali Allen. The production will give more young children and families the opportunity to visit the theatre and see ballet for the first time, igniting their interest in the art form with the hope of continuing this throughout the rest of their lives.

The company’s production of Ugly Duckling was a sell-out success on tour and became a BAFTA award-winning TV adaptation for CBeebies. The production of Three Little Pigs continues to delight audiences and critics on tour throughout the UK and a CBeebies television adaptation was screened on Easter Monday this year. Since its inception, Northern Ballet’s ballets for children have been seen live by more than 53,000 people and have been seen on TV by hundreds of thousands of people.

The Royal Ballet Graduate Scheme

The Royal Ballet is set to launch a year-long training scheme for graduate dancers, aimed at providing female ballerinas in particular with an “extra chance” to gain employment in the industry.

The number of female graduates entering the dance industry has been the topic of many conversations, so the steps to be taken by the Royal Ballet look to ease the problem and provide employment solutions for some.

The scheme is to be called the Aud Jebsen Young Dancer Programme; it will commence in September 2014 and will offer up to six paid work placements to dancers who have graduated from ballet school. There will be opportunities to work with the company’s corps de ballet, teachers, coaches and young choreographers, enabling young graduate dancers to begin to work their way up the dance career ladder and secure a healthy start.

Participants of the scheme will also be able to perform with the Royal Ballet, gaining invaluable performance experience as they continue on their dancing journeys.

Royal Ballet director Kevin O’Hare said that the organisation would initially look to the Royal Ballet School for recruits, but would also encourage graduates from other training providers to apply. The programme is to be open to both male and female dancers, however O’Hare hopes to see more female ballet dancers applying because it is hoped to then encourage them to continue their career either at the Royal Ballet or another dance company.

The competition between female dancers is extremely high, simply because there are so many of them. Men tend to appear more successful in their endeavours because there are less of them in the ballet world, with seemingly more jobs to go around a smaller number. The Royal Ballet graduate scheme aims to give female dancers an extra chance, setting them up to either join the Royal Ballet or any other company around the world.