February 2015 – Dance Direct Blog. News, Reviews & Advice About Dance

ELF The Musical To Open In The Autumn

As a much loved Christmas classic, ELF the Musical will open at the Dominion Theatre on 24 October, for a strictly limited 10 week season. Following the sold-out UK and Ireland premieres in Plymouth and Dublin in December 2014, ELF the musical will receive its London premiere this autumn, with the run ending on 2 January 2016. What began as a mandatory Christmas film to watch with the family could now become a smash hit!

The musical is based on the 2003 New Line Cinema hit starring Will Ferrell: it is the hilarious tale of Buddy, a young orphan child who mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag of gifts and is transported back to the North Pole. Unaware that he is actually human, Buddy’s enormous size and poor toy-making abilities cause him to face the truth. With Santa’s permission, Buddy embarks on a journey to New York City to find his birth father, discover his true identity, and help New York remember the true meaning of Christmas. Casting for the musical is yet to be announced.

ELF the Musical features a book by Tony Award winners Thomas Meehan (Annie, The Producers, Hairspray) and Bob Martin (The Drowsy Chaperone), with songs by Tony Award nominees Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin (The Wedding Singer). The production will feature direction and choreography by Morgan Young (Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang), set design and costumes by Tim Goodchild, lighting design by Tim Lutkin, vocal arrangements by Phil Reno, dance arrangements by David Chase, orchestrations by Doug Besterman, video design by Ian William Galloway and sound design by Clement Rawling. Musical direction and supervision will be by Stuart Morley.

Michael Rose and U-Live, in association with the Bord Gais Energy Theatre, Dublin, will present the Theatre Royal Plymouth production of ELF at the Dominion.

Flatley’s Farewell

Following a sold out run at the London Palladium in 2014, Michael Flatley’s Lord of the Dance: Dangerous Games is returning to the West End at the Dominion Theatre from 13 March to begin a farewell tour following the six month run at the Dominion. The show’s 2014 run was intended to mark Flatley’s last West End appearance, but the star couldn’t resist returning for one last time to the capital’s stage.

Flatley will take to the stage for the first 12 days of performances before young star James Keegan takes over the role for the rest of the run of the hit Irish dance spectacular. Flatley will also be returning to the 3 Arena in Dublin and the Odyssey Arena in Belfast at the end of March. His only performances in the multi-date UK tour will be at the Brighton Centre from 2-5 April, where the tour begins, and at the Wembley Arena on 4 July, where the tour ends.

The production, which combines executing and groundbreaking technology, including holographs, dancing robots and world champion acrobats, also includes musical appearances from Girls Aloud’s Nadine Coyle. A new score composed by Gerard Fahy, new costumes and special effects lighting add a breathtaking new dimension to the original masterpiece. “My dancers are the real stars,” says Michael of his troupe of dancers, some of whom have been with the company for 10 years. He is immensely proud of their hard work and dedication, and to bring the show back to the West End in the magnificently refurbished Dominion Theatre is a dream come true.

The global phenomenon that is Lord of the Dance will be bigger than ever in 2015, with Lord of the Dance: Dangerous Games on a 200-plus date tour across 15 countries over the next 18 months. In the UK, the show will be performed concurrently in London at the Dominion Theatre from 13 March-5 September and on a UK tour from 2 April-4 July.

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Dates Revealed For Mack And Mabel Tour

Mack & Mabel Mack and Mabel, the musical story of the tumultuous relationship between Keystone Cops director Mack Sennett and actress Mabel Normand, one of Sennett’s Bathing Beauties, is set to run at the Chichester Festival Theatre from 13 July–5 September. The pair had a rocky relationship however the tale is lifted by the wonderful score including numbers ‘I Won’t Send Roses’, ‘Wherever He Ain’t’ and ‘Tap Your Troubles Away’.

Michael Ball will star in the musical, written by Jerry Herman and Michael Stewart. Following its run at the Chichester Festival Theatre the show will go on a national tour at the end of the year, followed by a possible West End transfer to the delight of fans. The Chichester Festival Theatre production will be directed Jonathan Church, with choreography by Stephen Mear and design by Robert Jones.

The classic show was first produced in the UK in 1981 at the Nottingham Playhouse, starring Denis Quilley as Mack and Imelda Staunton as Mabel. Despite a successful run the show failed to transfer to the West End, however there are high hopes for the 2015 production. Soon afterwards, champion ice dancers Jane Torvill and Christopher Dean used the Mack & Mabel overture for one of their routines and consequently won the gold medal in the 1982 World Figure Skating Championships. In February 1988, a one-off charity concert featuring George Hearn, Georgia Brown, Denis Quilley and Tommy Tune was staged at the Theatre Royal in London’s West End. The show was also revived at the Leicester Haymarket theatre in 1995, and at the Piccadilly Theatre with Caroline O’Connor starring as Mabel. A recently revival at the Southwark Playhouse saw Laura Pitt-Pulford play Mabel

Dates so far released:

Plymouth Theatre Royal 1–10 October
Manchester Opera House 12–24 October
Dublin Bord Gais 27 October–7 November
Edinburgh Playhouse 10–21 November
Nottingham Theatre Royal 23–28 November
Cardiff Millennium Centre 1–6 December

Elton John And Old Vic Productions

Pop icon Elton John and the theatrical Old Vic Productions have paired up to launch a theatre production company with a particular emphasis on creating original musicals. For fans of the music mogul, this will welcome even further exposure of John’s work, and equally that of musical theatre. Elton John is one of the most talented and influential artists of the generation, and to have him attached to Old Vic Productions is a particular coup. A new family show will be born of the partnership, featuring songs from John’s back catalogue.

‘Rocket Stage’ – as it is to be called – is a £10 million joint venture between Old Vic Productions – the co-producer of Billy Elliot the musical, which features music by John – and Rocket Pictures, the entertainment company created by John, David Furnish and Steve Hamilton-Shaw. Old Vic Productions will invest 25% into the company, with the remaining 75% from Rocket Pictures: the company will co-produce a series of shows in association with John, and the joint venture will have the rights to all John’s future musical theatre projects.

Rocket Stage is currently working on five new musicals, one of which will be a family show that will feature existing songs by John, alongside much new material too. The second creation will be a brand new show that will feature an entirely new score from John, demonstrating his talent is very much alive and kicking! Old Vic Productions will therefore co-produce all of the planned stage shows and general manage them in the UK. With so much investment from Old Vic Productions (£2.5million over three years) this will guarantee long term value for Old Vic Productions trough rights and royalties.

NSCD Presents VERVE 2015 Tour

Northern School of Contemporary Dance’s VERVE is the twelve-strong postgraduate performance company of the school, and for 2015 will be presenting a robust and highly physical tour of four contemporary dance works choreographed by celebrated artists: Kerry Nicholls, Theo Clinkard, Douglas Thorpe and Luca Silvestrini. This year’s programme features UK-based contemporary dance choreographers and shows the VERVE dancers in particularly physically demanding and theatrical work.

VERVE provides postgraduate students with experience working as a member of a professional dance company, following static training at NSCD in Leeds which is a world-class institution providing conservatoire level studies to the most talented and committed students regardless of their background. Providing the dance world with such skilled, strong dancers in such a physical and varied programme will be a delight for audiences.

The 2015 tour takes VERVE across the UK and Europe. Beginning in Leeds, the tour includes performances in Italy, Austria, Switzerland and London, presenting a dynamic and eclectic mixed bill of contemporary dance works. It will see Nicholls push the dancers to their limits with fast and intricate movement language that results in an energetic work. Leeds-based artist, Thorpe, creates his first work for the company, usually known for explosive, powerful and compelling dance theatre. Clinkard’s choreography sees the dancers’ transitions to professionals, and Silvestrini completes the programme with his unique style of dance theatre combining choreography, text, humour and social commentary to present the everyday in a revealing and subversive way.

VERVE is committed to pioneering new dance development and commissions both established dance artists and upcoming national and international choreographers to offer a dynamic, passionate and varied repertoire for its dancers and audiences. The company aims to create thought-provoking choreographic journeys that entertain, inspiring other young dancers to take to the stage.

The Year Of Song And Dance 2015 – The Highlights

Dance in the Mainstream The year-long celebration of song and dance will begin with BalletBoyz: The Talent, documenting the work of dance company BalletBoyz, followed by the BBC Young Dancer 2015 in April with the final in May. In July, David Bintley, Artistic Director of Birmingham Royal Ballet, will investigate how the foundations of ballet were laid during the reign of King Louis XIV of France, in The King Who Invented Ballet. The autumn will focus on the story of contemporary dance told through a group of young dancers in new documentary, Strictly Modern Dance.

In terms of dance highlights, BalletBoyz: The Talent will focus on the company using footage from its 2014 Roundhouse performances – the culmination of a two-year tour during which it was awarded ‘Best Independent Company’ at the National Dance Awards. The film will also include interviews with the dancers and choreographers along with insights into their creative processes and behind-the-scenes.

BBC Young Dancer follows, showcasing the UK’s best young dancers. The award has invited dancers to compete for six places in a televised Grand Final to be shown live in May. Four programmes featuring highlights from each of the Category Finals with introductions to the respective dance styles and behind-the-scenes content will also be shown, demonstrating the demands and dedication needed for dance. The Grand Final will be judged by a leading panel of dance experts; Matthew Bourne; Akram Khan; Wayne McGregor; Tamara Rojo; Kenrick Sandy; and Alistair Spalding.

David Bintley, Artistic Director of Birmingham Royal Ballet, will investigate the foundations of dance during King Louis XIV’s reign. Bintley uncovers the critical social and cultural role ballet had in Louis XI’s French court, and across 17th-century Europe. Featuring specially shot dance sequences with insightful historical documentary, The King Who Invented Ballet brings to light the 300 year old history.

Strictly Modern Dance is the story of contemporary dance, told in a completely new way: through talented young dancers, aiming to bring an understanding of what contemporary dance is to a wider audience. Strictly Modern Dance will go on a journey with the students of Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, one of Europe’s leading training centres, and will feature famous alumni. Talented young dancers will learn some of the most iconic modern dances from the last 100 years and experience the shifts in the history of contemporary dance as it challenged audiences, made history and revolutionised dance.

Robert Cohan At 90

Spring 2015 will see the celebrations of the 90th birthday of The Place’s founding artistic director, Robert Cohan CBE, widely recognised as the founding father of British contemporary dance. The Place will host a series of events including seminars, gala performances and exhibitions in the lead up to his birthday to celebrate how Cohan transformed dance in the UK and how his influence continues today through many outlets.

Cohan was instrumental in changing the dance landscape in the UK and Europe over the past half-century, after he established the pioneering company London Contemporary Dance Theatre. Born in New York in 1925, Cohan trained at the Martha Graham School following a stint in the armed forces in his early twenties. He joined the company in 1946 and thus began his professional career in dance. Cohan became something of a protégé and quickly became a soloist, performing throughout the world as a partner to the monumental lady herself.

Cohan left the company in 1957 to choreograph. Returning to the Graham company in 1962 for its European tour, he soon became a Co-Director along with Bertram Ross, another eminent dancer of Graham’s making. In 1967 he became the founder Artistic Director of The Place, London Contemporary Dance School and London Contemporary Dance Theatre, which he directed for the next 20 years. As one of the first contemporary companies in the UK it played a pioneering role in developing the art form across the country through touring, internationally too.

The Place is offering audiences unique performances and celebrations as a result of Cohan’s hugely successful career, with the programme including many highlights. The duet from Cohan’s Forest (1977), performed by dancers from the Martha Graham Dance Company, the premiere of a new solo (2015) by Cohan, performed by Liam Riddick of Richard Alston Dance Company, the premiere of a new work by Tony Adigun, inspired by Cohan’s Forest, performed by dancers from The Place’s Centre for Advanced Training and Children & Youth Dance Programmes, and an exhibition of dance photographs by Robert Cohan, many of them being shown for the first time.

Compete In Moving North

Take your dancing in a new direction with the Royal Academy of Dance and Moving North, an exciting new dance competition for 2015 open to young dancers aged 8-18, based in the north of England.

The RAD is looking for solos, duos and groups to perform a piece of original choreography in ballet, jazz, contemporary or street dance/hip hop to compete in three regional heats. No RAD experience is required but applicants must live in the UK or Ireland, and not be in full time dance training or have had any professional dance experience.

Taking place in four locations across northern England – Bolton, Leeds and York for the heats, and Salford for the Final, budding young performers from all over the UK can showcase their dancing. Heats will take place in Leeds on 3 May (closing date 9 March), Bolton on 10 May (closing date 16 March) and York on 21 June (closing date 13 April). You may apply to perform at any one of the three heats, regardless of where you are based or where you take dance classes.

The best performances from each heat will go through to the Moving North final at The Lowry in Salford on 18 July, which will be judged by a panel chaired by the RAD’s Artistic Director Lynn Wallis. The prize will be a VIP box at the annual Dance Proms (to be held at London’s Royal Albert Hall on 15 November 2015), as well as the of promotion of your act on the RAD’s website.

For further details and to download an application pack, visit www.rad.org.uk/moving-north

Addams Family Musical To Make Its West End Debut?

The Adams Family Musical The long-awaited debut of the musical version of The Addams Family, which premiered on Broadway in 2010, may finally be setting its sights on London’s West End. The show has been rumoured to be heading to London since it opened on Broadway five years ago, where it defied critics who had no faith that the musical would even survive this long.

The ‘page-to-stage’ show opened to poor reviews but proved to be a box office hit with US audiences. It is based on the family of characters created by cartoonist Charles Addams, including parents Morticia and Gomez, children Wednesday and Pugsley, Uncle Fester, Cousin Itt and a butler named Lurch. The show features music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa and a book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice.

Despite the rumours that was coming to the West End, the transfer never materialised. Many productions have been staged in the UK since its premiere in the hope that the show would transfer across the pond – including at last year’s Edinburgh Fringe – however amateur rights have been restricted ahead of a professional London production.

Recently however, a representative of Theatrical Rights Worldwide released a statement announcing: “The Addams Family musical authors are considering many exciting opportunities for The Addams Family in the UK territory, including the West End. At present, amateur rights remain fully available as hundreds of organisations prepare for their local productions.” It is apt that the London venue remains a mystery, but fans would be delighted with an opening in the capital. It is thought that producers hope to open the show in late 2015 or early 2016.

The 15th National Dance Awards

National Dance Awards Critics' Circle The Critics’ Circle National Dance Awards 2014 took place at The Place in London, at a ceremony hosted by Arlene Phillips on 26 January.

New records were set as choreographer and dancer, Akram Khan, became the first to win a sixth NDA, picking up this year’s for Best Modern Choreography for Dust, his work for English National Ballet that was part of its Lest We Forget programme. Christopher Wheeldon became the first to win five awards in the same category, winning the Best Classical Choreography Award for The Winter’s Tale for the Royal Ballet.

Natalia Osipova and Jonathan Goddard became the first dancers to pick up two awards at the same ceremony: Osipova won the category of Outstanding Female Performance (Classical) for her performance as Giselle for the Royal Ballet, and Goddard won the Outstanding Male Performance (Modern) for his portrayal of Dracula for Mark Bruce Company (which won Best Independent Company). Both dancers were consequently named Best Dancers of 2014. 2014 marked Goddard’s second collection of The Dancing Times Best Male Dancer, a record-breaking fourth time as Grishko Best Female Dancer for Osipova.

The De Valois Award for Outstanding Achievement was presented by Darcey Bussell to Carlos Acosta in recognition of his outstanding career as a dancer and a producer, and The Outstanding Company of 2014 went to English National Ballet. The Outstanding Male Performance (Classical) was won by Xander Parish, the British dancer who left the Royal Ballet to join the Mariinsky Ballet, for his performances of George Balanchine’s Apollo. The Outstanding Female Performance (Modern) went to Wendy Houstoun, for her one-woman show, Pact with Pointlessness, inspired by the death of choreographer, Nigel Charnock.

The Dance Section of the Critics’ Circle introduced a new award for 2014 to recognise emerging artists, and this was won by upcoming Royal Ballet soloist, Francesca Hayward, notably for her performances of Ashton repertoire. The awards completely celebrate and encompass the talent of the dance industry, both from home-based companies and many touring ensembles from overseas. The next National Dance Awards are scheduled to be held in London on 25 January 2016.