Month: September 2015

Elmhurst School for Dance’s new Health and Wellbeing Centre is creating new waves in developing professional dancers for the industry. Elmhurst is the oldest vocational school in the UK, yet is constantly striving to bring a holistic approach to students’ all-round health and wellbeing during the intensity of full time dance training, helping students to develop into independent and collaborative artists.

The school currently offers students access to a range of health services, including doctors, physiotherapy, nutrition advice, strength and conditioning, and is now building the new centre in order to acquire an on-site state of the art Health and Wellbeing Centre. This facility will enable an even greater programme of health and wellbeing services within a purpose built environment, to develop the Elmhurst ethos. Through added relaxation classes, individual nutritional advice and counselling alongside strength and individual conditioning programmes, the new Centre will become the first of its kind in the UK within vocational training. It will create a closer working relationship between healthcare, artistic and boarding staff, emphasising the desired holistic approach to health and wellbeing in dance.

Elmhurst is acutely aware that classical ballet training has always put huge demands on the bodies of those who choose it as their vocation, and the school aims to understand as much as possible about the negative impact of these demands on dancers’ bodies and how that impact can be minimised through the new centre. It will also focus on the particular issues of dancers’ bone mineral density and posture, and consequently low bone mineral density and osteoporosis among female professional dancers.

A fitness suite at Elmhurst will complement the new centre, acknowledging the additional demands of modern dance repertoire on dancers; Elmhurst’s graduates are expected to have exceptional fitness and stamina levels in order to succeed. The onsite fitness suite includes a wide range of cardiovascular and weight-training equipment.

Founded by the accredited ballet dancer and choreographer Ricardo Cecílio, Genesis Ballet is a newly formed dance company born in the heart of London. As a brainchild of artistic experimentation, Genesis Ballet endeavours to innovate high quality dance productions in the most traditional theatre settings, as well as within contemporary filmmaking as another branch. It’s launchpad performance will be held in Covent Garden, the heart of London’s Theatreland, marking a new direction for dance performance and balletic technique.

Maintaining creative development is key to the Genesis production process, and professional collaborations are also significant to the company’s journey. Fusing classical ballet and contemporary techniques with the vibrant energy of commercial dance styles, truly unique perspectives are brought to the company’s storylines of its productions, the work the company performs on stage. To this end, Genesis Ballet aims to continue to develop its founding concepts and move forward from these too, in order to extend its work and continue to challenge itself and its values.

The founding performances for Genesis Ballet will be held at Swiss Church in Covent Garden, from 6-8 November inclusive. Introducing the company to its new audiences will be Genesis’ 10 dancers, made up of different ages and many different styles of dance, dancers who have been working together since February. In presenting itself to a wide audience base, the show has classical and contemporary-based technique, together with a fusion of jazz and pop commercial dance. Accompanying the eclectic movement choices will be a fusion of well-known music from the pop genre, blended together with a number of classical composers.

The tickets are on sale at https://thelittleboxoffice.com/genesisballet/

The long-running, much-loved musical Les Misérables will celebrate its 30th birthday on 8 October, marked by a special West End gala performance in aid of Save The Children’s Syria Children’s appeal. This poignant tale of struggle, hope and dreams reflects the human spirit that has been seen in the Syrian crisis recently, so seeing the Children’s Appeal benefit from the 30 year celebration of Les Misérables will be extremely positive.

The current London cast, led by Peter Lockyer and Jeremy Secomb as Jean Valjean and Javert respectively, will be joined for a special finale by members of the original cast and invited guests, including Colm Wilkinson, Roger Allam, Frances Ruffelle, Alfie Boe, John Owen-Jones and Gerónimo Rauch. In order to enable as many people as possible to witness these stars under one roof for the gala, 450 tickets will be made available for public sale, 350 via a lottery on ticketing app TodayTix for £50 and £500 per ticket depending on the package, and 100 via auction on the Les Misérables website.

It is clear, despite the limitations of the capacity of the Queen’s Theatre in the West End, that it would be possible to sell this performance many times over, such has been the demand for it. There are a number of invited guests who have been involved over the 30 year history of the musical, but over 40% of the house is available to fans through a lottery. Ultimately the gala is an opportunity to raise as much money through the distribution of tickets towards the Save the Children Syria Children’s Appeal, with the added bonus of a fabulous production.

Les Misérables is the world’s longest running musical and has been seen by nearly 70 million people in 44 countries. The show, which opened on 8 October 1985 at the Barbican, tells the story of former convict Jean Valjean who struggles to leave his past behind as revolution rises on the streets of Paris.

Youth Music Theatre is looking for aspiring performers and musicians aged 11 to 21 years to join the company, and star in a series of brand new musicals to be staged in London next summer. The budding young stars will have the chance to work with top industry professionals and take to two of the capital’s well-known stages, Sadler’s Wells and the Lyric Hammersmith, as well as the Lyric Theatre Belfast. YMT Auditions 2016 are now open for booking!

As one of the UK’s leading musical theatre companies for young people, Youth Music Theatre’s forthcoming auditions provide an ideal opportunity for individuals eager to kick-start their career in the performing arts. Committed to offering high quality training to talented youngsters, the youth theatre has become well known for producing vibrant and innovative works in the UK’s top venues and festivals while offering training that provides significant personal and educational benefits.

The Performer Auditions are 3 hour group workshops led by a professional director, choreographer and musical director, and are informal and relaxed. Nothing needs to be prepared for the day and all abilities are welcome. The team will lead a series of practical and fun activities designed to showcase the applicants’ acting, singing and dancing as well as their ability to work as part of a team. If successful, applicants will join the YMT Company and take part in YMT’s Summer Season of New Music Theatre, which are residential courses with the opportunity to work with a professional artistic team. There the new company will create a brand new piece of music theatre that will be performed in a professional theatre at the end of the project.

Auditions are open to anyone within the age range and will take place at the Lyric Hammersmith on 5 December, 16 January and 30 January.

Photo: Yolande Yorke-Edgell

Contemporary dance pioneer Robert Cohan CBE has recently lead a new pilot project for choreographers and composers alike, mentoring artists at different stages of their career. Together with long-standing musical collaborator Elenor Alberga, the legendary Cohan conceived the Cohan Collective along with international dance company Yorke Dance Project. Cohan wanted to give the six artists the opportunity to learn from their legacies in creating intuitive choreography and accompaniment hand-in-hand. The two-week residency culminated in a sharing at The Place on 5 September.

 Cohan and Alberga have been passing on their indispensable knowledge to the artists to continue their legacy of creating contemporary dance and music. Cohan asked: “How do we make dances better? How do we continue to refine and challenge our methods? How can we encourage more fully-realised and deeply-considered dance-making from ourselves and our colleagues?” and from these questions rose the Cohan Collective, the two-week intensive choreographic residency, supported by Middlesex University. 

The Cohan Collective’s mission is to further develop the depth and quality of choreographers’ and composers’ work and working methods. The choreographers mentored were Jonathan Goddard, Phil Sanger and Charlotte Edmonds, alongside composers, Rolf Hind, Donna McKevitt and Andy Kyte. All were able to cross-collaborate and learn from one another working with professional and graduate dancers, widening the pool of reciprocal learning. 

Giving these artists the opportunity to absorb so much information in working with the choreographers and composers on a daily basis is ultimately unique; they were exposed to different ways of working in addition to questioning their own practice. A particular aim of the Cohan Collective is to push the artists out of their comfort zones, looking to bring back the prominent relationship between music and dance in choreography. 

The Cohan Collective also involved daily class in Cohan technique taught by Anne Donnelly and ballet class taught by Paul Liburd. Both have worked extensively with Cohan and Alberga during their time with London Contemporary Dance Theatre and throughout their subsequent careers.

Ellie studied at Kidderminster College, completing a BTec National Diploma and A Level in Dance, followed by graduating from Middlesex University with a BA Honours in Dance Performance. She went on to work for xLR8 Dance & Fitness, teaching dance, cheerleading and fitness as extra curricular activities in schools, before fulfilling her first contract as a professional dancer working at Louis resorts in Cyprus. Ellie then travelled to India to perform in the Bollywood industry and is currently touring South America with CircoTihany Spectacular, the largest circus in Latin America.

HAVE YOU ALWAYS BEEN INVOLVED IN DANCE?

From a very young age, I have been involved in dance: my mom took me to my first dance class when I was just three years old and I never looked back. Throughout my life dance started out as a hobby but then developed into a career choice that naturally progressed into physical training, knowledge and academia on the subject.

WHERE DID YOU TRAIN AND WHAT WAS IT LIKE?

I began my professional training when I was sixteen years old, completing a Btec National Diploma and A level in Dance at Kidderminster College. I am forever grateful for the training I received there, my tutors Anna Lines and Elizabeth Winter were incredibly talented and dedicated to teaching, they are both well informed dance tutors which had a dramatic impact on my experience and training there, it was so refreshing to physically see how passionate they both were and the pride they took in helping to develop our bodies into tools of art.

Here I trained predominantly in contemporary in Graham, Cunningham and release styles, alongside ballet, tap, technical jazz and street jazz. I look back now and am so thankful for the hours utilised each day in technique classes; the horrendously sore and aching muscles, the painful struggle to even get out of bed, being unable to walk and instead having to shuffle like a little old frail lady and to get down the stairs was like a scene from gladiators trying to abseil downwards, holding onto every inch of bannister possible; but it was all worth it!

I then furthered my dance studies at Middlesex University where I completed my BA Honours degree in Dance Performance. My favourite classes were with Anne Donnelly, my Graham technique teacher: as well as this being my favourite contemporary style, Anne was an incredibly passionate teacher and an insanely amazing dancer. I distinctly remember her being able to leg tilt higher than anyone in the class despite being twice our age, I was in awe of her. She also would chase us down the room during corner work to make us travel with her legs half the length of mine; she was just brilliant and high on Graham technique life.

WHAT WAS A TYPICAL DAY LIKE?

A typical day usually commenced with the struggle-shuffle out of bed straight to a technique class first thing in the morning, followed by a theory class followed by rehearsals, then on to the library to either collect my weekly Mount Everest full of necessary literature essential for all of my academic work or to study in ‘silence’, excusing the occasional bone cracking when a dancer just needs a mid-read stretch.

In the evening my time would be shared between assignments, reading and running as this kept me sane during very stressful periods.

My days were pretty busy but I wouldn’t have had it any other way!

A TYPICAL DAY NOW?

GLITTER, LASHES AND FEATHERS! I am currently working for Circo Tihnay, touring South America, now in Brazil presenting the show Abracadabra. My weeks consist roughly of ten to twelve shows, although when we were in Uruguay for two weeks we completed sixteen shows in six days and for that I have no words… well eight, maybe: there’s wine at the end of the tunnel! This contract is honestly amazing; I have so much free time to be able to explore each city that we move to, and to travel during the Circus’ move from city to city.

During the week my days consist of (in true British style) relaxing in the sun, aka sunbathing, whilst trying to minimise tan lines so as not to receive a malta (a fine). I also usually go running and depending on the city I try and tick off Trip Advisor’s list of top things to do there as I like to try and be cultured. The weekends however are slightly different as we have two to three shows per day, therefore my time in between shows is spent – if not in physiotherapy – completing a regime of exercises and stretching, however my time can also be consumed by sewing holes in my fishnets which, alongside lashes not sticking on, has become my main two pet peeves in this career, and if that’s all I have to complain about then it’s not a bad life.

HOW IT ALL BEGAN…

My dancing career began after graduating from university in 2012: I began by teaching dance, cheerleading and fitness classes in schools to children of all ages which I really enjoyed as I was able to choreograph. The job was also highly rewarding watching kids develop their skills. To witness and be a part of their growing confidence became a huge sense of achievement for me it was beautiful to see all my little flowers blossom!

However as happy as I was I really missed the stage, so I packed my bags, jumped on a plane and fulfilled a nine month contract in Cyprus, performing in West End style cabarets and Irish style shows. Following that I went to work in India for a year performing in the Bollywood industry, in live music and film award shows televised globally, music videos, films, adverts and commercials, weddings, and so on. The experience I will treasure forever, I fell in love with the country and the work I experienced out there was such an incredible opportunity, I worked with famous stars and huge celebrities of the industry, travelled to some incredible places including Goa, Thailand and Macau, and met some incredible people out there. And then I ran away with the circus….

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE THING ABOUT DANCE

My favourite thing about dance is that you are your own tool, able to express yourself through movement and be as passionate as you desire. Dance is my free fall and I imagine my life to be empty without it. I am so thankful that I am able to have a career doing something that I love as I can genuinely say I love my job… as the saying goes ‘find a job you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life.’

WHAT FOR YOU IS THE WORST THING ABOUT DANCE?

The worst thing for me is dancing with injury, the frustration can be intolerable and obviously the pain is unpleasant. I also feel dancing can be one of the most rewarding as well as frustrating careers, as most dancers are constantly trying to better themselves whether it’s flexibility, technique or performance we’re never satisfied, which can be tiring and positive results are controversial; happy you progressed, now you want more!

WHO ARE YOUR INSPIRATIONS?

Honestly, I think my biggest inspiration has to be my mom, for all and everything she has achieved; to travel, build a reputable career and live your life. I am so fortunate that she has always encouraged me with every life decision I’ve ever made and that she always told me to take every opportunity and travel the world, even if it means being away from her for very long periods of time… really it’s just a bonus and another excuse for her to take another holiday to come and see me (!) but I appreciate her positivity so much.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO AN ASPIRING PERFORMER?

My advice for an aspiring performer is to train fiercely… hard work will always pay off in the end, if performing is all that you desire then even through the tough times you must never give up.

Never hold back, and as cliché as this may sound make your dreams a reality; I say this because I was always so unsure of myself and as I never trained at a conservatoire or well-renowned theatre school I was never sure of my chances of becoming a professional dancer, however against all odds I managed to achieve my dream.

Never hold back; I was always too scared to go to auditions in fear of being totally incapable and way out of my depth and now I’m successfully fulfilling my third professional dancing contract.

Finally be open and interested in every dancer’s story as each dancer has their own tale of how they made it, it’s amazing what you can learn from fellow dancer friends and the contacts you can create which will always benefit you in the future, if not in the moment.

WHAT’S NEXT?

I’m hoping my next venture will take me to travel the globe via cruise ship, it’s something that I have wanted to do for some time now, and the more experiences I hear about it the more I desire to do it. It would be an absolute dream job to be able to explore this planet in its entirety, and see the world’s most treasured places whilst performing in outstanding and professional shows. So fingers crossed for next year!

Queensland Ballet of Australia has been awarded a highly coveted national dance award for its 2014 production of Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s Romeo & Juliet. It is the first time the company has received the award, so is a moment in history for both the artistic staff and the dancers of the company. In recognising the company’s achievements the award is a keystone for its success; in addition the ongoing support of the company’s audiences then encourages future work to be bold and risk-taking in order to achieve more.

The award was received at the Australian Dance Awards, with Queensland Ballet up against tough competition such as the Australian Ballet, Bangarra Dance Theatre and Chunky Move all in the running for the most Outstanding Performance by a Company, which Queensland Ballet scooped. Queensland Ballet’s Artistic Director Li Cunxin said the company was thrilled to be recognised for its hard work, high quality production and exceptional performances.

The production in question had already marked itself out as a success, having been seen by more than 15,000 people. This broke a 54-year box office record for the company as it continues to draw in its audiences, both new and existing. The company is made up of immensely talented dancers, and for this particular production they danced alongside international stars Tamara Rojo and Carlos Acosta, as well as Australian stars Daniel Gaudiello and Steven Heathcote.

The bold commitment of the company to extending itself certainly paid off, in addition to support from the Queensland Government which played a large role in enabling Queensland Ballet to bring international and Australian stars to the Brisbane stage. Also to be acknowledged is Lady Deborah MacMillan, spouse of the late choreographer, who granted the company the rights to perform the production.

For a professional dancer, entering into limbo between jobs is common. The longer the period of ‘resting’ for a dancer however, the more likely self-doubt is to set in, with thoughts about ability and that of other dancers. Lots of dancers attend open auditions as well as those secured by their agents, often seeing hundreds of talented dancers all vying for one job. It is no wonder directors let so many adequate dancers slip by; it is plain lucky if you are seen at the right moment in that crammed studio!

The numbers are against dancers in these open auditions: there are many aspiring dancers yet only a handful of jobs, so it is vital to enhance your chances of being cast. Ensure you employ the three Ps – punctuality, presentation and performance. Being a reliable and perfectly presentable dancer is imperative to create a great impression which demonstrates your passion and desire for the job.

Taking a risk might also be the answer – if you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always got. Travelling to new auditions may reignite your creativity and passion, being seen by new eyes and amongst different dancers or in a different genre. Risks of course don’t always pay off, particularly when you haven’t already got a job. Remaining amongst familiar faces with directors you may have worked with already may be a more viable option, to keep tabs on what is going on in your corner of the industry.

However, if you believe dancing further afield is right for you and your career path, you must commit wholeheartedly. If you are eligible for a visa this will make you more employable, and a temporary visa, which allows you to work part time while auditioning, is well worth considering. Prepare to be taken outside your comfort zone, having planned thoroughly. Save money for travel, classes and those unexpected things too, like new pointe shoes or a bespoke outfit for an audition.

Auditions: both life-suckers and lifelines. They are an integral part of a dancer’s work and often deliver the news that you didn’t make the cut, like the majority of the other dancers who auditioned. It is sometimes irrelevant as to whether the auditions was difficult or enjoyable, ultimately the outcome is not personal. For the dancers that nailed the audition – for reasons such as sound technique, great performance, or even blonde hair! – they simply fitted the bill better than the others, and may not necessarily be better dancers.

If you gave an audition your all but did not get a callback, rejection can work in your favour by making you a stronger performer. It is easy to wallow in the various (hypothetical) reasons as to why you were not offered the job, but the experience can be turned into a positive by dealing with it in the right way. Always remember that you are never in control of the casting director’s decision: there are many factors that go into selecting one individual for a role over another. Those in charge might simply be looking for a certain height, even if you kicked your legs the highest and smiled the widest!

Replaying the unsuccessful audition afterwards is not healthy. There will be other opportunities: what counts is being prepared for when the right one comes along; don’t dwell! Alongside this, ensure you learn from your mistakes and grow a thick skin – it doesn’t pay to be sensitive. There will be many unsuccessful auditions and let downs throughout your career, so let them go and use the negativity to make you stronger.

Develop your confidence by improving your technique and practicing your skills. When you are a dancer fresh out of college it can be difficult to deal with rejection. Go to as many auditions as possible to help you feel comfortable with the process and what you have to offer. Sooner or later, you will win a role, and others will go home rejected, wondering why!

For many dance students, this autumn will mark the beginning of their dance courses, be them degree level, vocational or just for fun! For those beginning their dance degrees, a lot of hard work awaits, interjected with innovative learning and fun too! It is important to make the most of your time studying; before you know it you will be out in the professional world – for some students, the biggest shock is having to pay for dance classes that came as part of their studies!

The start of your degree is essentially the beginning of your career in dance and the arts. There will be many challenges and lots of hard work along the way, and it is vital to stay motivated when the pressure rises. It may be a shock to the body when the course starts, due to the substantial increase in the number of hours of training. Dancing five days a week for several hours can hit the body hard, and without looking after it this can spell difficulty and even injury.

For some dancers this can take the excitement and enjoyment out of dance, with the increased load affecting them in a negative way. However for most the added hours are welcome, reinforcing the passion for dance and learning more. Try not to lose the sense of anticipation for dance classes and work to gain something different from each dance class or lesson you attend. Be sure to maximise the benefits of both the technique and academic classes, by embracing this component alongside your study of dance technique itself.

Many students must also fit in part-time work around their studies, which can sometimes be a challenge through spending so much time in the studio or library. The contact time of a dance degree is high, meaning students have access to resources and tutors – by attending university – all day, all week. Make the most of having this wealth of opportunity at your finger tips, it won’t last for long!