The Place is soon to present Protein Dance’s Border Tales and R O S A L I N D by James Cousins Company at Summerhall (4-26 August), and Fagin’s Twist by Avant Garde Dance at Zoo Venues (21-27 August) in Edinburgh.
The Place, as London’s boldest dance theatre, is committed to developing choreographic talent and pushing the boundaries of what dance can be. These three shows by Work Place artists therefore represent some of the most exciting dance in Europe at the moment.
Border Tales is a thought-provoking yet poignant commentary on multicultural Britain through dance, live music and dialogue compiled from the performers’ personal experiences. Border Tales looks at post-Brexit Britain seen through the eyes of an international cast and gazes satirically on stereotypical thinking about migrant outsiders and homelanders.
In a portrait of Shakespeare’s most beloved heroine – the curious and courageous Rosalind – choreographer James Cousins asks whether women still need to emulate stereotypical masculinity to find equality in the modern world.
Fagin’s Twist by Avant Garde Dance is a high-energy contemporary hip hop reimagining of Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist. Taking the classic tale as its starting point, it presents an evocative story of Fagin’s youth, corrupted by greed and worn down by poverty. Fagin’s Twist is packed full of adrenaline and surprise. Avant Garde Dance is at the forefront of a new hip hop and contemporary dance theatre, led by Artistic Director Tony Adigun. He formed the company in 2001 as a creative release from the word of commercial dance he inhabited at the time.
Edinburgh audiences are in for a real treat when these dance works descend on the city. As part of the wider festival, they will help to shape and develop audiences’ conceptions of dance.