Jessica Wilson – Page 104 – Dance Direct Blog. News, Reviews & Advice About Dance

Broadway’s School Of Rock

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s new musical – School of Rock – is set to open on Broadway in December this year, great news for fans of the film of the same name. Based on the 2003 film, the musical will feature songs from it also, in addition to new music by Lloyd Webber. Previously the mogul had spoken about opening the musical on Broadway, rather than in the UK’s because of the more relaxed child performance rules.

In New York a child can be employed as an actor for six months to a year, without enforcing the triple casting rules of the UK: if a show finishes after 10pm a child can only perform eight nights every six weeks. In New York however, the rules governing children are less stringent, permitting child actors to work up to 9 hours a day.

When the show premieres on Broadway, it will mark an important point for composer Lloyd Webber, as his last show to open in New York before London was Jesus Christ Superstar in 1971. With School of Rock his next musical, it will become his first in more than 40 years to open on Broadway ahead of the West End. While the UK is Lloyd Webber’s home, opening in Broadway would be significant – School of Rock is an American story, so to open in the iconic city would pay homage to this.

The story of School of Rock is much about how music can empower children to take control and to achieve something huge. Like the UK, there are an abundance of talented musical theatre child performers in the US. It has been stated that casting for the show will begin in the US in January for the show to open the following winter.

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

The Gifts Of Dance

Ignition Dance Festival We are all aware of how good dance is for us. As a non-verbal method of communication utilising the body’s movements, often to music, there are many dance styles practised around the world. Originally these would have represented different ways of life, different cultures, ethnicities, belief systems, social structures, and traditions, but today it seems all dance styles are danced everywhere! It is arguable too that the individual and communal benefits of dance go far deeper than the common perception of dancing just for fun.

Alongside the beneficial physical expression of dance, the emotional, mental and physical health benefits of dance are too interrelated, and are key to personal development. Warming up, stretching and the actual physicality of dance aids our fitness and wellbeing, as well as releasing endorphins to boost our mood. Dance – as a cardiovascular activity – improves circulation, boosts memory and increases energy levels, as well as improving flexibility and toning that body.

Beyond advantages of dance for the body, dance also develops personal skills and character building for children at an early age, elements which then transfer to other areas of their lives later on. Dancing teaches discipline, consistency, perseverance and creativity, and encourages them to express themselves artistically. Dance is something which is very personal to each individual, and connecting with the self is something which can also come from dance.

Dance is for everyone, and everyone can benefit from the positives of dance. Age and social circumstances are trivial in terms of dance: even on a basic level it keeps us fit and happy, and also promotes engagement with others. It contributes to us physically while giving us another way to communicate what is on the inside, and express our feelings through bodily movements.

Theatre… Or Real Life?

The Journal Tyne Theatre Theatre is renowned for providing an escape from the mundane everyday, by transporting audiences into a story which is nothing like their own. Stories of theatre can contain anything from the sublime to the ridiculous, but either way they are travel machines away from the world outside the theatre door. For much of the time, theatre creates an illusion for its audiences in which what is performed on stage becomes real in the minds of the audience.

Even if what is portrayed on stage is based on a true story or real events, the very essence of theatre usually means that the audience are transported there too, as they are taken on a journey by the actors. What happens when the action on stage is depicting something that did once happen? The theatrical ‘suspension of disbelief’ by the audience is no longer required, as they are educated in their seats about something very real.

Current West End productions in the capital include an array of narratives: those at the fantasy end of the spectrum, such as Wicked, Cats and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the middle ground including The Lion King, Miss Saigon and Les Misérables, and the far end of the scale, where little fiction is added to the events which are portrayed. The Scottsboro Boys, for example, tells the story of nine black men and how they were wrongly accused of raping two white women on a train, something which is still very raw.

Other musicals which also tell stories of real events include Jersey Boys and Sunny Afternoon, about musical bands, in addition to Made In Dagenham and Stephen Ward which tell stories of strength and scandal respectively. It is interesting to consider if productions of this type have a particular effect on audiences, and how their response differs following the viewing a production of this kind.

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

The Dangers Of Ballet

Ballet Students

Whilst the title may appear melodramatic, the reality is that injury and accident are the very things that can prevent dancers from continuing to perform, perhaps forever. The origins of ballet are completely tame by today’s standards, with boundaries constantly being pushed, along with the number of pirouettes performed, the height of leg extensions and the steep curvature of the feet.

These gymnastic achievements come at a cost – torn Achilles’ tendons on stage, falls, injuries during rehearsals. Is ballet becoming too dangerous? To constantly present new things and remain ‘on top’, dancers are required to push themselves to – or even beyond – their limits. That is not to say dancers must become complacent, only to consider and be aware of the potential outcomes of the risks of their first love.

Recently, while dancing Kitri in the Royal Ballet’s Don Quixote, Russian icon Natalia Osipova fell on stage. While she recovered the fall quickly, it was announced during the interval that she would be replaced by first soloist Akane Takada. It is not necessarily the Royal’s tradition to rise to the occasion in a crisis – last year there was no rehearsed second cast to fix problems, so the remaining performance was cancelled – however Takada was a success as a very different Kitri to Osipova.

Ballet is a high-risk activity: a slippery stage or momentary lapse in attention caused problems for Osipova and could even lead to months of rehabilitation following injury. Other dancers have also been injured, at the Royal Ballet in particular, both in rehearsal and on stage. Osipova’s injury, and others’ during performances, is the chance for another dancer to shine and take a moment on stage in their replacement. When the understudy dancers are from lower ranks in companies, stepping in at the last minute proves their worth, something less easily gained during usual company life.

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Looking After Your Dance Shoes

Even if dancers aren’t pointe novices, often there are still things to learn about caring for dance shoes, pointe shoes in particular. If you are new to pointe work for the new year, start as you mean to go on and ensure your shoes are cared for in the best possible way.

When you buy new dance shoes it is very tempting to put them away in the small plastic bag they were purchased in, to eke out the time that they are still ‘new’. This, however, means the shoes cannot dry out sufficiently after use and may begin to prematurely decompose. Plus, you may come to put them on for your next class and they may still be damp and clammy, which means your feet aren’t receiving the best treatment either. Keep your shoes cool and dry, after having aired them after use.

As one of dancers’ main essentials, dance shoes require proper care to provide maximum support and protection for your feet, as well as meaning you can perform to the best of your ability. Make sure you are wearing your shoes correctly too: pointe shoes should be worn with tights and possibly toe pads, rather than socks, and socks should be worn with tap and jazz shoes to help prevent the growth of bacteria. Be careful too when you’re putting on your shoes, as for more delicate shoes in particular, their life span is affected by how you put them on and take them off. Don’t dance in broken shoes, as this can have serious consequences in the form of injuries.

If you need to clean your shoes, make sure you do so depending on the shoe that needs the care. Canvas shoes can be washed in the washing machine, but not tumble dried as they may shrink. A shoe brush on suede-bottom shoes will keep them clean and help maintain their texture, but don’t wear your dance shoes outside. Not only will they get dirty, but it can damage the soles too.

Dancing When Dance Cannot Come First

Dancing When Dance Cannot Come First Despite it being the worst possible scenario for most dancers, sometimes dancing cannot come first in life. Whether this is because of personal, time-restrictive or financial circumstances or even public holidays, sometimes dance must be factored into a busy life, rather than the other way round.

Make sure you use your time efficiently; don’t look back and see an opportunity for stretching time or a run round the garden. Use a calendar or diary which includes all your plans and objectives, and realistically work out when you have chance to take class or even just a ballet barre in your bedroom. Even better is a monthly planner which includes everything, even the plans of other members of your family. This will make it easier to see everyone’s schedules: everyone will be calmer if you know where to be when, and where you can expect to have free time to plan other activities.

Don’t forget to take a break too. Having a distraction from life – other than dance – can be hugely beneficial. Make sure you include some down time for yourself, such as reading, swimming, singing or even walking the dog! Knowing you have a certain time set aside for yourself can make dealing with everything that is going on a lot easier. Moreover, make sure you are realistic about what you can fit in to your schedule.

Remember that you won’t be overwhelmed forever, and that dance is something you love, so it will all be worth it! Don’t let stresses or worries get to you – enjoy the moment (if you can!) and it will make your return to dance even more rewarding.

Dance For New Year Honours

Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) Medal

There were three dance-related citations in the December 2014 New Year Honours list, of a total of 1,164 honours. Jeanetta Laurence, Associate Director of the Royal Ballet has been awarded an OBE for services to dance, Marguerite Porter, Director of the Yorkshire Ballet Summer School has been awarded an MBE for services to ballet and Janet Smith, Principal of the Northern School of Contemporary Dance has also been awarded an MBE for services to dance.

Jeanetta Laurence works closely with the Director of the Royal Ballet Kevin O’Hare, and was formerly a dancer with the company. During her time there she has worked alongside former directors Anthony Dowell, Ross Stretton and Monica Mason. Laurence is also a Trustee of the Frederick Ashton Foundation, which exists to perpetuate the legacy of the Founder Choreographer of the Royal Ballet, and of the Royal Ballet Benevolent Fund and the Benesh Institute Endowment Fund. Laurence has worked for the Royal Ballet for over 46 years and will retire in June 2015.

Marguerite Porter, Director of the Yorkshire Ballet Summer School, is a British ballet inspiration. She joined the Royal Ballet aged 17 and has even partnered ballet legend Rudolf Nureyev during her career. Porter’s ballet life has been full of iconic and memorable moments, and it now finds her at the helm of the Yorkshire Ballet Summer School. She took over as Director in 2005 having danced with the Royal Ballet company for 20 years. Following this period she remained with company for three further years as a guest artist.

Janet Smith left her position as Artistic Director of Scottish Dance Theatre in 2012 to become the current principal of the Northern School of Contemporary Dance. Northern School of Contemporary Dance is a unique dance training institution offering a select group of students the opportunity to develop and excel as dance artists in a conservatoire environment.

Dance Cuts In Belgium

In December there was the controversial announcement that the Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie, the most important opera house in Belgium and a source of some of Europe’s most cutting-edge productions, may stop all dance programming after a forthcoming production by iconic Belgian choreographer Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker.

Choreographers reacted strongly to this, the reason given that the cut is a result of the steep reduction in funding to the Brussels opera house since 2009, with further cuts announced in mid-October by the newly formed Belgian coalition government.

Senior management at the venue has not expressed a wish to stop producing dance, however the combination of less money and the need to further reduce personnel make prolonging dance difficult. Fewer technical staff will mean each production takes more time to prepare and will have to run for longer to recoup the costs. The venue has no resident dance company and now can no longer offer money to invest, and time on stage.

The potential break with dance is a huge blow to the theatre which has had exceptionally strong links to dance since 1960 with Maurice Béjart’s Ballet of the Twentieth Century. In 1988 American choreographer Mark Morris made a home for his company at the theatre and De Keersmaeker and her company, Rosas, followed in 1992, establishing an international reputation at La Monnaie. Dance has regularly been programmed and supported, including other Belgian and international choreographers such as Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and Sasha Waltz.

Belgian choreographers in particular have expressed pessimism about dance’s future in Brussels, and whether their work can be continued there. Any current audiences in Belgium will be lost to other art forms and new ones must be established elsewhere.

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Notes On Dance

Dance Notepad As a dance student, you may wonder how you will ever remember every note, correction and suggestion you are given in class. You may even have more than one teacher; even two teachers means double the amount of notes you are given! You may have teachers who work by the same method, however they may teach in very different styles. Whilst this is beneficial to ’round’ you as a dancer, it may be tricky to keep track of everything you have to remember.

You may find it useful to keep note of everything that is said to you in class to make sure your technique and performance is as well rounded as possible. It can be hard to take everything on board, especially if you are given small corrections and subtle changes to your form. You may find you are constantly trying to please your teacher/s, but by writing things down it will help consolidate the information and process it for your body.

You don’t have to write your notes, thoughts and information down in any particular way, it is completely up to you as to how you’d like to format your notes, as long as they are useful in helping you progress as a training dance student. Looking back on your notes will also show you just how far you’ve come! Reflecting on what you have achieved will also serve as motivation for persevering in the future.

Corrections and imagery suggestions to aid your performance may form the bulk of your dance notes, so make sure you take a few minutes at the end of your dance classes to make any essential notes you may need – you may not remember them all until the next day! And if you’re learning something new, write that down too to prompt you when you’re practising outside of class.

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Pantomime Presents…

Pantomime has received a facelift in recent years, a “rags to riches” transformation. The 80s and 90s saw a gradual decline in quality, and pantomime was regarded as a cheap entertainment option with some glitter to cover the cracks. Some of regional repertories and smaller companies kept the magic alive and reinvigorated it, however audiences began to demand better and slowly pantomime began to improve.

Pantomime is best when created with love and care, each made with a personal, relative method for the audience to connect to. Each production is particular to each audience in each town the pantomime plays in. The more personal the connection the better, so jokes and references are included that only the audience would relate to. The script ultimately pulls the strings of the pantomime together.

Before everything begins, sets, costumes and props are stored away from the previous year’s production and the work begins for the following year. The ‘big name’ is the first essential part of the pantomime, with their name being the attraction to most pantomime audiences. The star must bring a little bit extra that ensures that they can create a special kind of magic that connects with adults and children alike.

Keeping the writing fresh is important, followed by photo shoots, set building, music composition and then casting. Another key member of the team is the dame, which differs greatly between producing companies. For pantomime there must be pretence without pretence: everyone is ‘in’ on the joke but doesn’t give it away. Pantomime is a lot about illusion with no illusion: there is magic but the magic must be transparently human.

From there the rehearsals begin, set is built, sequins are sewed, and there are orchestra calls, choreography sessions, marketing and publicity, front of house dressing, all until the show begins!

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.