Jessica Wilson – Page 128 – Dance Direct Blog. News, Reviews & Advice About Dance

The 14th National Dance Awards Announcement of Nominations

National Dance Awards Critics' Circle The Dance Section of the Critics’ Circle has announced the list of nominations for the 14th National Dance Awards, to be awarded at a central London venue on 27 January 2014. The National Dance Awards have been organised each year since 2000, celebrating the variety of Britain’s dance culture. They are the only awards given by the body of professional dance critics in the UK.

Grishko are continuing as headline event sponsors as well as sponsoring the Best Female Dancer Award, which is given in memory of Richard Sherrington; Dancing Times will continue its long-running arrangement to sponsor the Best Male Dancer Award and other sponsors continuing for a further year include Stef Stefan, sponsoring both the Outstanding Company and Best Modern Choreography Awards; the Ballet Association for the Best Classical Choreography Award; Lee McLernon for the Outstanding Female Performance (Classical) and the Critics’ Circle. The event will also play host to the De Valois Award for Outstanding Achievement and the Dance UK Industry Award, given in memory of Jane Attenborough, for both of which there are no prior nominations.

It is clear that there is a vast and rich choice for the National Dance Awards, and the results are eagerly anticipated.

DANCING TIMES AWARD FOR BEST MALE DANCER
Dane HURST (RAMBERT)
Vadim MUNTAGIROV (ENGLISH NATIONAL BALLET)
Sergei POLUNIN (MOSCOW STANISLAVSKY BALLET and GUEST ARTIST, THE ROYAL BALLET)
Edward WATSON (THE ROYAL BALLET)

GRISHKO AWARD FOR BEST FEMALE DANCER
Maria KOCHETKOVA (SAN FRANCISCO BALLET)
Natalia OSIPOVA (MIKHAILOVSKY BALLET and GUEST ARTIST, THE ROYAL BALLET & BOLSHOI BALLET)
Olga SMIRNOVA (BOLSHOI BALLET)
Eva YERBABUENA (BALLET FLAMENCO EVA YERBABUENA)

STEF STEFANOU AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING COMPANY
BOSTON BALLET
MIKHAILOVSKY BALLET
ROSAS
SAN FRANCISCO BALLET

BEST CLASSICAL CHOREOGRAPHY
Mark MORRIS (‘BEAUX’ for SAN FRANCISCO BALLET)
David NIXON (‘THE GREAT GATSBY’ for NORTHERN BALLET)
Alexei RATMANSKY (’24 PRELUDES’ for THE ROYAL BALLET)
Christopher WHEELDON (‘AETERNUM’ for THE ROYAL BALLET)

BEST MODERN CHOREOGRAPHY
Guilherme BOTELHO (‘SIDEWAYS RAIN’ for ALIAS)
Matthew BOURNE (‘SLEEPING BEAUTY’ for NEW ADVENTURES)
Sidi Larbi CHERKAOUI (‘PUZ/ZLE’ for EASTMAN)
Russell MALIPHANT (‘FALLEN’ for BalletBoyz® TheTALENT)

OUTSTANDING FEMALE PERFORMANCE (CLASSICAL)
Nancy OSBALDESTON (for The Ballerina in ‘PETRUSHKA’ for ENGLISH NATIONAL BALLET)
Cira ROBINSON (in ‘WAR LETTERS’ for BALLET BLACK)
Akane TAKADA (for Olga in ‘ONEGIN’ for THE ROYAL BALLET)
YUAN YUAN TAN (in ‘RAkU’ for SAN FRANCISCO BALLET)

OUTSTANDING MALE PERFORMANCE (CLASSICAL)
Jeffrey CIRIO (in ‘PLAN TO B’ for BOSTON BALLET)
Israel GALVÁN (for Flamenco Performances at SADLER’S WELLS)
Nicolas LE RICHE (in ‘LE JEUNE HOMME ET LA MORT’ for ENGLISH NATIONAL BALLET)
Brian MALONEY (for Bratfisch in ‘MAYERLING’ for THE ROYAL BALLET)

OUTSTANDING FEMALE PERFORMANCE (MODERN)
Julie CUNNINGHAM (in ‘NEW WORKS 2012’ for MICHAEL CLARK COMPANY)
Rocío MOLINA (in ‘DANZAORA’ at SADLER’S WELLS)
Clemmie SVEAAS (in ‘WITCH-HUNT’ for BERN BALLETT)
Hannah VASSALLO (for Aurora in ‘SLEEPING BEAUTY’ for NEW ADVENTURES)

OUTSTANDING MALE PERFORMANCE (MODERN)
Nathan GOODMAN (in ‘MADCAP’ for RICHARD ALSTON DANCE COMPANY)
Christopher MARNEY (Count Lilac in ‘SLEEPING BEAUTY’ for NEW ADVENTURES)
Liam RIDDICK (in ‘BUZZING ROUND THE HUNISUCCLE’ for RICHARD ALSTON DANCE COMPANY)
Paul WHITE (in ‘THE ORACLE’ for MERYL TANKARD)

BEST INDEPENDENT COMPANY
bGROUP
BalletBoyz® The TALENT
NEW MOVEMENT COLLECTIVE
SHOBANA JEYASINGH DANCE

Sadler’s Wells’ ten year plan

The UK’s largest dance house, Sadler’s Wells, has announced plans for a new performance space as part of its recent ten year plan. The vision of Artistic Director and Chief Executive, Alistair Spalding, is one which is ambitious, but exciting for a city in which dance thrives. The announcement came almost ten years after he was appointed in his current role, and outlines plans for the next decade.

The main crux of the plans is to establish an additional, fourth performance space for Sadler’s as one of the world’s leading dance organisations, with the expansion backed by a commitment to invest £5 million in commissioning new dance works. The new venue will house 500 seats in order to present new, mid-scale contemporary work in addition to the main dance house and the smaller Lilian Baylis studio theatre. London is lacking in a space of this kind, and it is hoped that the building of one will help confirm London’s position as a global centre for the art form.

Despite the fact Sadler’s Wells is a dance powerhouse, the demand for dance in the capital is continuing to grow, meaning the gap for a mid-scale space must be filled. Spalding believes the new building will give creative talent a proper chance to develop for the future growth of the art form by expanding the current base and without losing the unique quality and atmosphere that is associated with Sadler’s Wells.

As a rule Sadler’s has been transformed from a receiving venue for other companies’ productions to a venue that is celebrated for supporting, commissioning and producing original, new work which it presents nationally and internationally. The dance house aims to present the busiest season of dance ever in the theatre’s 331-year history, with a total of over 40 shows across the three venues during spring/summer 2014.

English National Ballet School Celebrates 25 Years

2013 marks the 25th anniversary of English National Ballet School, to be celebrated by a series of events which showcase the skills and talents of the students. The events will kick off with a 90 minute live broadcast from the School on 28 November, during which audiences will have a unique insight into a day in the life of the students. Also included in the broadcast will be an interview with Tamara Rojo, Artistic Director of English National Ballet, with the School being a common feeder for the main company.

As the official School of English National Ballet, the School and the Company continue to work together. The 2012 launch of the ‘My First…’ series of ballets created for children has seen the students appear in principal roles, a great taster of what is required and what may be to come. By inspiring a new generation of young dancers, My First is making ballet accessible for very young children: over 100,000 children and their families nationwide have watched the first two productions.

The School was founded in 1988 by Peter Schaufuss, Artistic Director of London Festival Ballet (renamed English National Ballet in 1989), with just twelve students. His ambition was to produce dancers trained in the Company’s unique style: the School proved successful. Today, the School operates in the same way, with a student body of just 35 young dancers. Currently a third of the English National Ballet dancers are graduates of the School ranking from Corps de Ballet up to Principal dancers, having graduated from the 3 year diploma in Professional dance accredited by Trinity College, London. 55% of the current first year students are home grown British talent and a strong employment record is maintained, with many graduated students now working in major ballet companies worldwide.

The Royal Opera House Ballet Series

The Royal Ballet has recently hit cinemas all over America and is continuing to do! Select cinemas throughout the United States will present the 2013 ‘Royal Opera House Ballet Series,’ featuring 3, one-night-only screenings of the new Don Quixote staged by and starring Carlos Acosta, Christopher Wheeldon’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, and Peter Wright’s classic production of The Nutcracker. High definition cameras are used to film the performances, which provide multiple points of view including close-ups and wide shots with a Royal Opera House production truck transmitting the live feed via satellite to the US.

Don Quixote

Inspired by the adventures of Cervantes’ bumbling knight, Don Quixote tells the tale of Kitri (danced by Marianela Nuñez), her sweetheart the barber Basilio (danced by Carlos Acosta), and their adventures as they attempt to avoid Kitty’s father Lorenzo’s attempts to marry her off to the rich Gamache.

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

Pre-recorded in April 2013 and starring Sarah Lamb, Alice encounters out of the ordinary characters down the rabbit hole, including the Queen of Hearts, who performs her own version of the Rose Adagio from The Sleeping Beauty, to dancing playing cards and a tap-dancing Mad Hatter.

The Nutcracker

The Nutcracker is an essential part of Christmas for audiences everywhere, despite the many versions available. The classic tale is suitable for all ages and loved by many. Originally seen at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden in 1984, this production by Peter Wright is grand with elaborate costumes, a large cast, and one awe-inspiring Christmas tree.

The Achilles Heel

Historically, the term ‘Achilles Heel’ referred to the greatest weakness of an individual: Achilles was a figure of Greek Mythology, a hero of the Trojan War killed by a small injury to his heel. Today, following this tale, the Achilles is the small tendon connecting the calf muscle to the heel bone. The tendon is still a weakness for many dancers, most notable recently was the snapping of the tendon of a Bolshoi dancer during a performance. This was a result of tendonosis, a chronic and more serious condition where bouts of tendonitis are not treated properly or the dancer does not take adequate time to rest.

The job of the elastic structures of tendons at the end of each muscle is to connect muscles to bones. However, dancing places stress on the Achilles tendon and Achilles tendonitis occurs when the tendon becomes inflamed due to overuse, excessive pronation, bowlegs, tight or short Achilles tendons, or abnormally shaped heel bones. Without correct technique, dancers increase their likelihood of developing Achilles tendonitis, making it imperative that dancers maintain their technique and do not develop bad habits. Forcing turnout, failing to press the heels into the ground in landing from jumps and failing to rise to a full three quarter pointe also puts dancers at further risk.

Achilles tendonitis can be prevented by ensuring you are not forcing the feet further outwards in turnout and landing properly from jumps. Make sure shoes and ribbons are not too tight across the tendon and try to avoid using hard, unsprung floors, raked stages, or dancing in cold temperatures. If Achilles tendonitis does occur, it can be resolved through proper treatment including rest, ice, strapping the tendon up and anti-inflammatory tablets, and taking additional steps to ensure it does not return. By making sure you are warmed up, tendons are less likely to become inflammed and injured under repeated stress.

Resolution! Review: Calling Dance Writers

The Place is once again opening it’s annual Resolution! festival up to reviewers who wish to be partnered by a professional critic and pass judgment on some of the UK’s most promising new dance companies. The Place has engaged with audiences and participants, championed the best ideas, and created inspiring conditions for artists and enthusiasts to realise their potential for over forty years, including that of Resolution!. Combining London Contemporary Dance School, Richard Alston Dance Company and the Robin Howard Dance Theatre, together with pioneering learning, teaching, outreach, recreation and professional development projects The Place champions contemporary dance in particular, and all its strands.

The Place’s approaches to participation, education, creation and performance inform each other, respond to today’s world, and embrace risks to build on the achievements of dance history and to transform and enrich lives. By shaping where dance is going next The Place offers a multitude of opportunities to see new dance, take part in something new or join discussions about key concepts and critical issues for the world of dance today. In particular, Resolution! has become one of the biggest dance festivals in the UK, showcasing new works by emerging choreographers each year at The Place running from Tuesday 14 January to Saturday 15 February 2014.

As a result, Resolution! Review is an online platform covering the entire festival. Supported by a team of national newspaper critics, who are paired with a team of young writers, mentored by the professional dance critics. Each show is reviewed by both and each review is promoted by The Place, who are now on the lookout for reviewers for Resolution! 2014. The festival does not require technical dance experts, just excellent writers who can communicate responses honestly and in an engaging fashion. The successful applicants will have access to seminars providing opportunities to ask questions around current working practices.

Dance Quest

Autumn 2013 will see Sadler’s Wells continue its partnership with The Princes Foundation for Children and the Arts in the delivery of Dance Quest. Dance Quest is a project for the organisations in which 150 young people across the north of the capital will be introduced to live dance and performance. Students from five north London secondary schools will take part in workshops in the aim to make dance more prominent as an art form. This follows the introduction of the project last year, seeing great success.

Pupils from Broomfield School, Central Foundation Boys’ School, Gladesmore Community School, Holloway School and The Petchey Academy – aged 11-13 – will be eligible to take part in creative workshops led by dancers from Wayne McGregor | Random Dance. Providing young people with an opportunity of this type opens up their perception of dance even further, complemented by their chance to see two dance productions at Sadler’s Wells. For some, this may be their first time in a professional theatre, introducing them to London’s largest dance house.

When Dance Quest was launched last year it was met with a great response. The project is one which is all encompassing, enabling students to get a taste of dance in a unique setting, led by huge talent and aspiration. Dance Quest is a huge opportunity for these students and may even plant the seed of a lifelong interest in dance, perhaps even a profession. For 2013 Dance Quest will culminate in a final sharing in which each group will celebrate their achievements and perform in he Lilian Baylis Studio at Sadler’s Wells. Students will also have the opportunity to gain an Arts Award during the process.

Dancing Away From Bullies

Anti Bullying Week Swindon school pupils have learnt how to use dance to counter the threat of bullies, taking time out from lessons to learn about bullying through the medium of dance. Students at Holy Rood Junior School were given a talk by Pat O’Driscoll, who runs a local Matt Fiddes martial arts school, about bullying and how to counter it before his daughter Megan led a street dance session. Such a great initiative could be effective rolled out to other mainstream schools across the country.

As part of National Anti-bullying Week this week the students were given a fresh perspective on bullying, encouraging them to build on their teamwork through the street dance session. The dance class helped the students work together and get along with each other. In addition to raising their awareness of bullying and how to deal with it. The school has even introduced peer mentors as part of their anti-bullying campaign, having trained with Healthy Schools co-ordinators in order to spot the signs of bullying and help signpost peers in the right direction.

Other events at the school as part of Anti-bullying week included a visit from Sophie Thorne, from the charity Fixers, who showcased her short film about cyber-bullying, and the students’ performance of a rap composed by a teacher at another event. It is evident that bullying is an important issue to raise at any level of education, and using dance to help counter it looks to be highly successful. Bullying can affect students at any stage of their education, with the highlighting of the issue at primary school level making students aware ready for secondary school where bullying is usually more prevalent.

Preparing For Pointe

Preparing For Pointe Beginning pointe work is not to be taken lightly or begun before your body is ready: going on pointe before this can cause foot deformities, for example, and other problems later in life. Factors such as age, parental expectations and the students’ desire to go on pointe are not substantial in determining if a student should starting training on pointe, with teachers needing to consider range of movement in the foot and ankle, technical ability and inherent bodily design overall.

If a student is too young, the foot bones will not have matured or ossified sufficiently: if dancers go on pointe before the age of 11 or 12 there are risks of growth-plate injuries, sometimes known as Salter-Harris fractures. As a result, these injuries can stunt bone growth or cause improper development so it is imperative students are not put on pointe too early. Much preparation can be done for pointe work however, making sure the feet and body are suitable. Students must have sufficient technical comprehension and physical strength before beginning pointe in order to prevent both sickling on demi-pointe. The body much be aligned correctly to avoid incorrect work and therefore injuries, and the bodies must also have enough muscle tone to support them on pointe.

Preparation and sufficient training for pointe work can be achieved by using aids such as a Thera-Band or cross-training exercises to supplement training. This can be a slow process but usually means the body is fully prepared and ready for pointe work. Conditioning for the feet is extremely beneficial by building up the strength in the toes, in addition to that of the core and turn-out muscles in the hips. However, even after much preparation and additional training, it may be that some feet are just unsuitable for pointe work, lacking in alignment, strength or technical ability.

The 2013 Youth Dance Conference

Yorkshire Dance The 2013 Youth Dance Conference, named ‘Dance Insights – working together for the future of dance’, will take place on 20 November at CAST, Doncaster’s new performance venue in Yorkshire. The conference will cover teaching dance, health and wellbeing, and leadership in the context of working with young people on challenging economic times.

In addition to general funding cuts, the arts for young people also suffer due to a general lack of funds, with many companies having to find ways of becoming self-sufficient or even have to disband. It is clear that dance for children and young people is under serious threat, however Dance Insights aims to bring those working within youth dance together for essential discussion in a range of areas: health and wellbeing, sport, education, community, children and young people, regeneration and the arts.

In order to make sense of these issues and attempt to combat them, the conference will include presentations from national and regional experts, opportunities to share experiences and ideas for the future of youth dance, the chance to develop and build networks and work as a collective whole to find ways forward for the future of dance with children and young people to take away a stimulated view point and action plan.

There will also be an engaging participatory workshop-discussion programme on offer during the conference which will include sessions on inclusive dance, ‘standing up’ for dance, barriers to dance progression for young people, dance and health, young people and social media, innovation and risk taking in youth choreography. In hearing the opinions of young people about dance, and youth dance in particular, it will open up more avenues for discussion and possibilities to pursue in order to maintain the standard and amount of youth dance that is known today.