News – Page 96 – Dance Direct Blog. News, Reviews & Advice About Dance

Trevor Nunn To Direct Two Gentlemen Of Verona For ArtsEd students

ArtsEd Logo Trevor Nunn, an eminent figure of theatre, is set to direct ArtsEd students in their amateur production of William Shakespeare’s Two Gentlemen of Verona, a huge coup for both the students and Arts Educational. Nunn is an internationally acclaimed director and ArtsEd Patron; ArtsEd is the first UK drama school to work with Nunn on his first production of Two Gentlemen of Verona.

The lucky students in question are final year BA Acting students who are on the cusp of completing their training at ArtsEd and are about to join the performing arts industry. It is undoubtable the students will benefit enormously from the opportunity to work with such an experienced, versatile and highly regarded director, who equally must have a huge amount of faith and trust in these talented final year students. Whilst theatrical names from the industry often are commissioned to work with vocational students, the privilege of having Nunn onboard the ArtsEd production is a huge one.

Nunn has made it no secret that he enjoys working with students: as a Patron of ArtsEd and an enthusiastic follower of the work produced by the school, it is thought to be a pleasure for him to also offer practical rather than just institutional support. The training students receive at ArtsEd is second to none, preparing them to work on stage, screen and film, however it is ultimately a dream come true to have the chance to work with one and learn from of the true greats – a director of this calibre – before they have graduated.

Tickets for the show are on sale now. Performances will run in repertory with Spring Awakening from 30 April-12 May 2015.

Pixie Lott To Join Strictly Pros

Singer Pixie Lott is set to join the Strictly Come Dancing professional dancers in the show, Puttin’ On The Ritz. The young pop star will star in the show, with music and lyrics by Irving Berlin, Cole Porter and George Gershwin, opening at the New Wimbledon Theatre.

Pixie will be reunited with her Strictly Come Dancing partner Trent Whiddon, as per when she recently competed on the show, and the pair will be joined by other Strictly Come Dancing professionals Robin Windsor and Kristina Rihanoff. Puttin’ On The Ritz will open at the New Wimbledon Theatre in May this year. Puttin’ On The Ritz is also visiting venues including Theatre Royal Newcastle, from 2-6 June 2015.

Having Pixie join the cast is another example of producers both cashing in on recent TV success, as well as the current stature of its stars. There is no denying the talent of these stars, however they too are set to benefit for transferring their work to the stage in terms of both PR and cash. A non-household name starring in the same role would not receive the same coverage or assets unfortunately, yet it is also arguable they would perhaps not achieve so many seats filled in the auditorium.

The show, which features the songs of Irving Berlin, George Gershwin and Cole Porter, including the title number, “Cheek to Cheek”, “Night and Day” and “I Got Rhythm”, will then head out on tour, with Pixie Lott performing in Wimbledon from 27-30 May. Pixie Lott is most commonly known as a singer and songwriter, with singles including “Boys and Girls” and “All About Tonight”. She reached the quarter final of 2014’s Strictly Come Dancing with her professional partner Trent Whiddon.

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Northern Ballet’s American Classic – The Great Gatsby

Northern Ballet, one of the five major companies in the UK, is returning to London’s Sadler’s Wells with its smash hit, sell-out production of The Great Gatsby from 24–28 March. Based on the novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald which celebrates its 90th anniversary this year – as well as referencing the box office hit film of the same name – Northern Ballet brings both the glamour and seduction of the roaring twenties to the stage.

Set on New York’s Long Island, Nick Carraway comes to be aware of his infamous neighbour Jay Gatsby – a mysterious millionaire with a secret past and a penchant for lavish parties. As the sparkling façade of Gatsby’s world begins to slip Carraway comes to see the loneliness, obsession and tragedy that lie beneath. The tale is an American classic from an iconic era in the extravagance and style in pre-depression America. The Great Gatsby consequently incorporates these themes within a love story.

Reimagining popular classic stories and embracing popular culture is Northern Ballet’s specialty: nominated for a UK Theatre Award for Achievement in Dance, The Great Gatsby is choreographed by David Nixon OBE and earned him a nomination for Best Classical Choreography in the 2014 National Dance Awards. Based in Leeds, the company performs its mix of classical dance and theatre productions throughout the UK as well as overseas.

Northern Ballet also tours widely with its ballets for children, the first two of which were adapted for TV by CBeebies, and also performs a mixed programme showcasing the versatility of its dancers. Northern Ballet is the busiest touring ballet company in the UK, typically on the road for around 32 weeks of the year. Northern Ballet will introduce a new strand of touring from 2015, widening the company’s reach through a new mid-scale tour with nine additional venues.

New Work For The National Youth Dance Company

The National Youth Dance Company will present a world premiere at its Sadler’s Wells home on 10 April, choreographed by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, this year’s Guest Artistic Director. NYDC will return for its third year with a new intake of 30 talented dancers who join eight returners from the previous cohorts. Cherkaoui is one of the most prolific choreographers working today: he is one of Europe’s most exciting choreographers.

Following the premiere of new commission Frame[d], NYDC will tour the UK to locations including Birmingham, Newcastle, Leeds, Ipswich, Bournemouth and Plymouth. The new piece will see Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist Cherkaoui revisiting moments from his established catalogue of work in order to illustrate the influence and creativity that emerging dance artists can bring to a professional dance collaboration.

Throughout the dancers’ time with NYDC they are given a unique insight into the profession, gaining skills and techniques that will stay with them throughout their careers. As a result, NYDC is fast establishing a reputation for producing high quality performances from a company of dancers who are expressive and energise the stage.

Since NYDC’s inception, 1,000 young people have worked with the company through the delivery of 47 workshops in 21 different venues. The young company has featured in 22 performances, visiting 15 different venues across the UK. 90 dancers have joined the company overall, working intensively with renowned dance artists including Guest Artistic Directors Jasmin Vardimon (2012-13), Akram Khan (2013-14) and Cherkaoui (2014-15). These dancers come from 43 different UK towns and cities.

The company has proven that its existence is vital for the health of the dance sector, in that there is a pipeline of talent feeding it from many different avenues. It is also clear that more still needs to be done to nurture young and emerging talent; what will the future hold?

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.

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.

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.

The Value Of Performing Arts

The music, performing and visual arts sector (including theatre), is now worth £5.4 billion a year in contributing to the UK economy, new figures from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport have revealed. It is clear here that performing arts have a huge value for the UK as a whole, let alone every individual which engages with the arts. The statistics are part of a wider analysis of the creative industries, which now contribute £76.9 billion to the UK economy.

The contribution is a growth of almost 10% from 2012 to 2013, which is the most recent year available to reference. The 10% increase is three times that of the wider UK economy during the same period, demonstrating how vital the arts are, not just culturally but socially too. Music, performing and visual arts, one of nine sectors included as part of the creative industries, showed a 19% increase on 2012. The new figures also show a 46% increase in the music and performing arts sector since 2008.

Secretary of state for culture, Sajid Javid, has acknowledged the contribution of the creative industries to the wider UK economy as being evident to all, and it is hoped his influence is spread wide across the UK government. The creative industries are perhaps “one of our most powerful tools in driving growth”, remarked Javid, engaging young children and sparking an interest in them. Javid also maintained that the “government is determined to continue its support for this most dynamic of sectors as part of our long-terms economic plan, [and] children’s TV and orchestras have been instrumental in attracting inward investment”.

In terms of UK employment, the creative industries accounted for 1.7 million jobs in 2013, which is 5.6% of total UK jobs and an increase of 1.4% on the previous year. Here we can clearly see the value of the arts which continues to increase.

Australian Dance Theatre Celebrates 50 Years

In 2015, Australia’s oldest contemporary dance company, Australian Dance Theatre, will be celebrating its 50th anniversary. This huge milestone is a fantastic achievement, with the company surviving many decades of different arts views. To commemorate the milestone, Australian Dance Theatre will present a “50th Anniversary Gala” at the Dunstan Playhouse down under in July: through the gala the company will pay tribute to its history, which is both vast and varied. The celebrations will honour its current and former artistic directors, and will also present a new work created by Garry Stewart, co-choreographed with former dancer, Larissa McGowan.

In it’s 50th anniversary year, Australian Dance Theatre will also tour nationally and internationally. Garry Stewart’s work Be Yourself will be presented in three parts of Australia, including New South Wales. In addition, his dance film Collision Course will be presented in Melbourne’s Federation Square in February as part of the Recharge: Experimental Biennial of Media Art. Two European tours of the company’s newest work – Multiverse – will take place in March and June, taken to French and Spanish theatres, including the Théâtre National de Chaillot in Paris. Australian Dance Theatre will also tour to South America, which is a first for the company and a new market to play to.

Other 50th anniversary celebratory events for Australian Dance Theatre include a Founders’ Celebration held in the Adelaide Arcade which was the first home of the dance company, a commemorative book which will be launched in November and involvement with the 2015 Australian Dance Awards which will be held in Adelaide in September.

For more information about Australian Dance Theatre’s plans for 2015, including the above performances, education activities and events, and research projects, visit the company’s website.