Category: Uncategorised

Kerry Ellis Returns To Rent

Kerry EllisWith songs such as Seasons of Love, Out Tonight, and Without You, Rent the musical is a tale of a group of friends living n the East Village of New York City, about falling in love, finding your voice and living for today under the shadow of HIV/AIDS. Rent is based loosely on La Boheme, and has won the Tony Award for Best Musical and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, a pop cultural musical phenomenon.

For this hugely significant musical, there is an extremely significant musical theatre star set to join the show’s ranks. Kerry Ellis will be joining the Rent in Concert 2014 Tour, following the announcement of a third and final leg to the current UK tour of Rent in Concert. Ellis will be helping to celebrate 20 years since the first staged performance of Rent, with the West End leading lady and Broadway star returning to the role of Mimi in this iconic concert version.

The show toured the UK earlier this year in April starring Ellis, Rory Taylor and Nikki Davis-Jones. Last month it was announced that the show will return in November starring Atomic Kitten’s Natasha Hamilton and Taylor, before its final run in January and February 2014 with Ellis.

Ellis quickly built up a reputation of a leading lady, with starring roles in London and on Broadway. Beginning by originating the role of Meat in Queen’s We Will Rock You, Ellis became the first British Elphaba in the West End’s Wicked. Ellis then transferred Broadway and played Elphaba in the same musical for six months before returning to London. Ellis has turned her hand to many other West End roles since, with other leading role credits include Nancy in Oliver!, Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady, Ellen in Miss Saigon and Fantine in Les Miserables. Add the 20th anniversary celebratory tour of Rent to that list and you have an incredibly versatile and entertaining performer.

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

One Year On: Gymnastics And Dance

2012 Olympic Opening CeremonyA year on from the London 2012 Olympic Games, there is much celebration about the phenomenal events which happened precisely one year ago. Over the past year much has come from the Olympic legacy, with sports and cultural institutions benefitting from the heat wave emanating from the dust of the Olympics in the capital.

Dance has rarely been out of the news over the past year, for example focusing on the ordered Bolshoi Ballet acid attack and Tamara Rojo’s incredible steering of the English National Ballet, of which she is Artistic Director and Lead Principal dancer. Despite the fact that not all the dance news for 2013 has been good news, it has been a positive sight to see dance get so much recognition from national press, not just specific dance rags.

Many may be hopeful, following the year’s events for dance and the series of ‘firsts’ that have been seen, such as the Bolshoi performing at the Royal Opera House for over 5 years, that dance may one day be present at the Olympic Games. It is clear that dance is not only a complementary discipline to other activities, but its own success in its own right: will we see dance in Rio at the 2016 Olympics? The 2012 ideals ‘faster, higher, stronger’ are extremely applicable to the art of dance, with Albert Einstein and then Martha Graham maintaining that ‘dancers are the athletes of God’.

It is arguable that dance could qualify as an Olympic event through its artistry, strength and flexibility, very similar to that of Gymnastics and Rhythmic Gymnastics, and maybe even Diving and Equine Dressage! For rhythmic gymnastics in particular, the discipline is a combination of gymnastics and dance, and its origins lie in a wide variety of disciplines, including classical ballet.

The Academic And Vocational

Dance in the MainstreamAs the end of the last school and college holidays draw near, students all over begin to contemplate the future. In collecting their A2 results from Sixth Form or college, there is much speculation as to whether the student achieved the grades to get into their selected universities, and then study the subject they applied for initially.

Some students may have already decided that performing arts vocational college is the right direction for them to go in, having already auditioned and gained a place at their chosen college, ready to start high-kicking and channelling Othello come September. In choosing the path following college or Sixth Form, it’s easy to forget the student must choose what is right for their talent and dreams of the future: many choose vocational college, whereas others may choose to go down a more academic route and study dance, drama or performing arts at a university as the higher education provider.

In favouring academic study, students are able to glean the best from both worlds. Many university courses offer a 50/50 split of academic study and practical study, enabling the student to learn their craft in a different environment, and then learn – for example – a more in depth history of their passion and the context behind it. However, a more academic course is not for everyone, which is why students must weigh up their talents and options carefully.

On the other hand, some students may still be considering their future in the wait for their exam results this month, perhaps contemplating taking a year out from study to travel or work. Many universities and higher education providers offer places on courses through clearing, meaning there still may be a chance to study in September in an area which holds a great deal of passion.

Busby Berkeley

Busby BerkeleyBusby Berkeley, born November 29 1895 (died March 14 1976) was a highly influential Hollywood director and musical choreographer, famous for his elaborate musical production numbers that involved complex choreography through geometric patterns. Berkeley’s works used large numbers of showgirls and props as fantasy elements in on-screen performances which were both captivating and impressive.

Berkeley made his stage debut aged five, acting in the company of his performing family. Following his serving in World War I, during the 1920s Berkeley became a dance director for nearly 30 Broadway musicals. As a choreographer, Berkeley was more interested in his chorus girls’ ability to form attractive geometric patterns, creating an awe-inspiringly regimented display perhaps inspired by his army experiences. However, his audiences experiencing the Great Depression of America made Berkeley very popular, and he went on to choreograph four musicals back-to-back for Warner Bros.: 42nd Street, Footlight Parade, Gold Diggers of 1933 and Fashions of 1934.

For his choreographic work, Berkeley began to develop his theatrical techniques for the musical numbers of films, such as Samuel Goldwyn’s Eddie Cantor musicals. Here he trialled and extended techniques such as the “parade of faces” in which each chorus girl’s face was shot with an individual, loving close-up. He also began to move his dancers around the stage, and later beyond the stage in shooting highly cinematic shots containing as many kaleidoscopic patterns as possible. The ‘top shot’ filming technique, shot from above, became synonymous with Berkeley’s work, another kaleidoscope shot which also appeared in the Cantor films.

As a choreographer Berkeley was allowed much independence in his direction of musical numbers, yet they were often in great contrast to the narrative sections of the films, focusing on decoration and the aesthetics of dance and glamour. Many of his innovative creations have been heavily analysed, some critiqued for their display, or perhaps exploitation, of the female form as seen through the “male gaze”. However Berkeley always denied any significance of his work, arguing that his main professional goals were to constantly improve his work and never repeat his past accomplishments.

Image courtesy of Wikipedia.

Focus On Leanne Benjamin

Leanne BenjaminLeanne Benjamin, the recently retired Principal of The Royal Ballet Company, is perhaps one of the recently departed dancers who will be the most greatly missed. She recently appeared in Carlos Acosta’s Classical Selection, dancing roles in extracts from some of the best-loved classical and neo-classical pieces such as Mayerling and Manon, with passionate vigour and full commitment to the production.

The Australian Benjamin trained at the Royal Ballet School from the age of sixteen, and won the prestigious Adeline Genée (now Genée International Ballet Competition) prize and the Prix de Lausanne on her way to the top. She joined The Royal Ballet as a First Soloist in 1992 after dancing with Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet, Deutsche Oper Ballet and London Festival Ballet (now English National Ballet). She was promoted to the rank of Principal in 1993 and since then has danced all leading (and very dramatic) classical roles such as MacMillan’s Manon, Romeo and Juliet and Mayerling. In addition to this Benjamin has had a number of roles created on her by choreographers including Wayne McGregor for his athletic Qualia, Christopher Wheeldon, Kim Brandstrup and Alexei Ratmansky.

This fiery and versatile dancer is renowned for excelling in the MacMillan repertory, yet Benjamin also worked with Frederick Ashton and Ninette De Valois: as a result she was awarded an OBE in 2005 for services to dance. Benjamin felt that performing Mayerling was the perfect way to step out of her ballet career as it was the piece which brought her into the company by Kenneth MacMillan, who died backstage soon after she joined the company. MacMillan acted as a mentor to Benjamin, changing her dancing career forever in seeing her potential at Berlin’s Deutsche Oper Ballet.

Benjamin give her final Covent Garden performance with The Royal Ballet with Mayerling earlier this year in June, a dramatic portrayal of false love and, equally, passion.

Northern Ballet Rehearsal Open To All!

Northern BalletNorthern Ballet is offering audiences the opportunity to go behind the scenes and discover many theatrical secrets of ‘backstage’ at a free rehearsal event at its headquarters in Leeds.  Deemed as the perfect treat for ballet lovers or an introduction to ballet, the event is set to take place on the evening of 14th August, offering audiences the chance to enjoy a cheeky preview of Northern Ballet’s latest production A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The events are the perfect chance to see Northern Ballet’s talented dancers up close and get a taste for the less well-known production, which will run from 6-14 September 2013.

The audience will have the opportunity to go behind the scenes at Northern Ballet and experience the rehearsal process for themselves; for first-timers of ballet seeing the dancers working up close can be a magical and illusive experience. The event is a great opportunity for new and existing audiences to sample A Midsummer Night’s Dream and see for themselves the transformation that takes place during a ballet’s journey from the rehearsal room to the stage.

Northern Ballet is renowned for producing ballets that reach diverse audiences and the company is completely committed to opening up dance and audience opportunities for as many people as possible to experience the work done by both the dancers and the ‘behind-the-scenes’ staff. The rehearsal event is ticket only, and must be booked in advance.

Northern Ballet’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s classic A Midsummer Night’s Dream is directed by David Nixon. The romantic antics of a touring dance company are played out as it travels by sleeper train from London to Edinburgh, with Nixon’s choreography bringing out the comedy and entanglements of the classic tale. His Dior-inspired costumes, along with monochrome sets give a fantastic contrast to the mysterious and colourful dream world.

 

New Artistic Director For The Royal Ballet School

The Royal Ballet SchoolThe prestigious Royal Ballet School announced the appointment of Christopher Powney as their Artistic Director Designate last month, who is due to step into the role in April 2014. The current Artistic Director, Gailene Stock, is sadly unwell, and will retire from her post on 31 August 2014. As a result, the summer term of 2014 will see Powney taking over the running of the School after a transitional period. Jay Jolley will continue in the role of Acting Director and will lead the School’s artistic programmes into the 2013/14 academic year.

As one of the top classical dance training centres in the world, the Royal Ballet School has flourished under Stock and is hoped to continue this journey under Powney, selected unanimously to take the school further forward as the driving force behind exceptionally talented and motivated young dancers.

Powney, a former teacher at The Royal Ballet Upper School, is currently Artistic Director of the Dutch National Ballet Academy and has danced himself with Northern Ballet, English National Ballet and Ballet Rambert, as it was then known. During his career he has worked with some of the world’s leading artists, such as Rudolf Nureyev, Jiri Kylian, Lynn Seymour, Christopher Bruce, Twyla Tharp, Frederick Franklin, and Glen Tetley.

Powney later went on to focus on teaching, having qualified with The Royal Ballet School’s Professional Dancers Teachers’ Course. He was Assistant Artistic Director of the Central School of Ballet’s graduate touring company, and in 2000, he joined the teaching staff of The Royal Ballet Upper School. 2006 saw him invited to take on the position of graduate teacher with the dance department of the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague. Powney has also been a member of the board for the British Association of Performing Arts Medicine and was a jury member of the 2011 Prix de Lausanne competition.

Theatre Traditions

The Journal Tyne TheatreThe theatre is a world of mystique, intrigue and illusion, serving to delight and entertain its audience with spectacle, no matter how otherworldly. This tradition of theatre is still upheld in many venues and arts spaces across the country and even across the world, but equally much of the previous spectacle has developed to accommodate the twenty first century. Productions have alternative intents, aiming to shock and provoke audiences rather than provide a successful model of theatre which has been proven to work.

Despite many changes, developments and modernisations of the theatre, many of the time-old traditions remain stuck to the people, productions and venues. Superstition and performance ritual is just a small part of theatrical tradition, yet play a meaningful role in much of what is said and occurs without a second thought. Ever wondered why Shakespeare’s Macbeth is referred to as The Scottish Play, and not by its real name in the theatre? Why the Green Room is called just that? Why many dancers are wished good luck through “break a leg”, despite this being the worst thing that could happen to them?

A theatre or performance space is never without a Green Room, a place for the performers to rest, a limbo or sort of purgatory between the dressing rooms and the stage, somewhere to eat or sleep. There are many interpretations as to why this space – which may not even be green – is named as such, with one being that travelling actors would traditionally perform on the village or town green, and stay in the adjoining public house, usually called The Green Rooms.

Another name which has stuck is that of the theatre’s crew, responsible for set changes, scenery construction and other technical tasks which lift the production out of the rehearsal room. It is said that they are so called because traditionally they would be sailors, a ship’s crew, who would work in the theatre in between sea voyages. Despite many changes taking place to theatre over many years, these are just two features which have stuck.

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Carlos Acosta: Back And Not Alone…

Carlos AcostaCarlos Acosta’s return to the London Coliseum in August is highly anticipated, particularly as the casting and classical repertory has recently been announced, forming Acosta’s Classical Selection. Running from July 30 to August 4, the run is full of huge ballet stars and iconic works.

Acosta’s new show will be presenting highlights from his career in celebration of his 40th birthday, which is marked by 2013. For Classical Selection, the thrilling Principal will be joined on stage by some of his past dance partners and stars of The Royal Ballet, including principal dancers Marianela Nunez and Nehemiah Kish, ex-Royal Ballet Principal Leanne Benjamin, first soloists Ricardo Cervera and Yuhui Choe, soloists Melissa Hamilton and Eric Underwood and first artist Meaghan Grace Hinkis. The programme looks set to be captivating, and every ballet fans’ dream.

The pieces on offer throughout the run are some of the most iconic of the classical ballet world. Performances such as extracts from Manon, Winter Dreams, Mayerling, Gloria and Requiem were originally choreographed by one of the greatest ballet choreographers of the 20th century, Kenneth MacMillan. Also part of the programme is an extract from George Balanchine’s Apollo and from Rubies, and an extract from one of Frederick Ashton’s last works, the Rhapsody. The programme concludes with fellow Cuban choreographer and Rambert dancer at Miguel Altunaga’s 2009 solo Memoria, extracts from Mikhail Fokine’s Diana and Actaeon and Christopher Wheeldon’s Tryst. 

Acosta is currently performing as a Principal Guest Artist with The Royal Ballet, having also danced with English National Ballet in 1991/2 as a Principal – where his nephew now dances – the National Ballet of Cuba in 1992/3, and was a Principal with Houston Ballet from 1993/8. Acosta then joined The Royal Ballet and became a Principal Guest Artist in 2003.

Image courtesy of scillystuff on Flickr.

Spotlight On: Coppélia

ENB's 2008 Production of CoppeliaAs a choreographic work which does not end in death for the main protagonists, Coppélia is a light-hearted comedic ballet, with a narrative which delights audience with its humour, magic and a happy ending.

Our heroine Swanilda is a feisty villager who isn’t very happy when she spots her beau, Franz, making eyes at a mysterious female figure high in a window of Dr Coppelius’ workshop.

The reserved beauty later is discovered to be the mechanical doll Coppélia by Swanilda and her girlfriends, when they find themselves inside the workshop. Having found the answers to their questions, they amuse themselves at Franz’s expense, delighted that he should be declaring his love for a mere doll.

Meanwhile, Franz has also found his way into Dr Coppelius’ abode, searching for Coppélia. The intruding girls are discovered by Dr Coppelius and flee, bar Swanilda who quickly hides. Dr Coppelius, after a short outburst at discovering Franz too, rethinks his strategy and invites Franz to drink [poison] with him, tipping his away and allowing Franz to submit to unconsciousness. Dr Coppelius is seemingly alone to care for his prized doll Coppélia, who we discover is Swanilda, taking on her role in the doll’s clothes.

Chaos ensues, with Dr Coppelius believing he has brought his beloved creation to life. Following two engaging solos from Swanilda/Coppélia, Franz is finally woken, and the lovers escape. Depending on the interpretation of the production by different ballet companies, the extent of remorse felt for Dr Coppelius varies! Act 3 sees a town celebration take place, with solos by Dawn, Prayer, Morning Hours, Working Hours and the introduction of the new bell, a cause for a party. In some versions of the ballet, Dr Coppelius is reunited with the town who have rejected his odd and introverted ways; a happy ending for all.

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons