Notes On Dance

Dance NotepadAs 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…

PantomimePantomime 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.

Tutu Creations

TutuMaking a ballet tutu can be a very rewarding experience. To see your costumes on stage after a long process of creating them creates feelings of pride and accomplishment, following carefully sewing on hooks and eyes, and creating layers and layers for the finished product.

For large scale companies and individual commissions the process is the same. For individual commissions, with perhaps one seamstress, it is a lot of hard work and long hours so they may only take on a few each season. For larger companies the work load is much heavier because of the all the programme demands and the dancers’ needs. The techniques to create tutus have mostly been in use since the 1800s; for many companies the bodices are made of cotton coutil, the same fabric used for corsets. This is extremely strong, but it is comfortable too and absorbs sweat.

A tutu is a pancake style skirt that sticks out from the dancer’s body, originally designed to show off the dancer’s legs and intricate footwork. Generally there are ten rows of ruffles forming a tutu, some of which use multiple layers of net and tulle, and often the cost of individual commissions can rise to hundreds or thousands of pounds. These one-of-a-kind costumes are completely special to the customer but part of everyday life for designers and creators.

Each tutu begins by making the knicker part, and from there the tutu itself is built and the bodice is constructed. For both aspiring and company dancers, the costume must be a perfect fit: the dancers often want them as tight as possible in order for them to feel more secure when performing. The tutus are designed to last a long time, enduring many performances, possibly many dancers and other wear and tear factors too. Performing on different stages also takes its toll however the costumes prevail.

A New Recruit For Cats?

Cats The MusicalIt has been rumoured that West End star Kerry Ellis is set to take over the role of Grizabella from pop princess Nicole Scherzinger in Cats at the London Palladium in 2015, a huge theatrical coup for musical theatre fans. Scherzinger has previously received mixed reactions from musical theatre-goers however for many, the most important aspect of the news is that Cats will most likely be extending further than it’s previously advertised 12 week run.

Ellis, best known for starring in Wicked in the West End and on Broadway, will play Grizabella from 9 February, according to the Daily Mail newspaper. Ellis trained at Laine Theatre Arts in Surrey and has a firm place in the group of Laine’s successful alumni.

Cats the musical, which has returned to the West End after a 12 year period, opened to rave reviews at the Palladium in December, and is currently booking to 27 February 2015, although an extension is likely. The cast and creatives have been praised for the revival of the timeless production, with undefeated choreography from Dame Gillian Lynne who continues to surprise at nearly 90 years old.

For Ellis it was after appearing as one of Martine McCutcheon’s understudies in My Fair Lady that her breakthrough role came in 2002: she played Meat in the premiere of the Queen musical We Will Rock You at the Dominion Theatre to great acclaim. Her other credits include Wicked (for which she has won awards such as the 2008 WhatsOnStage Award for Best Takeover in a Role), Oliver!, Miss Saigon, Les Miserables and Rent, earning her a firm place in the line up of iconic musical theatre artists.

Gypsy In The West End

Gypsy - Imelda StauntonIt has been revealed that Imelda Staunton will reprise her role as the iconic Momma Rose in Chichester Festival Theatre’s hit production of Gypsy when it transfers to the West End for a strictly limited season in spring 2015. This will be the first London production of Stephen Sondheim’s much-loved musical for more than 40 years, playing at the Savoy Theatre from 28 March.

Gypsy is often cited as one of Broadway’s greatest ever musicals: the rarely staged piece tells the true story of the ultimate showbiz mother Momma Rose who took her daughters Baby June and Louise across America in search of fame and fortune with their homespun vaudeville act. Momma Rose is forced to accept the demise of vaudeville and the rise of burlesque, as well as her daughters’ quest for freedom and individuality.

The musical features a book by West Side Story’s Arthur Laurents, music by Jule Styne and lyrics by Sondheim. It was inspired by the memoirs of the real-life Louise, Gypsy Rose Lee, and boasts a classic score of hits including Everything’s Coming Up Roses, Small World, Let Me Entertain You and Together (Wherever We Go).

Imelda Staunton is often referred to as one of Britain’s best-loved performers. Her credits on stage include Guys And Dolls, A Chorus Of Disapproval and Life X 3 at the National Theatre, Entertaining Mr Sloane at the Trafalgar Studios and A Delicate Balance at the Almeida. She is also a household name for her screen appearances, as Staunton has starred in films including Pride, the Harry Potter series, Maleficent, Vera Drake and The Awakening.

Further casting as to who will join Staunton in the West End transfer is yet to be announced. The production will follow Dirty Rotten Scoundrels into the Savoy Theatre, which ends it run on 7 March 2015.

New To Pointe

Bloch Axis Pointe ShoesDance students new to pointe are always excited to get going, inspired by what they have seen through their dance training so far. Watching older students or favourite ballerinas dancing en pointe is often an enamouring experience, and now it is the turn of the younger students to get their first pair of pointe shoes.

Dancers who are not training at vocational dance schools usually are allowed to begin pointe in their early teens, due to the development of their bones and ultimately, their classical technique. Other factors which must also be considered are the regularity of attendance to ballet classes and a teacher’s approval, and it is paramount that each dancer is professionally fitted for pointe shoes.

Often being en pointe doesn’t feel as dainty as young dancers may have thought. Stepping onto pointe for the first time is uncomfortable, but is not a reason to be discouraged. Even minor discomfort is normal as dancers get used to the sensation of pointe, and they get stronger by practising their technique and not rushing the process. Extreme pain is a good indicator that a shoe has not been properly recommended or fitted for the student’s individual needs, and if manually breaking in the shoes has not happened.

To make the time en pointe more comfortable (and more enjoyable!) there are a few things that dancers can do. Strong abdominals are vital for pointe work, as it is a strong core that will help dancers lift their weight out of their shoes. Also important is correct body placement and flexibility in the ankle and foot, which must be built up before and during pointe training. This is primarily done through learning to roll up onto pointe and down through the shoes.

Ultimately, dancers must take good care of their feet, as well as their shoes by airing them between lessons to prevent fungus and bacteria growth. Don’t give up, and approach a teacher or studio director if something feels wrong.

VAULT Festival 2015

Vault Festival 2015Following the enormous success of last year’s festival, VAULT returns to Waterloo’s Leake Street tunnels from 28 January-8 March. Specifically, dance and physical theatre are one of VAULT’s areas of excellence this year with a wide programme of powerful and provocative shows taking over the venue.

Six weeks of live entertainment will see Heritage Arts present a carefully curated, high quality multi-arts programme across seven different spaces under Waterloo station. This year’s highlights include the London premieres of radical theatre company Filter’s Macbeth as well as True Brits, a brand new play from Rich Mason Productions and HighTide Festival Theatre. They are joined by multidisciplinary and interactive Artful Badger’s first ever narrative production and the comedian and performance artist Yve Blake.

With more than 30,000 tickets available, 500 individual events and over 80 artistic groups, the line-up comprises some of the most exciting emerging artists and companies in a programme of music, performance, dance, comedy, discussions, debates and one-off late night events, all taking place in a secret maze of underground tunnels behind a single door.

Acts this year include masculine-feminist pop sensation Dani Frankenstien, Superbolt Theatre’s epic man versus monster adventure Jurassic Park, one-man-shows from the likes of Move To Stand, Rolemop Arts, Matthew Bellwood, Jessica Burgess, Tristran Bernays, cabaret from taxidermist Charlie Tuesday Gates and her gang, ensemble theatre from Dumbshow, d’Animate, Edinburgh sensations House of Blakewell and many many more.

The Festival Director has ensured the event has a pulse of many voices – there are 500 individual events happening at VAULT, chosen by mixture of invitation, public submission and charitable competition, so each day has a unique heartbeat. The programming philosophy looks for passion and ability and VAULT’s learned that artistic groups grow in knowledge by observation and practice. It is now the longest, biggest, broadest, most central performing arts festival in London, all behind one magical door in Waterloo.

Frantic Assembly’s Othello

Frantic AssemblyIn a co-production with Theatre Royal Plymouth, Frantic Assembly’s explosive Othello will hit the Lyric Hammersmith in the capital from 13 January 2015 following a successful UK tour. The company are said to have radically transformed the Shakespearian classic with its high energy choreography and approach to working artistically.

Frantic Assembly’s acclaimed and award-winning Othello is an electrifying take on Shakespeare’s most brutal and gripping thriller-tragedy. Frantic’s Artistic Director Scott Graham has restaged this timeless story of paranoia, jealousy and murder, setting it against the backdrop of Yorkshire during the race riots of 2001, exposing prejudice, danger and fear. Othello is directed by Scott Graham, with design by Laura Hopkins, lighting design by Natasha Chivers, sound design by Gareth Fry, soundtrack by Hybrid and additional choreography by Scott Graham and Eddie Kay.

Frantic Assembly’s celebrated physical style combines movement, design, music and text, and recent production highlights include The Believers and Beautiful Burnout by Bryony Lavery, Dr Dee (Manchester International Festival and ENO), Lovesong by Abi Morgan and Stockholm by Bryony Lavery. Frantic Assembly are also movement directors on The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, winner of 7 Olivier Awards, currently running in the West End and on Broadway.

Frantic Assembly was formed in 1994 and since then the company has sought to collaborate on original ideas with today’s most exciting artists. Frantic Assembly has toured widely throughout the UK, building its reputation as one of the country’s most vibrant companies. Internationally Frantic Assembly has performed, created and collaborated in 28 different countries.

In addition to its productions Frantic Assembly operates an extensive Learn & Train programme introducing 6,000 participants a year to the company’s process of creating theatre, in a wide variety of settings. Frantic Assembly also delivers Ignition, an innovative vocational training project for young men aged 16–20 years, particularly targeting those with little previous experience of the arts.

The Resolution! Programme

Resolution! 2015Resolution! – the biggest annual showcase for dance in the UK – returns to The Place from 8 January to 21 February 2015. Each night is a triple-bill, profiling 84 companies across 28 nights in a huge celebration and support of new choreographic talent.

This platform offers a springboard for the latest dance trends. These performances draw on diverse choreographic sources ranging from Indian classical dance to hip-hop, ballet, capoeira and physical theatre, and deal with themes of gender, sexuality, emotional turmoil, immigration, cultural rituals and traditions, as well as literary and scientific influences. By providing a safe creative environment, Resolution! has supported some of the greatest UK-based contemporary choreographers, including Wayne McGregor, Hofesh Shechter, Kate Prince, and more recently, James Cousins.

Highlights of the 2015 programme include The Ashes: Dance Collective created by former Phoenix dancers, Estela Merlos who has performed with Northern Ballet Theatre and DV8, Joan Clevillé who has choreographed for Scottish Dance Theatre and worked with Lost Dog, Yukiko Masui who has worked with Rosie Kay Dance Theatre and Avant Garde, Joshua Beamish’s duet for Royal Ballet artists Nicol Edmonds and Matthew Ball and the National Centre for Circus Arts. Finally, Breakin’ Convention will co-present two companies exploring themes of race and masculinity as a fraction of the talent to be discovered throughout Resolution!

The festival was created in 1990 and leads in facilitating the difficult transition from vocational dance training to the professional performance world. By the end of this 26th edition Resolution! will have presented almost 2,000 dance companies. Supported by The Place’s professional team, Resolution! companies not only receive technical advice but also take part in a series of workshops to provide a comprehensive insight into all aspects of the profession, from lighting and design, press, marketing and social media, to project management and applying for funding.

Royal Court And The Guardian Collaboration

Royal Court TheatreThe Royal Court theatre and the Guardian newspaper are set to collaborate on a web-based play series. Directors, playwrights and journalists are all headed to collaborate on a new series of short plays, which will be available to watch online. Making these theatrical works more readily available to audiences all over increases the reach of the arts and puts it in greater stead for the long term.

To be named Off the Page, the collaboration between the Royal Court and the Guardian will begin with a piece which sees playwright Laura Wade and director Carrie Cracknell collaborate with food blogger Jack Monroe and Guardian social affairs correspondent Amelia Gentleman. The short play is named Britain Isn’t Eating, and is available on theguardian.com starring Katherine Parkinson and Kyle Soller.

Subsequent short plays will cover topics such as music, fashion, politics, sport and education and are all around five minutes long. They will also feature actors including Rafe Spall and Tobias Menzies, alongside playwrights such as Chloe Moss and Tim Price, and directors including Christopher Haydon and Hamish Pirie. Guardian journalists taking part in the project also include Aditya Chakrabortty and Hadley Freeman.

For the Royal Court’s artistic director Vicky Featherstone, the partnership between the Guardian and Royal Court is truly ground-breaking in its approach to producing theatre, and reflects the strengths and vision of each organisation involved. Playwrights and theatremakers are continuously looking for inspiration and new challenges to feed their work, and for Featherstone this is frequently found in the pages of newspapers.

The collaborations between the Guardian and Royal Court theatre look set to be innovative, entertaining and inspiring with lots feeding in to each short work.

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.