One of UK’s foremost B-girls and founder of ‘FLOWZAIC’, the UK’s first all-female breaking crew, Sunanda has performed, judged and hosted at some of the biggest Hip Hop and B-Boy events from UK B-Boy Championship, Nike Dance Clash to BOTY and B-Supreme women in the Hip Hop festival at the South Bank Centre.
She was the co-choreographer for the NHS segment of the London 2012 Olympics Opening Ceremony and is now Associate Director of ‘Grounded’ which gave its début performance at Sadler’s Wells Breakin’ Convention’s 2013 tenth anniversary.
When did you begin dancing, where and why?
I began dancing when I was three years old, doing ballet and tap, but then also trained as a gymnast from six years old. I then went to Lewisham College at 16, and then London Studio Centre.
What were your early years of dancing and training like?
I remember copying dance moves from old hip hop videos, Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson and Madonna, and there was a guy at my gym that used to do a UK version of Locking, so I used to copy his routines! I also loved breaking back in the day, but never learnt it properly until the late 1990s. My training was good; I had to do basic ballet, contemporary, and Matt Mattox jazz that really enhanced my dance career.
What does dance mean for you?
I guess it’s my life as this is what I have done as a living since I left college, but it is my passion also and I love the history involved in dance, and the social side of it.
How long have you been working as performer and choreographer? How did it begin?
I have been working professionally for about 20 years and some of my first jobs were doing commercials, videos, teaching and performing in a casino in Italy!
What is a ‘typical’ day like?
I always try to get up and do yoga and pilates exercises at home before I go and either teach, choreograph or do a job. Some days I don’t have work so I train or take other people’s classes as it’s always good to keep up with the knowledge.
What’s the best part of dance for you?
I love training but the performances are great, also battling and free styling as you can be yourself and have your own character.
What would you say was your greatest dance achievement to date?
It has to be choreographing and performing in the London 2012 opening ceremony in the NHS section: myself and my long-term dance partner, Temujin Gill, got to work with Danny Boyle and create our own choreography and style, and also got to perform on the night!
What advice would you give to someone aspiring to be part of the dance industry?
I think you have to be motivated and work hard, it’s not always easy but if you put enough time into it, you can achieve what you desire, Also, be versatile and learn different styles, but it is good to specialise in one or two so you can really shine and be different.
What’s next for you?
I am currently doing a research and development project with my dance company Grounded where we are exploring ideas to create a new show. We are working with the styles of lindy hop, breaking and tap, and training up more dancers throughout the process.
It has been rumoured within Theatreland that acclaimed lyricist, Sir Tim Rice, is set to retire from the musical theatre industry. This has come after claims that the public seem to prefer shows featuring well-known pop songs to original material in stage musicals.
The Martha Graham Center of Contemporary Dance announced that its efforts in using technology to help preserve choreography and pass it on from one generation to the next were to be aided by a $1 million grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation that will allow the company to build on, digitise and organise its archive of materials on Graham dances.
Immersive theatre-makers Rift are set to stage a site-specific performance of Shakespeare’s tragedy Macbeth that will take place overnight. Rift plans to stage the all-night Macbeth in east London tower block in an innovative move to put audiences to sleep – and then wake them up.
After a successful premiere at The Place’s Resolution! festival, Holasz Choreography is set to launch the next installment of its piece for Resolution!, Yfronts – a contemporary lap dance as a collaboration with The Charcoal Movement on Friday 7 March at The Etcetera Theatre in London.
Celebrating its 65th anniversary, The Chelmsford Ballet Company is proud to present its version of The Nutcracker from 19-22 March at the Civic Theatre in Chelmsford. Some of Tchaikovsky’s most famous melodies set the scene; the story of a little girl’s magical Christmas present. Battle the Mouse King and travel with Clara to the Magical Kingdom of Sweets. Delight in the dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, be captivated by the Waltz of the Flowers, the flurry of Snowflakes and the candy striped Merlitons, a spectacle for any time of year.
Ivan Blackstock is a well-respected hip hop artist within the dance theatre world, the commercial world, as well as on the hip hop battle circuit. He undertook training at two prestigious dance conservatoires, namely the Urdang Academy and London Contemporary Dance School, during which he took a gap year to join The Pet Shop Boys on their world tour.
Kloé Dean, is a passionate and unique hip hop dancer, choreographer and freestyler; as part of one of the UK’S leading street dance companies, Boy Blue Entertainment, Kloe also leads her own all-female Dance Collective ‘Myself UK Dance’. She is currently a cast member of the street dance sensation BLAZE.
The En Avant Foundation is a new non-profit foundation for specialised ballet coaching, mentoring and the awarding of scholarships in the sphere of classical ballet. As a new initiative formed with a specific purpose to promote classical ballet by offering specialised ballet coaching via Master Classes and Workshops, En Avant Foundation is able to offer dancers the means by which to propel their careers.
The Place once again opened 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.