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The Role Of The Choreographer In The Stage And Screen Musical is a free symposium taking place on 28 November, offered by the Society for Dance Research. The symposium will feature distinguished keynote speeches from Dame Gillian Lynne, acclaimed British dancer, choreographer and theatre/television director, to Professor Millie Taylor of the University of Winchester.

Taking place at St Hilda’s College, Oxford, this special event will provide audiences with an insight into the role and responsibility of a choreographer in productions for both stage and screen. Dame Gillian Lynne’s career, for example, could probably host the symposium alone as it is so varied and rich. The Society for Dance Research is renowned for offering stimulating events, conferences, workshops and publications, and this symposium is no different.

Since 1982 the Society has been working to foster and promote the quality and scope of dance scholarship in the UK and to provide an international forum for diverse dance interests covering a broad range of dance forms and dance-related issues. Through its activities it aims to advance research into all forms of dance and performance internationally, stimulate discussion and exchange through meetings and other activities that support dance research, including practice-led research, and encourage the preservation of archives, collections and important source materials.

The Society for Dance Research’s journal – Dance Research – is published twice yearly. The Society for Dance Research members embrace a wide cross-section of the dance world: scholars, critics, teachers, lecturers, students, librarians, dancers, choreographers, archivists and interested dance-goers. Members come from both the UK and overseas and their interests span all forms of dance and associated disciplines, such as music, theatre, design and literature.

For further information please visit http://www.sdr-uk.org/

Dance house Sadler’s Wells recently announced a programme of new work especially commissioned for ballet star Natalia Osipova as part of the theatre’s Spring/Summer 2016 season. Osipova is currently a Principal with the Royal Ballet, and joining with Sadler’s Wells for the new programme will see her married with much more contemporary works.

World-renowned contemporary dance choreographers Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Russell Maliphant and Arthur Pita will create pieces inspired by Osipova for the production, which will receives its world premiere from 29 June to 2 July 2016. The celebrated ballet dancer follows in the footsteps of Sylvie Guillem and Tamara Rojo in taking on a new challenge with contemporary dance, in a production co-produced by Sadler’s Wells and Moscow’s Muz Art Management Company.

Having a programme of works created with Osipova in mind is a huge compliment for the dancer; whilst she has worked with the contemporary choreographers before, it will be a new challenge to dance these very new works. Osipova will be joined on stage by notorious ex-Royal Ballet dancer Sergei Polunin for the world premieres, who – it is rumoured – is also her off stage partner.

Osipova joined the Royal Ballet in 2013 after her guest appearance in Swan Lake, and has performed lead roles in Giselle, Don Quixote, The Nutcracker and La Fille mal gardée and DGV: Danse à grande vitesse. She has created roles in Wayne McGregor’s Tetractys and Woolf Works, and Alastair Marriott’s Connectome. She started her formal ballet training at the age of eight, before joining the Bolshoi Ballet at the age of 18. She has also danced with American Ballet Theatre and Mikhailovsky Ballet.

Carlos Acosta’s A Classical Selection will play at the London Coliseum from 8-13 December 2015, presenting highlights from Acosta’s career in celebration of twenty four years as a dancer, on the London stage. Carlos Acosta is named by some as the great male ballet dancer of his generation, having thrilled audiences throughout the world with his breathtaking performances, including principal roles in many ballets in the classical repertoire.

In devising A Classical Selection, the programme follows the format of his 2006 show Carlos Acosta with Guests of The Royal Ballet, for which he won an Olivier Award; this time it features a new selection of classical works. He will present some of his favourite pieces from classical repertoire with the help of Marianela Nuñez, Zenaida Yanowsky, Yuhui Choe, Tierney Heap, Anna Rose O’Sullivan, Thiago Soares, Valeri Hristov and Nehemiah Kish.

The performance will include a number of the most famous pas de deux from the classical and neo-classical canon: extracts to be performed will include Kenneth MacMillan’s Winter Dreams, George Balanchine’s Agon, August Bournonville’s La Sylphide and Diana & Acteon by Agrippina Vaganova. Full programme details are yet to be announced however at this stage the new production looks set to delight fans and audience members alike.

Acosta trained at the National Ballet School of Cuba and joined The Royal Ballet in 1998, becoming a Principal Guest Artist in 2003. Acosta has since turned his hand to producing, directing and choreographing, and his past productions have played to sell-out audiences. He was awarded the CBE in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List in 2014 for his services to ballet and is passionate about nurturing and inspiring the next generation of dancers through the Carlos Acosta International Dance Foundation. At the National Dance Awards 2015 Acosta was awarded the De Valois Award for Lifetime Achievement.

In partnership with Gateway Studios, the internationally acclaimed Phoenix Dance Theatre is set to launch a brand new high-quality training programme for talented young dancers aged 14 to 18 from across the North East, based on the hugely successful Phoenix Youth Academy in Leeds. The high quality tuition that Phoenix provides aims to transform local young people into the contemporary dancers of the future.

Phoenix Dance Theatre is one of the UK’s leading contemporary dance companies, and for over three decades the Company has performed, educated and inspired audiences both in the UK and across the globe. Phoenix Youth Academy in Leeds has been running since 2009 and many of its graduates have gone on to successfully audition for numerous conservatoires, including London Contemporary Dance School, Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance, Northern School of Contemporary Dance and Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance.

It is hoped there will be a similar situation with the new programme: Phoenix Academy North East students will meet twice a week, developing their contemporary dance technique through working with recognised choreographers and Phoenix Dance Theatre’s company dancers. Academy members will also participate in intensive courses during the school holidays, with regular performance opportunities at platforms across the UK. The satellite Youth Academy in Gateshead is part of the ongoing ambition to extend Phoenix’s reach outside of Leeds.

Young people will consequently have more access to dance opportunities, and the Academy is hoped to be a preparation for those considering a dance career. Phoenix is committed to providing quality training with its distinctive approach and high standards of contemporary dance tuition. Acceptance into the Academy is by audition only and spaces are limited. Auditions will take place in Gateshead on 5 December 2015. For further information, and to book a place at the audition, contact [email protected].

One of Britain’s best loved choreographers, for his innovative modern dance takes on classic stories, was honoured at the UK Theatre Awards with The Stage Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Theatre. Matthew Bourne, who already has five Olivier Awards under his belt, has built on his theatrical success year after year. His company is now over 25 years old, and has transformed classic ballets to establish a firm following all over the world.

Bourne’s work has become a firm favourite on the international stage, with his stunning, modern takes on iconic, usually traditional tales, including Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker and his all-male Swan Lake. These new takes are without considering his other theatrical successes, such as The Car Man (based on Carmen), Highland Fling (based on La Sylphide) and many other innovative productions including Play Without Words and earlier works such as Spitfire.

Bourne began his career as a dancer, founding Adventures In Motion Pictures in 1987 and later New Adventures, the company he is now famous for. He has also worked extensively with West End producer Cameron Mackintosh, with collaborations including Mary Poppins, Oliver! and My Fair Lady. In winning such a prestigious accolade, it is clear Bourne is a leading light of the UK theatre and dance scene, and has been for many years. He has thrilled audiences all over the UK and around the world with an incredible contribution to the arts industry.

Through Bourne’s work with Adventures in Motion Pictures and New Adventures, he has created an unrivalled and hugely successful repertoire and has helped to popularise contemporary dance and dance theatre internationally with new takes on old, sometimes worn out tales. Bourne’s award is part of the UK Theatre Awards,the only annual theatrical prize to celebrate achievement throughout the UK, both on and off the stage.

A rural touring initiative has been set up for contemporary dance, involving eight companies which will tour their shows to rural venues in 2016-17. Contemporary dance companies will join forces with the National Rural Touring Forum in an initiative to take the art form to new audiences, with further companies already shortlisted for the following year’s programme of The Rural Touring Dance Initiative.

For 2016-17, Phoenix Dance, Panta Rei, Spilt Milk and Sonia Sabri Company are among the first round of companies which will tour contemporary dance productions as part of the scheme, alongside Lost Dog, Protein, Joan Cleville Dance and Lîla Dance. In an exciting and new project, the scheme will see the companies visit new venues and play to audiences who may not see much contemporary dance. Five further companies – James Wilton Dance, Sarah Blanc’s Moxie Brawl, Tom Dale Company, Greg Wohead and Ben Wright’s Bgroup – have been shortlisted for a commission of £45,000 to create a new show for 2017-18.

The companies will tour existing shows in partnership with the National Rural Touring Forum, which represents rural touring schemes and arts development agencies including venues and festivals. Four of the the companies selected for the 2016-17 scheme, in addition to those shortlisted for creations for 2017-18, were chosen from an open call after which 155 companies applied to be part of the scheme. In terms of opportunity, the rural touring programme is a fantastic initiative in taking performance to new audiences and extending companies’ reach.

On the whole, mainstream contemporary dance is perhaps more associated with the bolder dance scenes of cities, rather than being something one would normally associate with rural locations. It is therefore particularly encouraging that so many people working within this area of the arts have been enthusiastic about exploring the concept and taking part.

Young Creatives 2016 will showcase the work of up to ten young choreographers at the high profile Rambert headquarters on London’s South Bank, as part of Youth Dance England’s well-known project. Selected choreographers will take part in two weekends of workshops, talks and sharings with professional choreographers and dance artists, at the Royal Opera House and Rambert, in a fantastic opportunity to share their own dance work.

Youth Dance England is working in partnership with the Royal Opera House and Rambert to deliver Young Creatives 2016, open to young people who are making dance work with between one and five dancers, in any dance style. The deadline for budding choreographers’ applications and film footage of the work is 15 December 2015; successful applicants will be invited to a selection day on 24 January at the Royal Opera House, London.

Those selected will become one of ten Young Creatives for 2016, have the chance to develop choreographic skills and deepen their knowledge of choreography as well as present a dance piece at Rambert, giving young people a platform to present their own work. The Young Creatives experience will include classes and workshops led by high profile professional artists and choreographers, including from the Royal Ballet, Rambert and Trailblazer Artists from ADAD, and the opportunity to have feedback on work from professional choreographers and peers.

The project is for young people aged 15 to 19 (or up to 25 if disabled) who are making a dance piece with a small number of dancers. The ten young choreographers will spend a weekend at the Royal Opera House with professional dance artists, choreographers and a costume specialist. This will be followed by two days at Rambert to present the dance works. Young Creatives is looking for young people who show creative flare and who have the potential to inspire and move audiences.

English National Ballet has recently announced its latest project – The Dance Within Us – as a new residency at Tate Liverpool. To coincide with performances of its award-winning production Le Corsaire at Liverpool Empire from 18–21 November, English National Ballet announced The Dance Within Us, taking place on 20 November as a programme of ambitious projects, including live performance work.

The company will move beyond the stage in Liverpool, with the company’s residency at Tate Liverpool inspired by the exhibition An Imagined Museum: works from the Centre Pompidou, Tate and MMK collections. It will see a new work from choreographer Morgann Runacre-Temple, performed in the exhibition space by English National Ballet dancers, and the residency will also see Tate Liverpool host The Unstoppable Life of Artworks debate. The panel, chaired by Professor Nigel Weatherill, Vice-Chancellor of Liverpool John Moores University, and including Tamara Rojo, Artistic Director of English National Ballet, will question if masterpieces such as Swan Lake can be preserved without losing impact and relevance.

An additional part of the residency will see English National Ballet hold an exclusive live drawing event at the Liverpool Empire that focuses on capturing the body in motion. The class will start with a discussion led by visual artist Heidi Wigmore on the different skills required to capture the moving body. Participants will then draw as company dancers take their daily ballet class, followed by a unique opportunity to draw the dancers’ performance at Tate Liverpool’s An Imagined Museum exhibition.

The Dance Within Us is part of English National Ballet’s Engagement programme, which promotes wider and deeper public engagement with the company and the art form, and enables English National Ballet to have a more sustainable presence around the country.

Sam Toland recently graduated from The Musical Theatre Academy and has hit the ground running. Since then his professional credits include Understudy in 3 Little Pigs (UK tour/Palace Theatre) and Sam will soon be touring again with 3 Little Pigs, to Australia and Hong Kong. During his training, Sam’s credits included Prince/Beast in Beauty and the Beast (BGAC), Davy in Sunshine and Leith, Jaguar in Just So and Robbine in Just the Ticket (Bridewell). With a rapidly building CV, additional other work Sam has undertaken includes as an Actor in OCR Educational video series, a supporting dancer at the MOBO’s and Ensemble in Cool Rider (Lyric Theatre).

Sam definitely has his head screwed on, now with the opportunity to both work and see the world.

Photo: Leejay Townsend

 

 

Have you always wanted to be involved in theatre?

No, not always. When I was younger I essentially did everything you can think of to not do theatre. I’m pretty sure I was convinced I would play hockey in the Olympics.

How did your involvement begin?

My older brother has been involved in theatre from about eight years old but until I was about 12 I was adamant that I wanted nothing to do with it. Instead I wanted to pursue a life of circus skills. It was then that the local theatre group my brother was part of asked me to come and be in their production of Barnum. I was all for it as it was a chance to juggle and walk on stilts and everything that I enjoyed. So I did that show and haven’t really stopped since. And it wasn’t until I was about 16 that I thought that there was a chance I could make a career out of it.

Did you train? Where, and what was it like?

Yes, I have just graduated from The Musical Theatre Academy, more commonly known as The MTA. It was everything I wanted it to be, and more. After having been through drama school I think it’s really important for people to understand that 80% of it is not about teaching you how to sing and dance. Obviously I had three hours of dance classes every day, but for me the main focus of drama school is to help you find yourself as a person. There is no point (in my opinion) working like stink to try and get into splits or get that top note you really want, if at the end of the day you still have thousands of hang ups about yourself. There’s no way you can truly let go of your inhibitions and lose yourself in a character if you don’t understand or control what those inhibitions are. Through college I have improved vastly as a performer not because I can now touch my toes but because I have an acceptance of who I am. And that’s what it’s all about.

What was a typical day like?

5:45am: I would wake up and shower, have breakfast

6:45am: My dad then drove me to the station and I caught the 6:56am train

8:00am: A long commute later I got to college. I would then have 25 mins to either workout, go through things before class or just sit and chat

8:25am: We would start a full college warm up for half an hour and then at 8:55am we would prepare the studios for class and get ready to start

9:00-12:00pm: We would normally have three one hour dance classes or occasionally two hour and a half classes. These would encompass everything; jazz, tap, commercial etc.

12:00pm: Lunch hour. The standard rush to use a microwave so you weren’t in the huge queue. We would then clean up ready to start back at 1:00pm

1:00-5:00pm: Consisted of two two hour long classes in either acting, musical theatre or voice. Occasionally we would have a special afternoon that would feature a Q&A with a special guest or things of that nature.

Then at 4:55pm we would stop to tidy away. We also had a cleaning rota, so for 2 weeks per term you would stay behind to clean the kitchen or take the bins out.

What is a typical day like now?

I am currently on a break from 3 Little Pigs so am working backstage on The Book Of Mormon. So a typical day consists of getting up at around 8am, helping around the house, taking the dog for a walk and chilling out until 2pm. Then to the gym for around two hours, then a train to work and home by 11:15pm, trains permitting!

Tell me more about your next venture…

After finishing our run at the Palace Theatre, the 3 Little Pigs is heading for a two month stint in Australia/Hong Kong. I start rehearsals for that in six weeks as Swing/Dance Captain. Just looking forward to getting started really!

What is your favourite thing about theatre?

Working. There’s nothing better than knowing you are earning a living doing the thing that you love. I mean come on, who doesn’t want to get paid to just sing and dance and be silly?!

And the worst?

The moaning and the egos. And the waiting after an audition. I just had an audition and waited three weeks until I was told I didn’t have the job. That’s hard.

What or who inspires you most on a daily basis?

I’m very guilty of watching my idols on YouTube, a lot. So if I ever feel like I need a kick to get to work then I listen to those people sing/watch those people dance, and that tends to make you feel like a very small fish in a very big pond! That, or I listen to the Rock Of Ages soundtrack (I would sell my soul to be in that show)!

What advice would you offer to an aspiring performer?

Work hard but don’t take yourself too seriously. There is a fine line between the two but always remember the most important thing is to be a nice person. No matter how well you can sing and dance, if you’re not fun to work with then no one will hire you.

What’s next for you?

I’m in Australia with 3 Little Pigs until the start of February, and then I come back to England unemployed and back on the audition circuit. Fingers crossed something will come up quickly but in this business you just never know!

The Young Vic, London, is seeking male dancers for the Company’s upcoming main house production of ‘If You Kiss Me, Kiss Me’. Auditions will consist of a technique class followed by a creative session, open to highly skilled graduate/professional dancers, on 2 November. Rehearsal and production dates are from 18 January–16 April 2016, with an option to extend the run until 30 April 2016.

The new production will be a part dance/part gig, a theatrical collaboration conceived by Jane Horrocks and Aletta Collins, and directed and choreographed by Aletta Collins. The Young Vic is looking to meet with male dancers who have an excellent contemporary technique, strong improvisation skills and a willingness to contribute to the process.

With regards to show information, Jane Horrocks stars in this world premiere of a show unlike any you have previously seen. As an eclectic part gig, part dance piece, at its heart is the nation’s sweetheart Jane Horrocks who will sing her own gritty and soulful versions of the new wave music she grew up with in the North West. With gorgeously evocative choreography by director Aletta Collins, a company of brilliant dancers and a fabulous live band, If You Kiss Me, Kiss Me follows a woman’s life through desire, love, motherhood and loss, with the energy of the best night out.

To apply, submit a brief cover letter (maximum 250 words) explaining your interest and what you feel you would bring to the company, in addition to your CV with headshot and an online link to your showreel, if applicable. Applicants travelling inside the UK or internationally are required to arrange their own travel and accommodation for the audition, and I nternational applicants must be eligible to work in the UK.