While Birmingham Royal Ballet were back in their hometown mid-tour to rehearse for their next production of The Nutcracker, I managed to catch a couple of piano rehearsals for the pas de deux in Act II from the much-loved family ballet.
The BRB first performed the Christmas classic in Birmingham in 1990 directed by Sir Peter [...]
If you haven’t seen it yet, over on the International Dance Festival website there’s an interview with director of DanceXchange and co-director of the festival David Massingham.
With titbits from the 2010 festival revealed and talk of Birmingham becoming a national centre for dance, it’s worth having a read.
Here’s a snippet to tempt you:
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Balbir Singh Dance Company in Trespass. Photo: Stephen Berkeley
What happens when you see contemporary dance collide with traditional North Indian Kathak dance? Balbir Singhs Dance Company was set up to explore the very answer to that question – teaching six trained contemporary dancers in the ancient art of Kathak in just nine months. He avoids words like ‘fusion’ and ‘merging’ of dance styles –instead choosing ‘synthesis’ and ‘collision’. What this dance will look like on stage drew in a packed-out audience on Thursday night’s performance of his latest works – TRESPASS at The Patrick Centre, Birmingham – following the success of his début PLAY OF PERCENTAGES.
The opening scene of the dance is full of promise. Accompanied on stage by tabla, guitar, keys and wind instruments, the five astute dancers glide in slow motion towards the front of the stage introducing us to this very unique style which is full of intrigue. But once the novelty of the choreography has taken hold, Balbir Singh fails to propel intricate movements to the next level of producing an engaging performance. [click to continue…]
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Photo: Richard Battye
Here’s another in our series showcasing dance photography from Birmingham-based Richard Battye leading up to his Still:Dancing exhibition at River Studios in November.
His pictures capture dancers in that split-second you’d usually miss in a performance. We love his pics so we’re featuring one each Friday. In this one you can see the Birmingham skyline behind the dancer.
For more, read an interview I did with Richard earlier this year. Or email him at info@riverstudio.co.uk.
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Birmingham Royal Ballet's First Artist Tom Rogers laughs during rehearsals for The Nutcracker
The raw emotiveness of the piano adds a completely new dimension to the dancing – taking the steps from the glamourous stage into the classroom, the dancing is stripped down to its bare minimum and nakedly allows the dancers to scrutinise their technique, but also magnifies just how talented the company’s artists are.
Lei Zhao puts on her points to prepare for rehearsals
What strikes any pedestrian onlooker immediately is the sheer discipline and self-awareness required to make the dance look as polished and superb as it does on stage. In the bright lights, towering lifts, complicated footwork and head-spinning pirouettes can look effortless – but up close you can see just how much preparation, hard work, and repeated practice is put in to give audiences such a sensory delight. [click to continue…]
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Another late notice dance workshop, but it looks like a good un.
Dancefest is running a contemporary dance workshop on Saturday 7 November, led by dancer and choreographer, Vanessa Cook:
Based on aerial dance skills, Vanessa will start with some exercises to activate and develop dexterity of the body from its core. She will build sequences that stretch the body and the mind, while having some fun in the process!
Vanessa has danced with Motionhouse, Wired Aerial Theatre and Gravity&Levity and with Dancefest in Dreams and Ruin and Forbidden: A Tale of Love and War. She is currently touring PUSH, an aerial dance piece set on a bamboo structure, with her own company All Play.
The workshop is for experienced dancers of 18 or over and will take place at 1.30-3.30pm at The Angel Centre, Angel Place, Worcester, WR1 3QN. It’ll cost £10 (£7.50 concessions)
If you would like to find out more or book a place, contact Dancefest on 01905 611199 or info@dancefest.co.uk or go to www.dancefest.co.uk.
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The first night of Insane in the Brain at Warwick Arts Centre went down as a great success with the audience. Delivered by Bounce, the street dance company renowned for their high-energy performance, the show is on for one more night only in the region before it continues its UK tour.
One spectator said:
“The athleticism and syncronicity of the whole thing was absolutely astonishing”
Here are some more of the audience reactions from the first night:
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Birmingham Royal Ballet will be performing their Christmas favourite -The Nutcracker – in their hometown (exclusively) from Friday 27 November to Sunday 13 December.
To add to the spirit of festive cheer, the company are looking for choirs to perform in the foyer of the Hippodrome before each performance. They need eight choirs in all, who can sing Christmas carols and create a suitable atmosphere ready for little Clara to spring out onto the stage in all her youthful bewilderment. If you think your choir or school could do the job, you need to enter the competition to win a place as one of the eight choirs.
Jenna Roberts as The Snow Fairy in Birmingham Royal Ballet's The Nutcracker. Photo: Roy Smiljanic
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Babel, the first project to come out of the Boys Dancing residency at Warwick Arts Centre, offered a chance for young men in the region to get dancing.
Boys Dancing resident at Warwick Arts Centre half-term workshop Babel
The three-year Boys Dancing programme, commissioned by People Dancing as part of the West Midlands programme for the Cultural Olympiad 2012, aims to encourgae young men to participate in projects which give them an experience of the challenge, discipline and exhilaration of making dance.
Babel invited boys from across the sub region to come to workshops running throughout the half term week by choreographer Liam Steel. MC Kenny Baraka was there for the first part of the week, and the workshops were a unique opportunity for the young people to explore extreme words and themes such as media, heritage and image. [click to continue…]
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