A new season and new faces at Dance City
Tickets now on sale
Dance City has announced its autumn/winter season and also the appointment of a new senior member of its team.
Andrew Gardiner takes up the role of senior artist support and development manager this month, ahead of the arrival of newly appointed chief executive and creative director Jennifer Curry in September.
Andrew’s stated remit is to create more opportunities for independent dance artists in the North East, thereby helping to shape the future of dance across the region.
Known for his work as artistic director of Newcastle-based dance company Society of Strays, Andrew’s career spans dance, theatre, opera, film and large-scale public events.
A graduate of the Northern School of Contemporary Dance, he has built long-standing creative relationships with leading dance and theatre makers across the UK.
Of his new role, he said: “There’s a great depth of knowledge, experience and diverse practice among the Dance City community and it feels like a privilege to step into this role and work alongside people who care so deeply about dance in the North East.
“I’m looking forward to building relationships and working alongside artists and partners to help develop new opportunities for all dance artists living and working in the North East.
“I’m passionate about stepping into a role where I can truly support, champion and care for artists and ensure they feel connected, valued and able to thrive.”
Dance City’s interim CEO, Jim Hollington, said the new role marked “a significant commitment from Dance City to strengthen artist development in the North East, working with partners to create clearer pathways, stronger networks and more opportunities for independent artists”.
He said: “It’s an exciting time for Dance City with a strong leadership team focused on ensuring dance thrives in our region for decades to come.”
Dance City’s new season begins on September 29 with Natural Behaviour, an award-winning show by dance theatre company Thick & Tight which is presented as a collection of performed portraits of human and non-human life forms.
Co-directors Daniel Hay-Gordon and El Perry describe it as “somewhere between a variety show and a biology essay come alive” and “a queer look at what it means to be natural or unnatural”.
On October 31, in a celebration of breaking and hip-hop, Triple Threat – Newcastle Vice will see b-boys and b-girls from the UK and further afield battle it out at what is billed as a family-friendly event.
Dancers and choreographers James Pett and Travis Clausen-Knight will bring Into the Light to Dance City on November 11.
It will feature two contrasting works – Vessel, in which three bodies move through cycles of emergence, resistant and surrender in a landscape created by movement, live music and light, and In the Absence, performed on a vast mirrored floor of silver confetti.
Mother Forest, on November 17, is a Japanese butoh dance piece by Rebellious Bodies in which homage will be paid to Kazuo Ohno, one of the founding figures of butoh as something spontaneous and unrepeatable.
On November 27 ACE Dance and Music will present TWAWSI: The World As We See It, a double bill offering powerful but contrasting visions of the world.
While Echoes of Dust will focus on war, disaster and the invisible collapse of human connection, Letlalo will explore the deep connection between humanity and the earth.
Bringing the year to an end in magical style will be Ballet Cymru, returning to Dance City with Sleeping Beauty from December 3 to 5.
The company will reimagine the classic fairytale of a young princess spellbound by a curse, using innovative choreography and immersive projections.
Some things demand not to be tinkered with, however, so it will be performed to Tchaikovsky’s iconic score.
You can book tickets for all these shows and find more information on the Dance City website.
Also just announced are the three artists chosen to develop new dance works in a commissions programme designed by Dance City in collaboration with Moving Art Management (MAM).
They are Kate Stanforth, Payal Ramchandani and Rosie Macari who will each be supported with a £3,000 commission fee, use of Dance City’s rehearsal space, producing and development support from MAM and Dance City, and the chance to share their work in the theatre at Dance City.
Kate is a disabled dance artist, choreographer and founder of Kate Stanforth Academy of Arts.
She is currently working with organisations such as The Royal Ballet School, Great Ormond Street Hospital and Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures.
Payal is a Newcastle-based dance artist and choreographer whose practice is rooted in the Indian classical dance style of Kuchipudi.
Rosie is a dance artist, choreographer and aerial practitioner who has performed around the world.
She creates work that is visually striking and emotionally resonant.
MAM director Rachel Jean Birch said the standard of applications had been exceptional but the chosen three had presented exciting ideas and a clear sense of how the opportunity could benefit them.
“They represent the ethos of the North East, with projects that are bold, socially relevant and deeply rooted in collaboration, community and artistic ambition,” she said.
Jim Hollington said: “Supporting artists at all stages of their creative development is vital to the future of dance.
“We are thrilled to be working alongside Moving Art Management to invest in these three exceptional artists, providing the time, space and support they need to explore new ideas.
“Their work represents the innovation, diversity and ambition that make the North East such an exciting place for dance.”