Acclaimed Welsh dancer Gwyn Emberton returns to Wales with his company to present and tour My People, a new dance theatre co-production with Aberystwyth Arts Centre in March 2014.
Inspired by author Caradoc Evans’ controversial collection of short stories of the same name, this new work sees Gwyn Emberton, who has danced with Akram Khan and Matthew Bourne amongst other notable names in the world of dance, and his company of five international dancers (including from Slovenia, France and Italy) delve into the dark, turbulent, and mythical world of fictional village Manteg. Composers Benjamin Talbot and Victoria Ashfield, whose recent work can be heard on S4C/BBC Wales’ Y Gwyll/Hinterland, are creating a new score that will add to the work’s haunting and compelling mood. Lighting Designer Aideen Malone who has designed for Akram Khan Company and the Bristol Old Vic will be designing the lighting, with costumes created by designer Neil Davies.
After leaving Wales to train as a dancer in London, Emberton went on to perform internationally with many leading choreographers and companies such as Scottish Dance Theatre, Matthew Bourne, Akram Khan, Jasmin Vardimon (UK) and Inbal Pinto (Israel). He recently worked with Cardiff based company De Oscuro on their production of Macbeth with Eddie Ladd and Gerald Tyler. Emberton is an associate artist at Aberystwyth Arts Centre who is co-producing the work.
Gwyn Emberton says “after years of working in London and Israel I'm very grateful for the opportunity to be making and performing my own work at home in Wales. I am incredibly fortunate to be able to bring such a talented group of collaborators together, with whom we will take on the intense and crazy world of Caradoc Evans's My People.”
He continues “I am excited to be able to take my work and company on tour in Wales. After the première at Aberystwyth Arts Centre, we go to my ‘home’ theatre, The Hafren, where I first started dancing as a student, followed by Theatr Harlech and then finally the home of National Dance Company Wales, the Dance House at Wales Millennium Centre.”
“This project has only been made possible due to the generous support of the Arts Council of Wales, Aberystwyth Arts Centre, the Kevin Spacey Foundation and the belief in the work of our crowd funding supporters, who gave us the initial boost helping us get the project off the ground” concludes Emberton.
Gill Ogden, Head of Performing Arts at Aberystwyth Arts Centre says “this is beautiful, haunting work with choreography of the highest quality – this promises to be an impressive debut from a welcome new presence on the dance scene in Wales”
Tour dates and times
Aberystwyth Arts Centre - Thursday 20th March 2014 (7.30pm)
The Hafren, Newtown - Saturday 22nd March 2014 (7.30pm)
Theatr Harlech, Harlech - Tuesday 25th March 2014 (7.45pm)
Dance House, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff - Thursday 27th March 2014 (7.30pm) |
