Leading UK dance theatre company, Motionhouse is bringing its spectacular production, Broken to Sherman Theatre on 21 May, which has been created by artistic director Kevin Finnan MBE, Choreographer and Movement Director for the London 2012 Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony.
Broken erupts on the stage combining stunning athleticism with gravity-defying dance, overlaid with intricate digital imagery and original music in an unashamedly visual and adrenaline fuelled spectacle. This extraordinary Motionhouse production considers the precarious relationship we have with the earth and lures the audience into a world of shifting perspectives.
Contrasting the caves of our ancient ancestors with modern apartments of glass and steel, Broken juxtaposes a mythical underworld where hopes and fears are amplified with a visceral overworld of light and speed. Ravishing, delicate and poignant, it questions our ambivalence towards the world as the dancers negotiate cracks and craters in this landscape of illusions where nothing is quite as it seems.
Broken builds on the success of the company’s major international hit, Scattered, based on the elemental theme of water, which has toured to full houses across nine countries including the USA and China.
This also follows a monumental 2012 for the company which created large scale outdoor performance The Voyage, with Australian aerial company Legs on the Wall and Birmingham Hippodrome. The Voyage was the company’s most ambitious and epic production to date, telling the dramatic story of a journey on board a life-size cruise liner, staged in Birmingham’s land locked Victoria Square and launching the London 2012 Festival in the West Midlands.
Kevin Finnan MBE, Artistic Director said:
“Our theatre productions are visual spectacles that combine and seamlessly integrate highly physical dance theatre, breath-taking flying, striking imagery and extraordinary set design.”
Two of the Broken dancers have also worked with companies based in Cardiff. Rebecca Williams began her performance career in 2011 with Cardiff company, Harnisch Lacey Dance Theatre, creating and touring their double bill show, Spin. During this time she had the opportunity to make choreography for Hedfan Youth Company. Dancer, Daniel Conner in September 2011 joined Earthfall Dance to tour with the company’s award winning show At Swim Two Boys.
Motionhouse’s Broken will be at Sherman Theatre on 21 May, 7.30pm. Tickets are £15 - £25, under 25s half price tickets and £2 off concessions. For further information and tickets please contact Sherman Theatre on 029 2064 6900 or visit www.shermancymru.co.uk
Editors notes:
For further information, images and interviews please contact Sherman Cymru’s PR and Campaigns Manager on 029 2064 6967 or email suzanne.carter@shermancymru.co.uk
About Motionhouse
Known for its startling and passionate dance theatre, Motionhouse performances are primarily rooted in dance but draw on elements of theatre, circus, acrobatics and film to create work that not only enthrals its audiences but also challenges their perceptions.
Motionhouse productions tour theatres and festivals throughout the world, helping the company to develop a sterling reputation for ambitious experimentation in which action and context collide. A wide ranging education and participatory programme runs parallel to its touring performance work to further enrich the Motionhouse experience.
About Broken
Created by Artistic Director Kevin Finnan MBE with set design by long-term collaborator Simon Dormon, projections courtesy of international digital innovators Logela Multimedia and original music created by Sophy Smith and Tim Dickinson. Broken is commissioned by Warwick Arts Centre, Watford Palace, Blackpool Grand, mac and Swindon Dance.
Dancers:
Ariadna Girones Mata
Originally from Barcelona, Ariadna completed a modern dance programme in 2003 at Company&Company (Spain) where she performed under the direction of Maximo Hita. After this, Ariadna embarked on informal and independent dance training though various professional workshops and classes. In 2009 Ariadna finished her studies at Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance.
Since then Ariadna has been involved in numerous projects including work with Roberto Olivan, Matej Kejzar, Milli Biterlli, Keren Levi and Oleg Soulimenko. Most recently, Ariadna has worked in Brussels with Andrea Berth in La Monnaie, been part of movie shorts with Erre que Erre dance company; worked with the Tom Dale Company on Refugees of the Septic Heart as well as creating and performing alongside Claudio Rojas in Solo Entre Dos (which won a Public Award in the Estruch Festival and was also performed in Burgos-NY Festival). Ariadna is excited to join Motionhouse during their 25th year and to be part of Broken.
Martina Bussi
Originally from Torino (Italy), Martina began dancing at early age, studying ballet and modern at Centro Danza Arkè under the direction of Matilde De Marchi and Annagrazia D'Antico.
She moved to London in 2006, where she trained at London Contemporary Dance School and graduated with a Postgraduate Diploma in Performance in 2008. In 2010 she completed an MA in Performance. She has performed with various companies including Henri Oguike Dance Company, Tom Dale Company and Tavaziva Dance touring nationally and internationally, as well as developing her own work.
Martina has a BSc in Sport Science from the University of Torino (Italy) and is interested in the connection between sport and dance. Since joining Motionhouse in 2012, Martina has toured to the USA, China and Europe.
Daniel Connor
Daniel grew up in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire. He started dancing aged 14 and joined Cheshire Youth Dance Company appearing in Youth Dance England performances at Birmingham Hippodrome and The Lowry. Daniel went to Middlesex University before transferring to The Northern School of Contemporary Dance to undertake his professional training. After graduating from NSCD in 2010, Daniel was awarded their Annual Performance Prize, he then went on to become a member of Verve11, the post-graduate performance company of NSCD for a European tour. He worked with a variety of choreographers, including Ben Wright, Debbie Johnson, Charles Linnehan, Thomas Nonne and Peter Mika and graduated with a distinction in July 2011.
In September 2011 Daniel joined Earthfall Dance to tour with the company’s award winning show At Swim Two Boys. In May 2012, he joined Simon Birch Dance Company, he also performed Willi Dorner's Bodies in Urban Spaces as part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad. Danny joined Motionhouse in December 2012 for the company’s American tour of Scattered.
Junior Cunningham
Junior was encouraged to study Contemporary Dance by his sister when he was 17 years old. He joined the Northern School of Contemporary Dance (Leeds) in 1999 and graduated in 2002 with a BPA (Hons) Degree in Contemporary Dance. During this time he performed on tour with NSCD and at the Gross Brittanien Festival in Dortmund, Germany. He also worked commercially in Switzerland and Paris.
Junior began an apprenticeship with Motionhouse in 2002, joining the company full-time in January 2003 and has since been involved as a performer and teacher in all of the company’s projects and tours.
In 2009 Junior became Rehearsal Director and in 2013 he celebrated 10 years with the company – making him Motionhouse’s longest serving dancer. He works closely with Kevin Finnan during devising, rehearsals and touring periods.
Alasdair Stewart
Alasdair trained as a gymnast and competed in national championships from the age of nine. He began his dance training at Barton Peveril College and then joined Hampshire Youth Dance Company and worked as an apprentice with Full Force Dance Company, under the direction of Helen Parlor. He trained at The Place’s Centre for Advanced Training and graduated with a first class BA (Hons) from London Contemporary Dance School. During his training at LCDS he undertook a four-month exchange programme to California Institute of the Arts where he specialised in dance theatre.
Alasdair has performed with Hofesh Shechter Company and Dance United and has an MA in Contemporary Dance Performance from the LCDS. He enjoys teaching at DanceXchange, Birmingham in between touring. Alasdair joined Motionhouse for Scattered in 2009 and continues to enjoy devising and touring internationally with the company.
Rebecca Williams
Rebecca Williams completed her vocational training at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance in 2010 qualifying with a BPA (Hons) degree. She began her performance career in 2011 with Harnisch Lacey Dance Theatre, creating and touring their double bill show, Spin. During this time she had the opportunity to make choreography for Hedfan Youth Company.
Rebecca went on to work for Watkins Dance, Wayne Sables Project, Company Decalage and Joon Dance. Rebecca has experience in commercial work and teaching and co-founded of the company Dirty Feet, a dance company with a unique blend of contemporary and break dance styles that holds international break dance events around the UK with competitors from all over the world. She joined Motionhouse in 2012.
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