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National Dance Company Wales packs a double-bill and a host of events into its Spring Tour 2017 |
National Dance Company Wales – featuring some of the country’s leading contemporary dance artists – will kick off 2017 with a UK-wide tour including seven venues in Wales, performing two works; one by an internationally renowned choreographer, the other a brand new piece by the company’s artistic director, Caroline Finn.The Green House is Finn’s second theatrical work as Artistic Director for NDCWales; a new, romantic and intense piece that asks what happens when we prune ourselves – and our lives. Finn takes us on a nostalgic journey, where, on a twisted TV set, characters are confronted with who they really are. Profundis, by Israeli-born Roy Assaf, is a provocative piece, featuring vintage bathing costumes, whimsical wordplay and an exotic soundtrack by Umm Kultum (a mid-20th Century Egyptian singer of Arabian classical music), Alva Noto (a contemporary German musician and composer) and West Side Story composer Leonard Bernstein. It was first performed in a short NDCWales tour in Autumn 2016, and is Assaf’s first work in the UK. See the trailer here. Both will be performed by NDCWales’ core dancers; the very best contemporary dancers from all four corners of the globe; Josef Perou, Camille Giraudeau, Matteo Marfoglia, Àngela Boix Duran, Elena Thomas, Ed Myhill, Franklyn Lee, and student apprentices Alexandra Pholien and Oliver Chapman. Alongside the performances, the company will host a series of (mostly free) events and activities, to tackle some of the myths about contemporary dance, give curious audiences of all ages an opportunity to give it a try and offer newcomers an introduction by some of the best artists in their field. Discover Dance
performances are a perfect 90-minute introduction to dance for families and schools, in which audiences get a chance to learn some moves, get on stage with the company dancers, watch a short performance and ask the dancers anything they’d like. For more information on Discover Dance, which is suitable for age 7+ including ticket prices, contact the venue. The Company will also be performing Caroline Finn’s Animatorium as part of a new Family Dance Festival in Wales this year. Animatorium was first performed at Green Man festival last year, and will be touring theatre foyers in Cardiff, Brecon, Newtown and Newport during the Easter school holidays, alongside three other pieces by Welsh dance artists. Full details of these and other events and activities can be found below. Caroline Finn joined National Dance Company Wales in September 2015 as its new Artistic Director. Her first creation for the company, Folk, toured the UK and internationally in 2016. She subsequently created Animatorium, a versatile piece which can be performed outdoors and in unusual spaces, and which premiered at Green Man festival in 2016. A winner of the Matthew Bourne New Adventures Choreographer Award 2014, she created a new work entitled Bloom for Phoenix Dance Theatre in 2015. As a dancer, Finn performed with Ballet Theater Munich under the direction of Philip Taylor; Ballet Preljocaj (France); Compagnie Carolyn Carlson (France); Jochen Heckmann and Johanna Richter. Roy Assaf was born in 1982 in the farming community of Sde Moshe in the south of Israel, and has been dancing and creating since he can remember. He began formal training at 16 but two years later, was drafted into a paratrooper unit of the Israel Defence Forces and served there until completing his national service. In 2003 he met the internationally recognised choreographer Emanuel Gat and made his mark touring worldwide with Gat as both performer and Choreographic Assistant from 2004-2009. Since 2010, Assaf has been developing his own works independently. NDCWales Artistic Director, Caroline Finn said: “We cannot wait to take The Green House and Profundis out on the road. They’re such distinct pieces – one is broody and romantic, the other is performed with more of a wink – but together they give a wonderful flavour of both the extraordinary talent of the company, and the inventive and ambitious direction in which National Dance Company Wales is travelling.” Watch Dance Class FREE An open house session in which anyone and everyone is invited to watch, sketch, film and photograph a ballet or contemporary class on stage, giving a unique glimpse into how NDCWales dancers prepare hours before a show. Perfect for dance students, artists, bloggers, photographers and anyone interested in peeking behind the scenes. 12.45pm-2pm Free but booking required (via the venue). Please email megan@ndcwales.co.uk if you’ve any questions. Post-Show Talk FREE For those of us who sometimes leave the theatre with burning questions, brimming ideas or inspiring thoughts on what we’ve just seen, this is an opportunity for an informal chat and Q&A with artistic staff and dancers. Family Dance Festival
 FREE An ideal way to introduce family and friends – of all ages – to the work of Wales’ national dance company. In a jam-packed one-hour programme, four short dance pieces, including NDCWales’ Animatorium by Caroline Finn, will be performed in theatre foyers across Wales. No need to book, just show up and enjoy! Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff 7 & 8 April Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon, Powys 9 & 10 April Hafren, Newtown, Powys 11 & 12 April The Riverfront, Newport 18 & 19 April Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff 21 & 22 April A partnership project between Coreo Cymru, Chapter and National Dance Company Wales. More info and times at coreocymru.com Spring Tour 2017 Dates: The Green House & Profundis Running Time: 1hr 30mins inc. an interval Age guidance: 12+ * Watch Dance Class (12.45pm-2pm) † Post-Show Talk ^ Discover Dance (Age guidance: 7+) Please note there will be no performance of Profundis, only The Green House, where this symbol appears Taliesin Arts Centre, Swansea 16 February 7.30pm* 17 February 1pm^ www.taliesinartscentre.co.uk 01792 602060 Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Shropshire 21 February 7.30pm*† NOTE: Tuplet will also be performed this evening. Running time for this performance: 2hrs inc. an interval 22 February 2.30pm^ www.theatresevern.co.uk 01743 281281 Venue Cymru, Llandudno, Conwy 24 February 7.30pm*† 25 February 2pm^ www.venuecymru.co.uk 01492 872000 Aberystwyth Arts Centre, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion 2 March 7.30pm*† 3 March 1pm^ www.aberystwythartscentre.co.uk 01970 623232 Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon, Powys 13 March 7.30pm*† 14 March 1pm^ www.brycheiniog.co.uk 01874 611622 Dance City, Newcastle, Tyne & Wear 18 March 8pm*† 19 March 2pm www.dancecity.co.uk 0191 261 0505 Theatr Clwyd, Mold, Flintshire 25 April 7.30pm*† 26 April 1pm^ 26 April 7.30pm www.theatrclwyd.com 01352 701521 Sherman Theatre, Cardiff 28 April 7.30pm*† 29 April 2pm^ 29 April 7.30pm www.shermantheatre.co.uk 029 2064 6900 Torch Theatre, Milford Haven, Pembs 3 May 7.30pm*† www.torchtheatre.co.uk 01646 695267 Dundee Rep, Dundee 13 May 8pm*† www.dundeerep.co.uk 01382 223530 National Dance Company Wales | ndcwales.co.uk | @ndcwales National Dance Company Wales is an award-winning company presenting work by some of the most celebrated international choreographers alongside creations by exciting new Wales-based talent. NDCWales is committed to working with young people, many of whom will be experiencing contemporary dance for the first time, to develop dance appreciation by watching, participating in and talking about dance. NDCWales presents opportunities for the public to experience contemporary dance in different ways. Through participation in various engagement activities on tour, such as workshops or interactive performances, audience members experience an introduction to the art form in a relaxed and open environment. Founded in 1983 as Diversions, the company took up residency in 2004 at the Dance House, Wales Millennium Centre. The Dance House is regarded as one of the best dance production and rehearsal facilities in Europe and is the home and dance hub for professional development and nurturing dance talent in Wales. National Dance Company Wales welcomed Caroline Finn as its new Artistic Director in September 2015 and Paul Kaynes as Chief Executive in February 2015 who, together, are leading the company to create work for new audiences and settings. National Dance Company Wales is registered as a Limited Company in England & Wales No. 1672419 and registered as a Charity in England & Wales No. 326227 National Dance Company Wales receives support from Arts Council of Wales and Welsh Government. |
| National Dance Company Wales web site: www.ndcwales.co |
| Catrin Rogers e-mail: catrin@thecornershoppr.com |
Monday, January 23, 2017 |
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