Kristen McNally brings 'indie ballet' to the festival
When: 22nd – 24th July 2011, 7.30pm – 9.45pm
Where: Pleasance Theatre, Carpenters Mews, London N7 9EF
£: 10 (7.50 concessions)
What is it?
About Cloud Dance Festival
Cloud Dance Festival is now in its fifth year of showcasing the best and most exciting in new contemporary dance and contemporary ballet; making both dance styles more accessible to the wider non-dance public. They continue to remain unfunded yet are committed to promoting and supporting emerging companies and choreographers, thanks to an enthusiastic team of volunteers.
Festival highlights
Kristen McNally, who is best known outside of the Royal Ballet for her cutting-edge brand of “indie ballet”, will be presenting her work Don’t Blame it on the Player, Blame it on The Game. Versatile hip hop sensation Tommy Franzén will be taking over the role created by Royal Ballet’s Thomas Whitehead. Born in Sweden, Tommy began dancing at the age of 11 and has put the weight of this training into becoming as versatile dancer as possible. His recent performances include Mamma Mia! – The Movie, The Olympics in Beijing, and TV advertisements for companies including Pepsi Max, Nike/Footlocker and Sandisk. McNally is well-known for her innovative ballet-contemporary collaborations, having recently led Ballet Rocks at the Move It! show in March as well as her interactive performance to Kanye West’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy at the Apple Store in London’s Covent Garden in April.
Richard Bermange showcases new work
As part of Cloud Dance Festival’s inclusion of modern and contemporary ballet, they will be showcasing new works from emerging contemporary ballet choreographers Edd Mitton and Richard Bermange. Bermange has been working primarily as a dancer since graduating from Central School of Ballet in 2005. He has worked mostly with classical ballet companies all over the world; this has been key to develping his choreographic style. Also featuring during the festival will be neoclassical work from Newcastle-based company Exquisite Corpse Dance Theatre and rising contemporary ballet stars Diciembre Dance Group.
Acclaimed contemporary dancer Devaraj Thimmaiah, of Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Company has trained in Capoeira and several styles of contemporary dance and has made appearances for fashion designers, Bollywood singers and local and national satellite TV in his native India. He is performing his duet Arranged Marriage which was first seen at The Place’s Resolution! earlier in the year.
Ross Cooper, one of Scotland’s most popular choreographers, is presenting his new work in an exciting partnership with Aikaterina Chatzaki. Cooper is best known as the founder and artistic director of The Curve Foundation, and is the man responsible for helping to launch a number of prominent choreographers’ careers, including that of Royal Ballet’s Jonathan Watkins.
Deaf Men Dancing will perform Sense of Freedom
Deaf Men Dancing will perform Sense of Freedom. Mark Smith is a deaf choreographer who is the founder and artistic director of a new all-male deaf dance company called Deaf Men Dancing. Mark Smith uses a fusion of different styles of dance incorporated with sign-language to create an expressionist work for his company Deaf Men Dancing. The dancers and collaborators are Anthony Snowden, Joseph Fletcher, Kevin Jewell and Mark Smith.
James Cousins Dance is an up-and-coming contemporary company led by Artistic Director and choreographer James Cousins. Based in London, James aims to entertain and inspire with his work Taste Water Again and hopes to bring quality contemporary dance to a wider audience.
James Cousins Dance brings contemporary dance to a wider audience
Other well-known names making an appearance include Sol Dans, whose powerful choreography was recently seen on the BBC hit programme So You Think You Can Dance; 2011 Blueprint Bursary winner, the Cameroon-born Joseph Toonga, and a new duet from the multi-faceted Gerrard Martin, a former member of Ballet Black, Phoenix Dance Company and Aletta Collins Dance Company, who has also danced with many commercial artists and bands, including Lionel Ritchie, Misteeq and Shaggy.
Fans of the legendary Hofesh Shechter will be treated to a performance by James Finnemore, one of his dancers, in addition to Udifydance Company, an all-male dance company currently being mentored by Hofesh. Further highlights include fierce choreography from new Laban graduate Charlie Dixon Dance Company, and Van Huynh Company dancer Dom Czapski.
More info: Box Office: 020 7609 1800 or www.pleasance.co.uk and for more about the festival visit www.cloud-dance-festival.org.uk