Dance
| 01 September 2011
In the dance village of Nrityagram, students live solely to dance. It is therefore a great privilege to be able to see this community, who practice from dawn to dusk to achieve perfection, in the flesh, and in our fair city.| 01 September 2011
Difficult, unsparing, almost deliberately oblique, Drought and Rain delivers an hour and some of music and dance theatre that feels at least double that. As an exploration of the Vietnam War through the eyes of people that lived through it, it is undoubtedly flawed, failing to find much tension or even emotional connection to the conflict. However, it is not without its shining moments.
| 15 August 2011
The Peony Pavilion is one of the most iconic love stories in Chinese literature, a deeply romantic tale of the power of love to conquer death. Featuring Fei Bo’s sensuous choreography, this production from the National Ballet of China brings to the Festival Theatre not only a ballet corps of over 50 dancers and its resident symphony orchestra, but an evening of exquisite storytelling and symbolically laden drama.
| 06 September 2010
Flamenco guitarist Paco Peña unites Spanish and African music and dance in Quimeras, a celebration of immigration and shared cultures. A group of Ghanaians moving to Spain suffer exclusion and persecution on arrival, but cling to their national dances for identity. Initially each nationality performs independently, but the show gradually blends the two until everyone dances together to the rhythm of African drums and Spanish guitar.
| 26 July 2010
Step it up at one of the dazzling dance performances around the city this month. Kelly Apter leads you through the options.
ALONZO KING LINES BALLET
Festival Theatre
26-29 August, 8pm
Blending classical ballet training with contemporary dance moves, San Franciscan choreographer Alonzo King brings two works to the International Festival. Dust & Light is set to Baroque music, while Rasa features live tabla playing from Grammy Award-winner Zakir Hussain.
BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS
Zoo Roxy
13-21 August (not 17), 1pm
One of the most interesting dance companies in Britain, balletLORENT presents this
well-observed dance piece about a young couple adjusting to life with a young baby.
| 19 July 2010
Working together as a family is just as important as the sheer joy of movement for the passionate Grupo Corpo, Brazil’s original contemporary dance troupe.
When you’re hard at work every day, fitting in family visits can be a challenge. Unless you’re a member of the Pederneiras clan, that is, in which case it’s all rather handily under one roof. Based in Brazil’s Belo Horizonte district, Grupo Corpo is one of South America’s most exciting dance companies – and a real family affair.
Formed in 1975 by brothers Paulo and Rodrigo Pederneiras, they’ve since been joined by sister Miriam who runs their education project and assists with choreography, and brothers Pedro and José as technical director and company photographer respectively. More recently, a younger generation has swelled the Grupo Corpo pack, with Rodrigo’s son Gabriel taking on the role of technical co-ordinator.
| 19 July 2010
What inspired the Artistic Director of the Southbank Centre to drop everything and work on a flamenco show? One man: Paco Peña.
When your reputation for excellence is as strong as Paco Peña’s, you don’t work with just anybody. So it comes as no surprise that the flamenco star’s choice of director is just as accomplished. Awarded an OBE in 1997 for services to theatre, Jude Kelly is one impressive woman. Currently Artistic Director of London’s Southbank Centre and a senior figure in the 2012 Olympics’ cultural programme, it’s remarkable she finds time to do anything else.
| 16 July 2010
JOYCE DiDONATOWhat’s your best memory from a previous festival?
Well, the memory most vivid in my mind was performing with Sir Richard Norrington and the amazing Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment in the newly refurbished Usher Hall, and not more than a minute into our dramatic opening the lights went completely out! What I remember most was the good natured response of the wonderful public, and when the problem was finally corrected, they held their attention divinely and we gave, I hope, a really memorable performance.
| 06 September 2009
Edinburgh Playhouse
4-5 September, times vary.
This was a treat for everyone present. Celebrating its 40th birthday, Scottish Ballet put on a trio that spanned 60 years of ballet: Frederick Ashton’s ‘Scenes de Ballet’ (1947), William Forsythe’s ‘Workwithinwork’ (1973) and Ian Spink’s updated version of the 1911 Stravinsky/Fokine/Diaghilev ballet, ‘Petrushka’.
| 03 August 2009
Raw power
Twenty years after his first, and last visit to the festival, Michael Clark, the irreverent punk of dance, is back with a show devoted to rock stars.
| 03 August 2009
Unique perspective
Cesc Gelabert brings his innovative and creative approach to dance to two shows at this year’s festival.
