Press Release: Phoenix Dance, London season, ROH 11-14 Nov

[Jan McNulty]

Phoenix Dance Theatre’s 2015 London season: 11 – 14 November

Linbury Studio Theatre, ROH, Covent Garden, London WC2

 

 

A trademark triple bill from Phoenix Dance including an Itzik Galili world premiere. 

 

Under Artistic Director Sharon Watson, Phoenix Dance Theatre proudly presents its London 2015 season at the Linbury Studio Theatre, Royal Opera House, featuring the world premiere of Itzik Galili’snew version of Until.With/Out.Enough, alongside the London premieres of new work from Sharon Watsonand New Adventures Choreographer Award winner Caroline Finn.

 

Until.With/Out.Enough was originally created by prominent Israeli choreographer Itzik Galili way back in 1997. His new version of Until.With/Out.Enough has been created for seven dancers with immersive music by Henryk Górecki and is a unique Phoenix Dance Theatre and Royal Ballet co-commission, receiving its world premiere on Wednesday 11 November.

 

Speaking about the creation of Until.With/Out.Enough Itzik Galili said “What I have made for Phoenix is an old piece that I have adapted and given a facelift, with new costumes and lighting. I created it fairly early in my career, but I don’t like to leave pieces, because as we change our pieces also change as we develop. We see this revision process in writing all the time. Essentially I am recreating it based on the abilities of the dancers, who naturally influence the work, because it is important that they own what they do. The company dancers currently look very good. Until. With/Without.Enough will be an emotional journey for the viewer, essentially abstract but with intimacy and tension. A good work should move you emotionally and intellectually and I think it works with this ballet.”

 

Sharon Watson follows up her audience favourites Melt (2011) and Repetition of Change (2013) with TearFall, a piece for eight dancers with music by Christian Steffes, which explores both the science and emotion of tears. Supported by the Wellcome Trust, TearFall was inspired by the exploration of the biochemical make up of tears, how their appearance and composition is affected by different emotional states and looks at the differences between how tears function and how they are perceived. For TearFall, Watson worked in partnership with Professor Sir John Holman from York University and dramaturg Lou Cope. 

 

Caroline Finn’s Bloom, for seven dancers, examines how people create ‘facades’, behind which they can become the person they believe they should be. The title Bloom was inspired by the idea that a tree in blossom - a beautiful layer – only masks the true nature of the tree beneath. Finn’s work often presents darkly comic expressions of life and humanity using a playful, quirky and highly engaging choreographic style. Bloom was commissioned in partnership with the New Adventures Choreographer Award. Finn was recently appointed as the Artistic Director of The National Dance Company Wales.

 

Wed 11 – Sat 14 Nov at 7.45pm

 Linbury Studio Theatre, Royal Opera House, London WC2      

 Box Office: 020 7304 4000

 Tickets: £8 - £25

 www.phoenixdancetheatre.co.uk / www.roh.org.uk

 

 

NOTES TO EDITORS:

 

Sharon Watson – Phoenix Dance Theatre Artistic Director

 

Sharon Watson was appointed as the 7th Artistic Director of Phoenix Dance Theatre in May 2009. Trained at the London School of Contemporary Dance, Sharon danced with Spiral and Extemporary Dance Theatre before joining Phoenix as a dancer from 1989 to 1997. During this time Sharon choreographed Never Still and Shaded Limits for Phoenix as well as creating new works for the Northern School of Contemporary Dance, National Youth Dance Company, Union Dance and a specially commissioned piece for the opening ceremony of the Royal Armouries in Leeds. She formed ABCD in 1998 and returned to Phoenix in 2000 as the company’s Rehearsal and Tour Director. In 2006 she embarked upon a fellowship with the Clore Leadership Programme and in 2008 she was one of 26 aspiring leaders from around the globe selected to attend Dance East’s fourth Rural Retreat. Sharon was named as one of the Cultural Leadership Programme’s Women to Watch, a list of 50 influential women working in arts and culture in the UK selected by a distinguished panel made up of figures from the cultural and creative industries.

 

Phoenix Dance Theatre

 

Formed in 1981 in inner-city Leeds, Phoenix Dance Theatre has grown to be one of Britain's leading international dance companies. As a repertory company, Phoenix aims to bring together the best choreographers from the international contemporary dance world. A diverse company of dancers works with these choreographers and the Artistic Director to create innovative work, which is communicative, highly accessible and represents the cultural diversity and experience of life in multi-cultural society. Phoenix is inclusive and open to people from all backgrounds. The company has a commitment to widening access to dance through its education, audience development and creative programmes. Phoenix Dance Education’s highly acclaimed programme of education work promotes participation in the arts as a stimulating and creative pursuit within schools and community settings. The company takes on dance apprentices and dancers are encouraged to develop their skills as teachers and choreographers. Sharon Watson was appointed as Artistic Director in 2009. A more detailed history of Phoenix is available at www.phoenixdancetheatre.co.uk

Royal Opera House - Linbury Studio Dance Programme 

 

The Linbury Studio Theatre is programmed by The Royal Ballet and The Royal Opera as part of the Royal Opera House Season. The Royal Ballet’s Studio Programme aims to build coherence across dance performances on the main stage, in the Linbury and other spaces.  The Studio Programme also includes a variety of choreographic projects involving both young and established choreographers and dancers from inside the Company and from the wider dance community.