PRESS RELEASE: K2CO announces spring tour of Rosie Kay's award winning 5 Soldiers - The Body is The Frontline

[Jan McNulty]

PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

presents

ROSIE KAY’S AWARD-WINNING DANCE PRODUCTION

5 SOLDIERS – The Body is The Frontline

 

 

Spring Tour 2023 announcement

‘War from a female perspective packs a punch...’ The Observer

 

5 SOLDIERS - The Body is The Frontline, the award-winning dance production created by choreographer Rosie Kay, returns to the UK stage across April and May 2023 opening at Norwich Theatre Playhouse (20-22 Apr) before heading to Blackpool Grand Theatre (12 May) and Theatre Royal Bath (14 May).

 

With recent examples that have drawn international attention, such as the war in Ukraine,the first European war since the Balkans, and the aftermath of the evacuation of Afghanistanseverely affecting women’s rights, a country’s use of the military as a tool of power is still highly relevant, political and, in some cases, controversial.

 

This latest version of 5 SOLDIERS, which uses dance to explore the stories of a group of combatants who become fractured by war, is a thrilling and humane portrait of army life telling the stories of three men and two women serving off and on the front line. Highlighting the preparation for war, the personality traits of the soldiers, the off-duty camaraderie, boredom, high-jinx and horseplay, as well as the deeply important and at times contradictory role of women in the Armed Forces.

 

Sparked by a dance injury and her psychological response to it Rosie Kay, renowned for her extensive and often immersive research when creating new work, asked the armed forces for help and was offered an opportunity to embed on manoeuvres with 4th Battalion The Rifles near Salisbury, as well as residencies at the military rehabilitation centre Headley Court and the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine. The result was 5 SOLDIERS.

 

Endorsed by the UK Armed Forces and British Military for its insight and dramatic portrayal of life in the military, 5 SOLDIERS has received praise from serving soldiers, veterans, peace activists, critics and civilians alike. It has toured to Army barracks and drill halls in London and across England and has been live streamed internationally by The Army and BBC Arts Digital. The acclaimed production has also toured internationally to Europe and twice to the USA.

 

5 SOLDIERS is a partnership between the arts and the UK Armed Forces and British Military.    Deeply realistic, stark and thrilling, 5 SOLDIERS offers no moral stance on war, but instead questions what it is that we ask of our soldiers and explores how the human body remains essential to war, even in the 21st century, with Kay’s trademark intense physical and athletic dance theatre.

 

Jan Teo, Chair of K2CO said: “We are delighted that 5 SOLDIERS will be back out on tour in 2023 - a fabulous testament to Rosie’s passion and dedication for her much acclaimed production which tackles the themes of war from a woman’s point of view and is, sadly, still very poignant today.”

 

Jan continued: “I am delighted that Arts Council England continues to support Rosie’s art and creativity. The launch of K2CO reignites Rosie’s work with a powerful maturity and a personal clarity about how she will communicate to and engage with her audiences.”

 

K2CO also gratefully acknowledges funding from ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, the Army’s national charity for soldiers, past and present, and their families for life.

 

The national and international cast of 5 SOLDIERS includes: Amy Groves, Officer (Ballet Cymru; trained at  London Contemporary Dance School); Annelise Bucher, Medic (The Boston Conservatory for Contemporary Dance Performance, London Contemporary Dance School, DIAVOLO Dance Theatre, Psychopomp Dance Theatre); Chander van Daatselaar, Squaddie(Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, Dansblok and the Nationale Operette, Water Perry Festival); Frank Hickman, Sergeant, (Autin Dance Theatre, 5 Soldiers (US Tour), Highly Sprung, Commonwealth Games Birmingham Opening ceremony) and Gregor Campbell, Squaddie (first professional dance production).

 

Commenting on the cast Rosie said: “We have a really strong cast for the 2023 tour of 5 Soldiers, many of whom have family connections to the military including Frank Hickman who plays the Sergeant. His nan’s uncle received the Victoria Cross medal in 1918 for his service in the first world war.  And we are delighted to offer the opportunity for Gregor Campbell, who graduated just before the pandemic hit, to dance his first professional role.”

 

5 SOLDIERS is choreographed and directed by Rosie Kay who was nominated for a National Dance Award 2022 for Outstanding Female Performance (Modern) for Absolute Solo II.   Set, costume and video by Louis Price; Music composed by Annie Mahtani with Lighting design by Mike Gunning. 

 

5 SOLDIERS offers a rare, front row insight into the effects of war on the mind and body told through dance and provides an alternative perspective to Kay’s original 5 SOLDIERS.

 

Running alongside the main stage performance at Norwich Theatre Playhouse will be Rosie Kay’s award-winning engagement programme INCUBATE.  

 

INCUBATE will see K2CO work with 6 students aged 17-22 from Norfolk Institute of Performing Arts.  Choreographed by newly returning local dance artist Ben Nash, alongside composer of his new work Gary Owston, INCUBATE will provide the opportunity for the students to perform a short dance piece on stage on Saturday 22 April prior to the main performance of 5 Soldiers.

 

LISTINGS

ROSIE KAY’S AWARD-WINNING DANCE PRODUCTION  5 SOLDIERS – The Body is The Frontline performed by K2CO (suitable for 12+) 

 

Norwich Theatre Playhouse Thu 20 – Sat 22 Apr 22 

Eves: 7.30pm.  Thursday 20 April performance will be followed by a Q&A with cast and choreographer Rosie Kay;  Performance on Saturday 22 April will feature a Curtain Raiser prior to main performance  www.norwichtheatre.org or call Box Office on 01603 630 000 Tickets: from £20

 

Blackpool Grand Theatre Fri 12 May 

Eve: 7.30pm followed by a post-show talk www.blackpoolgrand.co.uk or call Box Office on 01253 290190. Tickets from £15.50

 

Theatre Royal Bath Sun 14 May 

Mat: 3pm Eve: 8pm www.theatreroyal.org.uk or call Box Office on 01225 448844. Tickets from £20

 

Notes to Editors

 

ROSIE KAY

Rosie Kay (BA Hons) FRSA, MCR St Cross College, Oxford, born in Scotland, danced from a very early age, then trained at London Contemporary Dance School, graduating in 1998, before a career as a dancer in Poland, France, Germany and the USA. Kay returned to the UK in 2003, founded Rosie Kay Dance Company 2004-21 and has now set up K2CO a new venture for her past and future works.

 

Rosie Kay is a Director and Trustee of Dance Consortium which exists to tour the best contemporary dance from across the world to local audiences across the UK.  Rosie is also a Director of theatre company A Moments Peace a Glasgow based theatre company making pioneering multi-disciplinary work, with social justice, activism and community engagement at its core.

 

Kay’s works up to date include a contemporary set adaptation of Romeo + Juliet (2021) and returned to performing on stage with the Absolute Solo II tour in 2021 with three personal solos danced by Kay, with Adult Female Dancer celebrated as the ‘Top 5 Dance Works of 2021’ by The Observer and Kay was nominated for a National Dance Award 2022 for Outstanding Female Performance (Modern) for Absolute Solo II. Kay is well known for the multi award-winning work 5 SOLDIERS (2010- present) based on intense research with the British Army and large-scale development of this work, 10 SOLDIERS (2019). Kay’s works tour to Sadlers Wells, Birmingham REP, Norwich Theatre Royal, Salisbury Playhouse and regularly tour Europe and the USA.

 

Rosie Kay’s Fantasia, a pure-dance work about beauty was included in The Guardian’s ‘Top 10 Dance of 2019’.  MK ULTRA was created in 2017 a work about conspiracy theory and pop made with BBC film-maker Adam Curtis. Other works include Motel (2016), a collaboration with visual artists Huntley Muir, Sluts of Possession (2013) created with rare archive material from the Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford, There is Hope (2012) exploring religion, Double Points: K (2008) a collaboration with Emio Greco| PC and Asylum (2005) based on research with asylum seekers. Kay choreographed the live Commonwealth Games Handover Ceremony (2018), watched by over 1 billion people worldwide and has worked in film as the choreographer to Sunshine on Leith (2013).

 

Kay was the first choreographer appointed Leverhulme Artist in Residence at the School of Anthropology, University of Oxford (2013). Awards for her work include Best Independent Company (2015) and nominated for Best Choreography for 5 Soldiers (2015), National Dance Awards and nominated for Best Independent Company 2012 and 2017, a Royal Society for Public Health Award for support to military communities, and the Bonnie Bird New Choreography Award. Kay was awarded by the Queen as a ‘Young Achiever of Scotland’ and won the Bonnie Bird New Choreography Award from Laban. 5 SOLDIERS Community Engagement work was Highly Commended by the Royal Society of Public Health. Kay has published several academic works and themes include conflict and choreography, kinaesthetic empathy, neuroscience and disordered eating.

 

MEET: K2CO www.k-2co.com

K2CO is a dance company that makes totally unique, athletic, and timely work on interesting subjects. We exist to support the choreographic vision of artist Rosie Kay. We aim to highlight the power of dance as an art form and as a means of human communication. Dance can convey joy, love, beauty, passion, and fear as well as complex socio-political situations from a human perspective. The company aims to create the best quality dance which is at the forefront of world contemporary dance theatre. The company uses ways to help audiences engage through targeted engagement work related to the themes of each show and through digital capture and distribution.

MISSION: We work with academics, universities, artists, and communities to research works. These include participants recruited through charities on issue-based themes. We train and nurture professionals, preparing them for the world of work and exploring themes of Rosie Kay’s work and principles. We do this through robust training programmes that support participants from less privileged and diverse backgrounds. We create and produce world class dance and bring it to audiences in England, working with the top large-scale theatres in the UK, inspiring and making work that becomes a talking point before, during and afterwards. 

 

VISION: Our vision is to be the foremost female-led dance company in the UK, making work that is important, meaningful and highly engaging. We will tour to theatres that want dance to make an impact and grow audiences. We want to make work that leaves audiences exhilarated, thinking and motivated. K2CO will show that dance has the power to inspire, investigate and challenge ideas of today’s society.

 

MEET: K2CO OVERSIGHT BOARD

K2CO’s Oversight Board is key to supporting the company. The K2CO Oversight Board includes leading figures from feminism, law, dance, art and the military. The Oversight Board is female led and includes the following people: 

 

• Jess de Wahls, artist and writer 
• Jan Teo, former CEO of Birmingham Royal Ballet and experienced in HR and finance
• Sqr Ldr Kate Farmer, RAF, expert in working with women’s communities in Afghanistan and the UK and talent development 
• Simon Myserson QC, barrister, expert in defamation and criminal law, also a Trustee of Afghan charity Azadi and a strong member of the Jewish religious community  
• Martin Eggelston, charity leader and third sector expert 
• Jonzi-D, Hip-Hop artist, Associate Director Sadlers Wells, leading Hip Hop choreographer, helped to set up The Hip Hop Theatre Academy, Sadlers Wells East.