MurleyDance Spring Tour

[Terpsichore]

One of my personal highlights last year was a performance by the relatively new dance troupe MurleyDance at the Stanley and Audrey Burton Theatre in Leeds on 1 Dec 2013. I had been attracted to that company by its recruiting Sarah Kundi, one of my favourite dancers from Northern Ballet and Ballet Black. Kundi gave a great performance that evening but then so did the rest of the company and I became a fan of several others including Bianca Hopkins and Joshua Royal.

 

Sadly some of those dancers, including Kundi, have left the company. Her other admirers on this forum may like to know that she tweeted that she will be dancing with the English National Ballet in Romeo and Juliet  in the round before joining Victor Ullate in Spain later in the year. I am sure that everyone will join me in wishing her well. Happily, Hopkins and Royal are still with MurleyDance and they have been joined by a number of new dancers.

 

At long last MurleyDance have published details of a new tour which will take in London, Bradford, Aberdeen, Londonderry/Derry and Newton Abbey. It will include works by Anthony Kurt-Gabel and Richard Chappell as well as Murley himself.  I plan to catch the company at the Alhambra Studio in Bradford on 8 May 2014 and will review their performance.

 

MurleyDance website also mentions an Autumn tour but gives no details of venues or content. I will pass on any information that comes my way.

Edited March 27, 2014 by terpsichore

[Terpsichore]

MurleyDance should have been at the Alhambra Studio in Bradford this evening. Unfortunately they have had to cancel that booking.  

 

In an email their administrator, Paul Kelly, told me that they tried to find another venue in the North but it has not been possible. I suggested Liverpool as there seems to be no ballet at IFB Culture which is taking place at the same time as the International Festival of Business. Again, the problem is finding a suitable venue. I am racking my brains and calling up all my contacts in the city region. Maybe JanetMcNulty can suggest somewhere.

 

MurleyDance's next port of call will be Aberdeen on 11 May 2014.  Then Newtonabbey near Belfast on the 16 and Londonderry (or Derry) on the 17. I commend this tour to Euan in Scotland and to The Quays in Northern Ireland.  The reviews of the first night at the Shaw Theatre in London have been positive.

 

I first learned of this company when Sarah Kundi joined them.  I followed her from Northern Ballet to Ballet Black where she danced this clip which I enjoy so much and then on to MurleyDance:

 

 

Now it seems that I have to rely on easyJet or Ryanair to see that lovely dancer again.

Edited May 8, 2014 by terpsichore

[Jan McNulty]

The Unity Theatre shows dance occasionally.

 

What sort of capacity is the company looking for? There was a studio theatre at the Atkinson and there is one at the Lowry too (as well as the Quays).

[Terpsichore]

Thanks Janet. I will pass that suggestion on to Mr Kelly.

 

PS. I have passed on your suggestions to Mr Kelly and invited him to contact you through BalletcoForum or twitter.   I think they need a theatre like the Shaw in London or the Alhambra Studio in Bradford.   I saw them in the the Stanley and Audrey Burton Theatre in Leeds where they attracted a lot of Sarah Kundi's fans. I recognized several dancers from Northern Ballet in the audience.

Edited May 8, 2014 by terpsichore

[Jan McNulty]

It's too early in the morning! There is also a studio theatre at the Playhouse and a performance space at the Bluecoat Chambers.