English National Ballet: Etudes

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Category: Photo Features

Published: Sunday, 21 April 2013 12:40

Written by Chantal Guevara

A contemporary of Roland Petit's Le Jeune Homme et la Mort, Harald Lander's Études takes the audience through the daily routine of a ballet company, with the start of their warmup class through to technique exercises and company rehearsals. While the start of the work seems to play with the effects of lighting on imagery, more than on the choreography itself, the rest of the work is a feast for classical ballet fans.

English National Ballet: Petite Mort

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Category: Photo Features

Published: Sunday, 21 April 2013 12:28

Written by Chantal Guevara

Jiri Kylián is one of modern ballet's best-loved choreographers, but his work is all too rarely performed in England, in part due to mixed critical response.

And Petite Mort is one of his best-loved works. Created in 1991 for the Salzburg Festival, Kylián draws on the dual meanings of "petite mort", exploring fencing and orgasmic ecstasy in visually striking duets.

The photos below are of both English National Ballet casts in dress rehearsal.

English National Ballet: Le Jeune Homme et la Mort

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Category: Photo Features

Published: Saturday, 20 April 2013 15:46

Written by Chantal Guevara

If I could pick two works for my dream triple-bill of ballet works, Le Jeune Homme et la Mort by Roland Petit would be way up there at the top. And fortuitously, Tamara Rojo, the new Artistic Director of English National Ballet, seemed to feel the same way.

Here are photos of Nicolas Le Riche and Tamara Rojo in the lead roles; there are still two performances left at the London Coliseum, if you want to see it: www.eno.org/see-whats-on/productions/production-page.php?&itemid=2283


English National Ballet's website: www.ballet.org.uk

Taciturn

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Category: Photo Features

Published: Saturday, 20 April 2013 12:53

Written by Chantal Guevara

Taciturn are a very warm and endearing company based in Liverpool: their personality and relationships with each other bubble forth in each of their works, many of which have been created in collaboration with leading choreographers, including Tom Roden (New Art Club), Gary Clarke, Frauke Requart, Company Chameleon and Lisi Perry.

Worst Case Scenario is their latest work, which had its London premiere in February at The Place's annual platform Resolution!, followed by a performance back in Liverpool as part of Merseyside Dance Initiative's LEAP Festival. These photos were taken during their tech rehearsal at Capstone Theatre, with Jennifer Hale, Jenna Jungbluth and Lizzie Ryder, wonderfully standing in for Jenny Rees, who was injured at the time.

Worst Case Scenario helpfully advises the audience as to what to do in case of an earthquake, how to find a bomb, and most usefully... how to take a punch.

Taciturn's website is: www.taciturn.co.uk

DeNada Dance Theatre

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Category: Photo Features

Published: Friday, 15 March 2013 01:40

Written by Chantal Guevara

Certainly one of the most inventive and original works to be shown in this year's Resolution! at The Place as Carlos Pons Guerra's Young Man!, inspired by Jean Cocteau's Le Jeune Homme et la Mort, which was famously adapted for ballet by Roland Petit. Pons Guerra relocates the story to Spain, with simmering passions, lusts - and a truly unforgettable ham.

Leeds-based artist Pons Guerra has been invited to perform Young Man! at Sadler's Wells on Friday 15 March as part of the opening of the London Flamenco Festival. You should absolutely go see him. If you can, that is.

Retina Dance Company

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Category: Photo Features

Published: Wednesday, 20 February 2013 00:46

Written by Chantal Guevara

Retina Dance Company has been gearing up for the UK premiere of their latest work Corporalis, which took place tonight (19 February) at Nottingham Playhouse, with further tour dates to be confirmed. A work exploring architecture and dance, Corporalis uses Retina's signature physical and dynamic choreographic style, and reminding us why they're that cut above other dance companies.

At the end of last week, they put out a call on Twitter and Facebook for photographers to shoot their rehearsal the day before their premiere; seeing as I was in Cheltenham at the time (for a dance photography workshop, no less), it made perfect sense to travel to Nottingham to photograph them in rehearsal. The photos below are from excerpts of the work, as captured during their rehearsal.

The next performance of Corporalis will be at Déda in Derby on 19 April; for tickets and information, please visit www.deda.uk.com/performances/retina-dance-company-corporalis

To find out tour dates near you, please visit (and revisit, as further dates get added) www.retinadance.com/tourschedule