The summer and the Olympics are in sight, which means three things: the Greenwich & Docklands International Festival is back, there's a month-long celebration of Pina Bausch's lesser-known works, and a gradual drying up of all the dance shows which have left many exhausted in their wake (including myself). The vocational dance schools's graduate shows also start this month, a great opportunity to keep an eye out for future talent.
2Faced Dance Company's In The Dust: 14 June
The Albany, Deptford
Tickets & details: www.thealbany.org.uk/event_detail/751/Dance/In-The-Dust
2Faced Dance Company is one of the leading all-male contemporary dance companies, fusing contemporary dance with breakdancing to create powerful and daring performances. In The Dust is a triple bill featuring works by Tom Dale, Freddie Opoku-Addaie and 2Faced Artistic Director Tamsin Fitzgerald - if you haven't seen them yet, this is your chance to make up for it.
In Good Company: 23 June
The Place
Tickets & details: www.theplace.org.uk/12743/whats-on/in-good-company.html
In Good Company showcases the choreographic talents of five of Hofesh Shechter's dancers, including two CDF alumni, James Finnemore and Sam Coren. Given how impressive Finnemore's solo Patriot was, we're hoping for good things.
Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch — World Cities 2012: 6 June - 9 July
Sadler's Wells: www.sadlerswells.com/show/Pina-Bausch-World-Cities-2012
Barbican Centre: www.barbican.org.uk/theatre/series.asp?ID=1011
As part of the 2012 celebrations, Sadler's Wells and the Barbican are presenting month-long season of international co-productions of works created by Tanztheater Wuppertal, inspired by their residencies at specific global cities at the cities' invitation. While any opportunity to see Pina Bausch's works is very welcome, be warned that the average running time of each work is around 3.5 hours (1 interval).
All of the works are sold out, but keep your eyes out for returns.
6 & 7 June 2012
Viktor (Rome): Sadler's Wells
9 & 10 June 2012
Nur Du (Only You) (Los Angeles): Barbican
12 & 13 June 2012
...Como el musguito en la piedra, ay si, si, si... (Santiago de Chile): Sadler's Wells
15 & 16 June 2012
Ten Chi (Saitama): Barbican
18 & 19 June 2012
Der Fensterputzer (The Window Washer) (Hong Kong: Sadler's Wells
21 & 22 June 2012
Bamboo Blues (Kolkata): Barbican
24 & 25 June 2012
Nefés (Istanbul): Sadler's Wells
28 & 29 June 2012
Água (São Paulo): Barbican
1 & 2 July 2012
Palermo Palermo (Palermo): Sadler's Wells
8 & 9 July 2012
Wiesenland (Budapest): Sadler's Wells
Greenwich & Docklands International Festival: 21 - 30 June
Various locations
Further details: www.festival.org
The annual festival of free outdoor theatre, dance and street arts returns with several exciting dance performances. These will include:
StopGAP: Spun Productions
24 June, 1pm & 4.15pm
Monument Gardens, Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich
Wanna be a celebrity? Get yourself on Spun TV! Full of surprises and subversive humour, Spun Productions follows the rise and fall of a celebrity wannabe.
C-12 Dance Theatre, Trolleys
30 June, 1.30pm & 3.05pm. Canary Riverside
A street ballet for supermarket trolleys: five shopping trolleys randomly appear at Canary Riverside. Two meet and fall in love. One grapples fo find a friend. Part street dance, part ballet, part acrobatic spectacle, Trolleys is a high-octane, intensely physical and humorous outdoor performance – on wheels. Choreographed by Shaun Parker.
Company Chameleon, Push
30 June, 2.40pm & 4.05pm.
Wren Landing
Physically challenging yet sensitive, Push continues a conversation that began in childhood between dance artists Anthony Missen and Kevin Edward Turner. This powerful and engaging duet looks at the stances we take as we relate to one another, how at times we push and at others we yield.
Tilted Productions – Maresa Von Stockert, Seasaw
30 June, 1pm & 3.40pm.
Cabot Square to Canary Riverside.
Inspired by the relationship between humans and water, SEASAW cleverly combines a trail of contemporary dance, performance art and physical theatre vignettes with water, humour, and outstanding performances from Tilted’s cast of eight dancers.
Graduate Shows
Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance: 13 June
Linbury Studio Theatre, Royal Opera House
Tickets & details: www.roh.org.uk/productions/rambert-school-of-ballet-and-contemporary-dance-by-various
The RSB&CD website has not been updated to include this performance, but like all graduate shows, it will feature a mixture of student choreography with works by well-known choreographers. The standard is surprisingly good.
LC3: 22 June
Rich Mix
Tickets & details: www.richmix.org.uk/whats-on/event/lc3-220612/
LC3 is the London Contemporary Dance School's third-year performance group, featuring the best student choreography and performances from its graduating year. There will be performances of works by Richard Alston, Rick Nodine and Janice Garrett alongside student choreography - this is a great chance to have a sneak preview of the dancers and choreographers who will be making impressive names for themselves over the next few years!