Cloud Dance Festival | Firefly-ReviewsReviews

Fri: Rachael Nanyonjo

Details: Category: Firefly-Reviews; Published: Monday, 15 August 2011 11:06; Written by Cloud Dance Festival

Firefly was the title of this summer’s Cloud Dance Festival and it did not disappoint in talent or excitement. Held at Pleasance Theatre from the 22nd- 24th of July 2011, this event provided a much needed-platform for emerging choreographers in London. I was able to attend the first night of the festival which consisted of nine very different and original choreographies.

Friday: Lesley Perez

Details: Category: Firefly-Reviews; Published: Tuesday, 02 August 2011 15:58; Written by Cloud Dance Festival

Season after season, one of the greatest delights Cloud Dance Festival offers up is the pleasure of the unexpected. Although the London-based dance festival draws a few big names every year that add sparkle to its lineup (with the Royal Ballet’s Kristen McNally and SYTYCD’s Tommy Franzén grabbing many of the headlines this year), important exposure for the upstarts and relative unknowns continues to be CDF’s primary focus. And it is when these likely unfamiliar names and faces sweep you up in their passion, creativity and skill that the real magic occurs. Overall, the opening night of Firefly was an excellent example of that magic, which continues to draw dance lovers year after year.

Sunday: Kim Lofthouse

Details: Category: Firefly-Reviews; Published: Tuesday, 02 August 2011 16:31; Written by Cloud Dance Festival

The final night of Cloud Dance Festival: Firefly promised to be the best yet with a dazzling programme of old favourites, newcomers and leading choreographers as well as a second outing for Kristen McNally’s “Don’t hate the player, Hate the game” featuring Tommy Franzén.

Sunday: Laura Dodge

Details: Category: Firefly-Reviews; Published: Friday, 29 July 2011 15:24; Written by Cloud Dance Festival

There was a palpable buzz of excitement at Sunday evening’s performance. The final night of Cloud Dance Festival, this unfunded choreographic platform is clearly of huge value not only to its participants but also to its enthusiastic audience.

Sunday: Susanne Allen

Details: Category: Firefly-Reviews; Published: Tuesday, 02 August 2011 16:28; Written by Cloud Dance Festival

The final evening of Cloud Dance Festival’s Firefly, at the unique rustic setting of Pleasance Theatre in the heart of Islington was set to be a night to remember. The buzz around venue was evident even before the auditorium doors opened, with choreography from the Royal Ballet’s Kristen NcNally and performances from Deaf Men Dancing and the BBC's “So You Think You Can Dance” finalist Tommy Franzén, the evening was set to be a treat.

Saturday: Laura Dodge

Details: Category: Firefly-Reviews; Published: Friday, 29 July 2011 15:19; Written by Cloud Dance Festival

Taking place this year at the Pleasance Theatre in Islington, Cloud Dance Festival offers a platform for contemporary and ballet choreographers to showcase their work.

Saturday: Michelle Harris

Details: Category: Firefly-Reviews; Published: Tuesday, 02 August 2011 16:19; Written by Cloud Dance Festival

It’s been a little over one year since Cloud Dance Festival hosted its last dance platform Hush, but on Friday 22nd July the festival made a welcome return to the Pleasance Theatre with its twelfth showcase Firefly. Booked for a three night stint, Saturday’s line up was particularly strong, with a wash of new companies and talent joining the milieu.

Sunday: Celia Moran

Details: Category: Firefly-Reviews; Published: Friday, 29 July 2011 15:11; Written by Cloud Dance Festival

As any new choreographer will tell you, it takes time to fine-tune your style: what you want to create and how you wish to create it. So, when I discovered that Sunday evening’s Firefly was to be opened with a piece by a brand-new company comprised of mapdance graduates, I was intrigued.

Saturday: Kim Lofthouse

Details: Category: Firefly-Reviews; Published: Tuesday, 02 August 2011 16:12; Written by Cloud Dance Festival

Despite being unfunded and run entirely by volunteers giving their time to the cause of contemporary dance, the second day of Cloud Dance Festival: Firefly brought delightful relief to a hot sticky summer Saturday, giving the audience of both dance fanatics and those new to dance an evening of top quality performances set to get hearts racing and brains whirring with excitement.

Saturday: Celia Moran

Details: Category: Firefly-Reviews; Published: Friday, 29 July 2011 15:00; Written by Cloud Dance Festival

All dance bases were covered at Firefly, Cloud Dance Festival’s summer offering. Although not all hit a home run, anyone wanting to catch a glimpse of the variety of artists in dance today would have been mad to miss it.

Friday: Susanne Allen

Details: Category: Firefly-Reviews; Published: Tuesday, 02 August 2011 16:05; Written by Cloud Dance Festival

Islington’s Pleasance Theatre tonight took host to Cloud Dance Festival’s 12th Festival to date, Firefly. The lights went down for the first time this evening for the beginning of a three-night, jam-packed festival of diverse, contemporary dance. A combination of young and emerging newcomers, and experienced, returning choreographers have come together for another Cloud Dance Festival that prides itself on embracing and staging talented dancers and choreographers from, not only our capital but from all over the country.