Charlotte Constable: Friday

'Distant Light' by Lo-Giudice Dance and 'Me & My Shadow' by RDC
Friday November 15th @ Bernie Grant Arts Centre, London
By Charlotte Constable

Emerging choreographer Anthony Lo-Giudice’s trio Distant Light is reminiscent of the work of Russell Maliphant. Like Maliphant’s, his choreography twirls and twirls, a melting pot of fluid motion through which the shifts in levels and off-kilter balances never jar. And, much like Maliphant’s solo adaptation of Nijinsky’s L’Apres-midi d’un Faune, a shimmering lighting design and haunting musical accompaniment (in this instance, Peteris Vasks’ Violin Concerto) accompany.

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Rebecca Holmberg: Sunday

Cloud Dance Festival ‘Showtime’
Sunday 17th November 2013
By Rebecca Holmberg

A line-up of strong, sleek, quirky choreographies, a wide range of interesting concepts, some extraordinary talented movers – nothing except the programme hints at the fact that Cloud Dance Festival is a platform for emerging artists. Initiated by Chantal Guevara in 2007 to support new contemporary dance, the show is now running for the fourteenth time, offering a sneak-peek at who might be the next big name on the British contemporary dance scene.

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Georgina Butler: Friday

AN INSPIRING EVENING SHOWCASING EMERGING CHOREOGRAPHERS

Fresh. New. Talented. Evolving. Emerging. Whatever buzzword you opt for, Cloud Dance Festival’s opening “Showtime” line-up encompassed the most innovative up-and-coming new works from the world of contemporary dance.

Cloud Dance Festival (CDF) was founded in 2007 by Chantal Guevara to provide a platform for the ground-breaking choreographers and dance companies of the future. “Showtime”, held at the Bernie Grant Arts Centre, North London, is CDF’s first festival funded by Arts Council England.

Themes of the festival centred on striving to improve, finding your own path and being true to yourself. All while also developing as a young creative (whether a dancer, choreographer, dance writer, photographer or videographer).

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Samantha Moore: Sunday

Cloud Dance Festival: Showtime
'Femme' by Taciturn, 'Manuum' by theMiddletonCorpus, 'Don't Let me Go' by Simfra Dance Company and 'Balikbayan' by Avatâra Ayuso
Sunday 17th November 2013
By Samantha Moore

Cloud Dance Festival is in its seventh year of operation as a platform for contemporary and ballet choreographers at all stages of their careers. The marketing for the weekend did not present us with any thematic description and, I must admit, I attended with the worry I often leave Resolution! with - that none of the works combine to create a cohesive programme. Much to my relief I quickly found myself incorrect. Although I’m not sure if intentional, the evening lead me on a pathway that questioned gender politics and sexuality in a refreshing way.

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Bryony Cooper: Saturday

Cloud Dance Festival- Showtime
Saturday 17th November 2013
By Bryony Cooper


Cloud Dance Festival returned to the Bernie Grant Arts Centre for the second time this year, with a packed line-up of multi-regional talent, and, to the relief of director Chantal Guevara, the support of the (as some might say) ‘pesky’ Arts Council England. Needless to say, for that very reason, expectations were at their highest.

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Georgina Butler on the writing masterclass

Milton Keynes-based writer, journalist and dance reviewer Georgina Butler is invited to a dance writing masterclass in London and reviews city-trained choreographer Jo Meredith’s newest work

Having carved out a niche role reviewing the dance productions at Milton Keynes Theatre, a writing opportunity at an event showcasing innovative choreographers was too good to miss.

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Georgina Butler: 'The Emerging Artist' panel discussion

Dancing in all its forms cannot be excluded from the curriculum of all noble education; dancing with the feet, with ideas, with words, and, need I add that one must also be able to dance with the pen?” – Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche

As an enthusiastic writer, journalist and dance reviewer, I am always seeking out opportunities to write about dance, theatre and the arts, participate in dance classes and learn more about my favourite things (unsurprisingly, dancing and writing!).

So, upon discovering Cloud Dance Festival and seeing that organisers were offering selected dance writers the chance to attend a professional development workshop, I applied. Cloud Dance Festival is a thrice-yearly platform showcasing the best in new and emerging contemporary dance. It was founded in 2007 by Chantal Guevara, a freelance dance producer, manager and photographer. She is passionate about helping artists to raise their profile and build the connections they need to further their careers.

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Charlotte Arnold: Sunday

Cloud Dance Festival ‘Showtime’
Sunday 17th November 2013
By Charlotte Arnold

‘Showtime’ is Cloud Dance Festival’s fourteenth platform and, most excitingly, the first to receive Arts Council Funding. Sunday night’s mixed bill of eight pieces showcased a fusion of exciting, young and emerging choreographers spanning a range of profound and almost unpredictable topics.

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