danceumbrella.co.uk 26 September — 21 October THE BIG 40 Well, we have made it! Dance Umbrella A free spectacle featuring 200 women 3 has reached the big 40. It is a tribute to travels across town, alongside DU’s fifth Val Bourne CBE that we stand here today tour of work for younger audiences, both on the foundations she laid back in 1978 joining our ongoing quest into different — championing great artists and engaging choreo-forms for your delectation: Irish Londoners more widely across the city than dancer Colin Dunne, Canadian ice skaters ever before. Le Patin Libre, China’s incisive Wen Hui, Via Katlehong’s rebellious pantsula from Continuing the long tradition of inviting South Africa and the freestyle dance battle pioneering choreographers to new stages, of our home grown CRXSS PLATFXRM Find out more this autumn sees dozens of international combine to be part of our warm invitation and book online at artists heading your way from twelve to travel to new artistic lands. countries to share their visions. We start danceumbrella.co.uk with two firsts together - New York City’s We really look forward to you joining us Big Dance Theater’s first visit to the capital for our anniversary celebrations, as we and our first partnership with The Old Vic remember moon walking, Boney M, and - before welcoming back the sellout hit of rejoice in the beauty of our increasingly DU2016 Dimitris Papaioannou with his debut sophisticated grey hair. performances at Sadler’s Wells. #DUFest18 Cover photos and this page: Jevan Chowdhury, Moving Cities Emma Gladstone Dancers: Ivan Blackstock (DU2014+), Siobhan Davies (DU1985+), Artistic Director and Chief Executive Greta Mendez (DU1978+) & Freddie Opoku-Addaie (DU2010+) USA BOOK ONLINE: danceumbrella.co.uk WED 26–SAT 29 SEPTEMBER TICKETS FRI 28 SEPTEMBER “See the work of Annie-B Parson 7pm (Sat matinee 2.30pm) £12–£45 5pm and Paul Lazar whenever possible” THE OLD VIC £6 (£5 concs) The Cut SE1 Pre-show Q&A New York Times oldvictheatre.com with Annie-B Parson & Emma Gladstone Big dance theatER 17c An intriguing romp through the bracingly 5 frank diaries of Samuel Pepys, the Londoner who danced, sang, strode, aspired, bullied and groped his way through 17th century life, recording every detail for posterity. Big Dance Theater layers movement, text, music and video into a century-spanning work that reveals this Baroque hipster’s compulsions as a startling precursor to our own social media-obsessed times. Pulling the past into the present, Big Dance revives the lost voices of Bess Pepys and her contemporary, the radical feminist playwright Margaret Cavendish. From periwigs to lamé, historical literature to contemporary blogs, 17c comes from a New York City ensemble renowned for their maverick approach to classical material, in this their first visit to London. Presented by Dance Umbrella in partnership with The Old Vic With support from Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation Baranova © UK BOOK ONLINE: danceumbrella.co.uk SAT 29 SEPTEMBER SUN 7 OCTOBER SAT 13 OCTOBER FREE 2pm & 4pm 12.30pm & 2pm 3pm & 5pm PENINSULA SQUARE BOXPARK CROYDON SOMERSET HOUSE Greenwich Peninsula SE10 George Street Croydon CR0 Strand WC2R “The physicality of the chorus, exquisitely nowgallery.co.uk boxpark.co.uk somersethouse.org.uk choreographed by Sasha Milavic Davies, is achingly expressive” Sasha Milavic The Daily Telegraph (On The Suppliant Women) Davies EVERYTHING THAT RISES MUST DANCE At once meditative and mechanical, 7 everything that rises must dance is a compelling celebration of female movement, incorporating both the everyday and the universal. Created with more than 200 women from across London this free performance unfolds in three locations around the capital. Rippling with choreography that reproduces the minute movements of daily life while weaving in fragments of folk dance from around the world, the spectacle sets expressive, physical action to an evolving sonic score. Director and choreographer Sasha Milavic Davies is known for making engrossing large scale work within dance and theatre and here has devised everything that rises must dance with composer Lucy Railton. This intriguing project exploring relationships, Presented by Dance Umbrella identity and community receives its Produced by Complicité In Partnership with Croydon Council, Peninsula Square and Somerset House premiere as part of Dance Umbrella 2018. Initial research supported by Jerwood Choreographic Research Project © Sarah Ainslie THE NETHERLANDS BOOK ONLINE: danceumbrella.co.uk SAT 29 SEPTEMBER SUN 30 SEPTEMBER SAT 6 OCTOBER SUN 7 OCTOBER TICKETS Join us for 11am & 3pm 11am & 2pm 10.30am & 2pm 11.30am £10 & £8 ARTS ACTIVITIES STRATFORD CIRCUS ARTSDEPOT THE PLACE WATERMANS Check website for details See pg 24 for details ARTS CENTRE 5 Nether St N12 17 Duke's Rd WC1 40 High St, Brentford TW8 Theatre Square E15 artsdepot.co.uk theplace.org.uk watermans.org.uk stratford-circus.com Dadodans “A total work of art in which all the elements come together perfectly” Theaterkant KOKERS Cardboard tubes, playful choreography and 9 percussive sound combine to form a show perfect for both the young and the young-at-heart. In KoKERS inventive landscapes are built and broken apart as the dancers balance, flip, throw, twirl and jump around the playground they have created. In this satisfyingly simple performance, the dancers soon realise that the most fun is to be found when they combine forces. Gaia Gonnelli, Artistic Director of Dutch company Dadodans, is well known for her ambitious and spirited work that encourages children to use their own imaginations. The performance ends with the young audience being invited onstage to play among props that can easily be recreated at home. A Dance Umbrella Orbital London Tour in partnership with artsdepot, Stratford Circus Arts Centre, The Place and Watermans Supported by The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands © Studio van Pelt CHINA BOOK ONLINE: danceumbrella.co.uk THU 4 & FRI 5 OCTOBER TICKETS 7.45pm £20 SOUTHBANK CENTRE THU 4 OCTOBER Purcell Room MEET THE ARTIST Belvedere Rd SE1 Free post-show talk southbankcentre.co.uk “A figurehead of China’s contemporary dance scene” Le Monde Wen Hui RED Armed with guns, wearing pointe shoes, the all- 11 female fighters of The Red Detachment of Women came to symbolise part of Mao’s communist dream. As one of only eight permissible theatrical works of the time, the 1964 ballet was seen over and over by the Chinese. Choreographer Wen Hui threads extracts, interviews and anecdotal material from original cast members into a dramatic documentary performance that goes beyond the ballet and official Cultural Revolution records. With projected film as a backdrop, she and three other dancers use their bodies as archives, their gestures illustrating stories and evoking memories, in this multi-generational response to this memorable period of history. The Beijing-based artist makes her first UK visit in ten years with Dance Umbrella. Presented by Dance Umbrella in partnership with Southbank Centre © Laurent Philippe SOUTH AFRICA UK BOOK ONLINE: danceumbrella.co.uk WED 10 & THU 11 OCTOBER TICKETS MON 8 OCTOBER FRI 12 OCTOBER TICKETS 7.30pm £18 (£15 concs) Workshop (pg 24) From 6pm £10a SHOREDITCH TOWN HALL WED 10 OCTOBER SHOREDITCH TOWN HALL 380 Old Street EC1 Panel Discussion (pg 23) 380 Old Street EC1 shoreditchtownhall.com shoreditchtownhall.com Out of the System PRESENTS “Breathtaking … collecting standing “Blackstock is one to watch” ovations wherever it tours” The Guardian L’Echo VIA KANANA CRXSS PLATFXRM Pulsating with rhythmic energy and A wave of talent. A fresh perspective on dance 13 groove Via Kanana stands as an expression and street culture. A space for what’s next. of light and hope, defying the adversity and Conceived by Ivan Blackstock, choreographer, fear caused by corruption in a post-apartheid era. artist and innovator, CRXSS PLATFXRM Choreographed by South African dance elevates the underground, uncovering hidden legend Gregory Maqoma, the dynamic artists genius from within London’s street culture of Via Katlehong bring the whistling, tapping, and beyond. clapping rebellion of the quick-stepping Featuring a live freestyle dance battle, Pantsula movement to the stage. As presented in collaboration with Rain Crew, ambassadors of the culture, a way of life for experimental sounds and multifaceted township inhabitants, they articulate the angst, performances from Paris-based Gonzy and joy and boundless potential of their streets. established and under-the-radar artists, Enriched by video and a luminous choral score, gathering to drive forward an ever-morphing Via Kanana speaks of a promised land not yet scene. With nods to fashion, art, music, tech delivered, and humanity against the odds. and film, this showcase combines highlights from the summer edition in Peckham, including new work from visual artist Izaak Brandt, with features specially brought together for DU. Join us post-show each night as the party continues with a DJ set by Rabiah. Curated by Dance Umbrella Guest Presented by Dance Umbrella in Presented by Dance Umbrella with CRXSS PLATFXRM Programmer Freddie Opoku-Addaie partnership with Shoreditch Town Hall Ganet Christian © In partnership with Shoreditch Town Hall © Rosalind Hobley CELEBRATING 40 YEARS It’s odd to remember the fact that forty Our belief in the power of helping artists this By making an anniversary gift to DU, you get years ago the artists who are now such way still burns bright, and to celebrate our the chance to hear news from the inside as a familiar names in the dance scene were 40th year we have launched Four by Four—a show travels from studio to stage, and play a unknown. In our first decade alone (1978– programme inspired by the four decades of part in championing artists who look at life 1988) choreographers such as Anne Teresa artistic growth, a way of moving forwards by differently—whether up to the stars, out to the de Keersmaeker, Trisha Brown, Merce looking back.