YORKSHIRE DANCE
FRIDAY FIRSTS
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www.yorkshiredance.com
Friday Firsts showcases new work by independent choreographers and dance companies working on the small scale. Each evening has its own distinct theme, and will often be the first chance to see performances by the most promising dance makers from Yorkshire and beyond who seek to experiment, push dance as a form or find a new voice. OYO Dance Troupe & Young Dancers - Sink or Swim Friday Firsts #25: Unusual Connections Š David Lindsay
Box Office
0113 243 8765 or book securely online
www.yorkshiredance.com www.facebook.com/yorkshiredance @YorkshireDance cover photo Melanie Forbes-Broomes, Buy this! Š Kim Cessford
Friday Firsts #26
Bish Bash Bosh
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Friday 3 October, 7.00pm Tickets FREE As part of Light Night Leeds, Bish Bash Bosh sees Yorkshire Dance hold its annual scratch night which focuses on entertaining, experimenting and presenting a real variety of short work. As usual, the evening will be split into different sections, each using a different space in our building. Expect to see work from Yorkshire artists such as Barking Productions (Mad Dogs Dance Theatre), Jordan Massarella Dance, Dance United Yorkshire Performance Company, Susanne Thomas, Hype Dance Company, Lucy Haighton, Laura Simpson and many more. Acclaimed choreographer and Yorkshire Dance Associate Artist Gary Clarke will be creating a one-off performance piece throughout the day. Between Me and You will reflect upon the notions of LOVE and all of its complexities, performed by both professional dancers and members of the community. The piece will be performed as part of the evening’s programme – the only opportunity to see this unique work made by one of the region’s best and most loved choreographers. As ever, Bish Bash Bosh will be a blend of wonderful and wacky dance, theatre, cabaret, music and film, with a fun atmosphere and bar service. Come expecting the unexpected because anything goes! Please arrive at least 15 minutes early to ensure your place Jordan Massarella Dance © Joe ‘Boneshaker’ Armitage
Janine Fletcher
Trace Elements Friday 17 October, 7.30pm Tickets £8.00, concessions £6.00 © Matthew Andrews
A woman struggles; trying to be honest without telling the whole truth. She is going round in circles trying to figure it out, leave it behind but old habits die hard. Trace Elements fuses repetitious movement of the everyday with taut stylisation, creating a silent plea for the past not to be repeated. Yorkshire Dance is delighted to welcome back this charismatic performer following her appearance in Juncture 2012 as half of The Two Wrongies.
Created & performed by Janine Fletcher Coaxing & direction by Sue MacLaine Trace Elements is an Ovalhouse Seed Commission. Janine Fletcher is an Ovalhouse Associate Artist and part of Escalator Live Art 2014.
A choreographer and performer with an interdisciplinary approach to the creation of work, Janine co-founded The Two Wrongies with Avis Cockbill in 2007. She has been a member of international performance parkour company The Urban Playground and choreographer for Bicycle Ballet, creating outdoor dance performances on bikes. She has performed in work by Liz Aggiss & Joe Murray and many more.
Friday Firsts #27
Live Bites
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Friday 7 November, 7.30pm Tickets £8.00, concessions £6.00 Northern Platforms is a joint initiative of five agencies from Scotland and the north of England, to increase the visibility of dance artists and companies outside their respective regions. Nadia Iftkhar’s The Sense of an Ending is inspired by women; their experiences and stories, highs and lows, love affairs, careers, childhoods, loss, fertility and friendships. De Nada Dance Theatre’s Passionaria, inspired by Christopher Isherwood’s Berlin novels, is a dark and humorous piece, highlighting the lives of people brave enough to fight social and political conventionalism to find their true identity. Sophie Unwin,The Chronicles of Joy. “In the words of Bertrand Russell, Aristotle, America and myself, I will teach you the steps to happiness. I will jump head first into the murky world of Joy.” Hannah Buckley’s Woman with Eggs is a solo about women’s ability to be many things. Melanie Forbes-Broomes’ Buy this! is a new work exposing the absurdities of commodified products through athletic movement and voice. For more information please see www.yorkshiredance.com/live-bites Nadia Iftkhar © James Froment; DeNada Dance Theatre © Josh Hawkins; Melanie Forbes-Broomes © Kim Cessford
Friday Firsts #28
Douglas Air Hunger Friday 5 & Saturday 6 December, 7.30pm Admission £8.00, concessions £6.00 Robbie Synge Douglas Douglas is alone, committed and absorbed in his activity. He seeks connections with his surroundings; conversations that go nowhere and everywhere; a new, live ecology in which he can see and feel his place. Douglas has its origins in the everyday tasks of the choreographer at his home in The Highlands. A ‘garden shed’ approach initiated a reconsidering of our often trivial or incidental everyday relationship with objects. Hagit Yakira Air Hunger We often forget that we breathe, but never forget to breathe... You’re invited to take a moment to inhale deeply. The instance of losing one’s breathe evokes many reactions, images and memories. Performers and audience will share the same breath in a collaboration that will inspire and allow moments of exhalation. Air Hunger is a sensual, emotional and honest sharing of experiences that will leave you breathless.
Robbie Synge, Douglas © Robbie Synge; Hagit Yakira, Air Hunger © Takaka Hasegawa
This world premiere of two new dance works, one by Hagit Yakira and one by Robbie Synge, is the culmination of a year-long collaboration between Yorkshire Dance, the University of Leeds, Breakfast Creatives and Liz Lerman. respond_ is a new digital adaptation of Liz Lerman’s renowned Critical Response Process which is enabling people across the world to interact directly with Hagit and Robbie as they share two stages of their works-in-progress online, in September and November 2014. Hagit’s work will have been shared with a ‘Closed Group’ of individuals in a process controlled by researchers from University of Leeds, while Robbie’s will have been open to anyone, anywhere in the world. respond_ has been developed by the partnership after being selected by Nesta, Arts Council England and Arts & Humanities Research Council as one of over 60 partnerships to receive funding from the £7 million Digital R&D Fund for the Arts. http://artsdigitalrnd.org.uk @respondto_ #respondto_ www.facebook.com/respondtodance
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The respond_ team is testing whether an online adaptation of Liz Lerman’s Critical Response Process can deepen audiences’ understanding of and engagement with dance and their empathy with artists; whether it can expand the audience reach of new dance works; and whether it can benefit the creation and development process of new artworks. The research team will be testing the potential of digital communications technologies to enhance the audience experience and demystify the creative process. Find out more, and join in, at
www.respondto.org
Professional Development Opportunities Katy Raven Mindful Movement Workshop for dancers and non-dancers Sun 21 Sep, 10.30am - 4.00pm £25.00, concessions £20.00 This course aims to access mindfulness through the privilege of movement. In the workshop, participants will learn mindfulness technniques to improve body awareness and relive stress, anxiety and injury. For more information contact Katy Raven, katyraven@hotmail.com Katy trained at Northern School of Contemporary Dance and graduated in 2005. In 2012 she completed teacher training in Breathworks which focuses on Mindfulness-based pain- and stress-management. She has since led Mindfulnessbased meditations and recently received funding from the Rebecca Skelton Fund to set up her own practice of Mindful Movement for dancers and non-dancers © Sara Teresa
Grants for the arts: Surgery Sessions Thu 9 Oct, 11.00am - 4.00pm FREE - booking essential
If you are thinking about, or in the process of, writing a Grants for the Arts application to Arts Council England, then why not book a one-toone surgery session with Alex Croft, Dance Relationship Manager (North).You can book a 30-minute slot with Alex during which he can tell you more about the Grants for the Arts process, what kind of work Arts Council England supports and he can troubleshoot any questions you may have. These 30 minute sessions are free but you’ll need to book in advance by emailing Hollie Harkness-Gowers: hollieharknessgowers@yorkshiredance.com Box Office 0113 243 8765 - book securely online at www.yorkshiredance.com
Physical Responses a workshop with Janine Fletcher Sun 19 Oct, 11.00am - 1.00pm £5.00 (only 12 places available) Janine is a choreographer and performer with a curiosity for what moves us and how we move. In Physical Responses, participants will be led in a series of choreographic and devising tasks to explore emotional habits. The workshop will © Matthew Andrews focus on ways to turn inner feelings into external actions, and draws upon the artistic process of Janine’s new work, Trace Elements (see p4 for details). Open to anyone with experience in dance, choreography, theatre or performance. Please wear comfortable clothing and bring a pen and paper with you.
Class with Hagit Yakira Wed 29 & Thu 30 Oct 9.30am - 11.00am £3.50 Hagit introduces her unique style, blending elements of contemporary dance, improvisation, contact improvisation and dance movement therapy. For the last 15 years Hagit has been developing this technique class, believing that dance should be learned in a positive, energetic, fast and ecstatic environment, with a celebration of movement, emotion, group dynamic and music. This fun environment enables Hagit’s students to push their limits and enjoy moving. The class is a way to discover Hagit’s approach to the creative process she is going through with her dancers and company. The emphasis in the classes will be on the enjoyment of moving through simple yet challenging dance routines; shifting constantly from set material to improvisation, allowing each dancer to explore his/her own way of moving. The class invites participants to be spontaneous and daring in the types and quality of the movement vocabulary, challenging their choices, familiarity and physicality.
www.yorkshiredance.com/professional/professional-development-at-yorkshire-dance
Sketch Yorkshire Dance has chosen six artists to take part in Sketch, an 8-month development opportunity for dance makers with an interest in developing their dramaturgical practice. Sketch will enable artists to research and develop a new dance idea with a focus on dramaturgical practice. Igor & Moreno, Idiot-Syncrasy at Yorkshire Dance, 2013 © Sara Teresa
They will be supported by international dramaturg Peggy Olislaegers, with support through the reflective process from strategic planning facilitator and producer Richard Sobey. The project will culminate in early February 2015.
The six artists • • • • • •
Jamaal Burkmar Gavin Coward Non-Applicables (Sian Myers & Fenella Ryan) Carlos Pons Guerra Grace Surman Sophie Unwin
Sketch will support these artists with: • Intensive workshops with international dramaturg (Oct 2014 & Feb 2015) • Minimum of two weeks of studio space at Yorkshire Dance for research and development • Peer to peer learning and feedback • A fee to cover costs of both time in the studio and of attending the workshops • Public sharing or performance of research as part of Friday Firsts • Advice & guidance and 1-2-1 access to the Yorkshire Dance team The selection of the six was undertaken by a panel including expertise external to Yorkshire Dance, and we are delighted to be working with artists new to us as well as continuing to support some of those we have already worked with. www.yorkshiredance.com/sketch
Box Office 0113 243 8765 - book securely online at www.yorkshiredance.com
Contemporary Class with Rita Marcalo Autumn term Tuesdays, 9 Sep - 9 Dec Book securely online www.yorkshiredance.com ÂŁ6.50, concessions ÂŁ5.50
6.30pm - 8.00pm, Level D for professionals, dance students and those with advanced ability A challenging class encouraging dancers to work against common learned dance movement patterns. The class reflects the training background and the personal movement style of the artist, placing an emphasis on co-ordination, risk-taking, and non-linear movement. 8.00pm - 9.30pm, Level B/C for people with a good basic level ability wanting to try a higher level This class reflects the training background and the personal movement style of the artist, placing an emphasis on co-ordination, risk-taking, and non-linear movement. It is taught on two levels to enable complete beginners to get acquainted with basic principles of contemporary dance, at the same time as allowing people with some experience to develop further. _______ For other occasional workshops, classes and morning classes, please visit www.yorkshiredance.com/classes-courses-workshops
www.yorkshiredance.com/professional/professional-development-at-yorkshire-dance
Friday Firsts 2015 Friday 6 Febuary Friday 6 March Friday 3 April __________ The Collective: Yorkshire Dance Membership
Finding Yorkshire Dance Yorkshire Dance 3 St Peter’s Buildings St Peter’s Square Leeds LS9 8AH
Yorkshire Dance is in the cultural quarter of Leeds city centre, opposite the BBC building and Leeds College of Music, next to the Northern Ballet / Phoenix Dance Theatre building, over the road from Leeds city bus station and 15 minutes’ walk from the train station. There is limited on-street parking outside Yorkshire Dance, but there are plenty of public car parks within easy walking distance.
Join a thriving new network of dance practitioners, The Collective. For a small annual fee professionals, students and recent graduates receive a huge range of invaluable benefits. - Yorkshire Dance Bulletin - Residency scheme - Invitations to salons and social events - Advice surgeries & coaching - Free Standby Space - Discounts on CPD opportunities & performances - Your profile on the Yorkshire Dance website - Reduced-price rehearsal space - Bursaries - Platform / Scratch Night opportunities - Free equipment hire and much, much more...
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