Phoenix Dance Theatre

/inter veevos/ adv. & adj.
A gift from one living being to another,
often of different generations.
ORIGIN Latin, "between lives".
[Latin inter vivos : inter, among + vivos,
accusative pl. of vivus, a living being.]

Phoenix Dance Theatre present a new triple bill of fresh dance-theatre and classic contemporary dance works. Featuring choreography by Robert Cohan, Didy Veldman and Darshan Singh Bhuller, the programme represents three decades of dance.

Reviews:
The Independent
The Times
The Yorkshire Post (24 KB, Word)

by Robert Cohan

Phoenix have been granted the rare privilege of staging Forest by Robert Cohan. The timely revival of this beautiful dance classic coincides with celebrations of Cohan’s 80th birthday.
Cohan originally choreographed Forest in 1977 for his own company, London Contemporary Dance Theatre. He drew inspiration from Native American healing dances. He hoped Forest would remove the audiences’ everyday stresses. The movement flows in continuous, dreamlike succession, punctuated by breathtaking displays of strength and physical tension.

“In my mind’s eye, I could see LCDT’s original dancers, and the new Phoenix cast are their honourable heirs – Yann Seabra’s haunting, faunlike solo and beautiful duet with Tiia Ourila the compelling heart of the piece. The audience was transfixed from start to finish.”

David Dougill, Sunday Times, Feb 05

by Darshan Singh Bhuller

Artistic Director, Darshan Singh Bhuller’s new theatrical piece takes us through the madness of Friday night in Anytown, England.

A close collaboration between Darshan and multimedia experts KMA has resulted in a new relationship between live performance and film. The stage is flooded with multimedia projections of a virtual city which provide more than a backdrop to the dancers. KMA’s computer generated graphics respond and react to their movement, in a true integration of technology, theatricality and raw physicality. DJ Max Blessed’s eclectic mixed soundtrack provides the pulse for this exposé of the UK’s binge culture.

“a refreshing and timely new work … a satire on the beastly binge tendencies of Britain’s urban jungle. Street-smart dancing is sandwiched between two transparent screens upon which the digital media specialists KMA work wonders, buoyed by music from DJ Blessed.”

Donald Hutera, The Times, Feb 05

Click here to see a short series of excerpts from Eng-er-land (1MB Quicktime)
Click here to see a short series of excerpts from Eng-er-land (1MB WMV)

by Didy Veldman

The programme is completed by the otherworldly See Blue Through by Didy Veldman. Didy is an ex-Rambert dancer and choreographer. She is best known for creating Carmen for Northern Ballet Theatre. She has worked for many international companies, and originally choreographed See Blue Through for Portugalâs Ballet Gulbenkian

Didyâs inspiration for See Blue Through came from viewing the movement of deep-sea creatures. The piece captures something of the mysteries of underwater life. The sinuous choreography challenges the limitations of the human body. The seven dancers are transformed into undulating creatures that seem suspended in water. Flashes of movement are reflected in an array of mirrors, which evoke the broken surface of the sea.

“Her choreography incorporates the costumes with dancers cradled, foetus-like in sweaters; sleeves pulled out like banners; faces moulded in fabric like masks … a clever, inventive and controlled piece”

Stephanie Ferguson, Yorkshire Post, Feb 05

Click here to see a short series of excerpts from See Blue Through (1MB Quicktime)
Click here to see a short series of excerpts from See Blue Through (1MB WMV)

Photography: Anthony Crickmay