There is an exciting season of national and international dance ahead for DanceEast as it announces its Autumn 2017 season. There is a fantastic line-up for audiences of all ages, performing a variety of work from both new and familiar faces on Ipswich’s Waterfront at the Jerwood DanceHouse. Internationally recognised dance companies, family friendly shows and new commissions all make up a highly anticipated season.
Autumn will give audiences more chance to witness companies such as National Dance Company Wales and Scottish Dance Theatre as they present work in Ipswich for the very first time, with two-night performances. As a special introductory offer audiences can see both these exciting national companies for just £20, for Saturday night performances booked by 1 September.
The season will officially launch with a new DanceEast collaboration with the Roman River Music Festival. To Be Felt, by choreographer Joseph Toonga, will be staged at the spectacular St Martin’s Church, Colchester. This unique contemporary and hip hop fusion will be accompanied by the charismatic cellist Matthew Sharp playing works by Bach and Britten.
National Dance Company Wales – the country’s flagship company – will present a new triple bill full of character and stunning movement, performed by technically brilliant dancers. With works including that by Artistic Director Caroline Finn, this contemporary collection will inspire audiences with quirky and engaging choreography. You can get even closer to this renowned company by watching class live on stage – perfect for dance students, enthusiasts and photographers, as well as anyone interested in peeking behind the scenes.
Mid-June saw DanceEast shortlisted for One Dance UK’s inaugural Inspirational Work in Education Award, so complementing its work in developing and championing young talent is Joss Arnott Dance, another extended two-night run and a world premiere. DanceEast’s hugely talented Centre for Advanced Training students will perform a 2017 commissioned work, choreographed by Joss Arnott, as a Saturday night curtain-raiser. This will be followed by a gripping programme of athletic and adrenaline-fuelled new work, reinforcing the company as one of the most exciting voices in British dance.
In another fusion of dance styles, Scottish Dance Theatre will bring a double bill to Ipswich, with local dancer Harry Clark as part of the company. Blurring the boundaries between ballet, contemporary and hip hop, choreographer Botis Seva’s TuTuMucky is set to a score of original music by beat producer Torben Lars Sylvest. At the opposite end of the musical spectrum, Belgian-based choreographer Anton Lachky’s Dreamers is a highly physical work set to Bach, Haydn and Chopin, observing the close relationship between reality and surrealism.
The Farm will be journeying from Australia’s Gold Coast to perform at the Jerwood DanceHouse for the first time, thanks to Dance Touring Partnership. Cockfight will be a real treat for audiences, described as a cross between The Office and an Australian style cage-fight. In another £20 offer, The Farm is paired with Avant Garde Dance Company’s Fagin’s Twist, which premiered at the Jerwood DanceHouse in 2016. It seems only fitting to host the final UK performance in Ipswich too. Fagin’s Twist is the untold story of that notorious and complex villain through an unmatched contemporary hip hop style.
DanceEast delves into the digital with former Associate Artist Alexander Whitley’s 8 Minutes, taking on the breath-taking scale of space in this pioneering work. Collaborating with STFC RAL Space scientists at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, 8 Minutes draws inspiration from solar science research, using movement, film and a specially-created score by electroacoustic innovator Daniel Wohl to ignite imaginations. 8 Minutes premieres at Sadler’s Wells in June, so Ipswich will provide an intimate setting for this main stage production.
A season would not be complete without something magical for children; Autumn 2017 will welcome The Buildy-uppy Dance Show from Anatomical, the humorous sequel to Tom Roden and Anna Williams’ The Doodle Dance Show performed at the Jerwood DanceHouse in 2015. This interactive theatrical adventure is the perfect family treat alongside this year’s Christmas show. In a festive exclusive, The Borrowers will preview before it tours in 2018, another ‘see it first at DanceEast’ moment! More contemporary dance, physical theatre and animation will bring this story about tiny people to life.
As well as watching dance, you can get dancing with DanceEast’s Autumn classes, from creative ballet to contemporary technique, Egyptian belly dance to Dance for Dementia. Older movers can connect with National Dance Company Wales in a special workshop, teens can gain a fascinating insight into Avant Garde’s Fagin’s Twist repertoire, and younger dancers can explore The Borrowers through movement, design and music. DanceEast’s work in education is enhanced further by its GCSE workshop for students and teachers, focusing on the AQA GCSE Dance Anthology alongside industry professionals: James Cousins Company and StopGap Dance Company.
DanceEast is a registered charity, funded by Arts Council England, Suffolk County Council, Ipswich Borough Council, and donations from individuals, businesses, trusts and foundations. Thanks to Catalyst: Evolve funding, all donations DanceEast receives before 31 August 2019 will be matched by Arts Council England £1 for £1, doubling their value. There has never been a better time to donate, and contribute to the future of great dance at the Jerwood DanceHouse.
Priority booking for tickets is now on sale for DanceEast’s Friends, Best Friends and Patrons, with general sale opening on Friday 30th June.
To find out more or to book tickets, contact the Box Office team on 01473 295230 or visit danceeast.co.uk.
