Special Brew

Marc Brew - For Now, I am.. from Marc Brew Company on Vimeo.

I have already reviewed two of Marc Brew's choreographic works: Stuck in the Mud by Ballet Cymru and Gloucestershre Dance in An Explosion of Joy 21 Sept 2014 and Exalt by Scottish Ballet and Indepen-Dance 4 in No Mean City - Accessible Dance and Ballet 26 April 2015. But Brew is also a performer and audiences in The Tramway got a glimpse of his talent in a short film that was screened before Exalt. I can't give any details of the film because the credits had disappeared and the artist had rolled onto stage to thunderous applause before I could fish a pen that works out of my handbag. Regrettably there are  no particulars in the cast list.

Never mind! Audiences in Scotland will get a chance to see Brew in For Now I Am which starts in Glasgow on 26 and 27 May 2015 as part of the Dance International Glasgow festival and then proceeds to Cumbernauld on the 28 and Musselburgh on the 29. For those who want to learn something about Brew's previous work there is a short biography on his website.

Brew is based in  Glasgow which is a good place to be for an artist and choreographer but it is a long way form home for audiences in most parts of England and Wales. However he told me on Saturday that he is now working with Ballet Cymru which tours the country quite extensively. I liked Ballet Cymru a lot even before I got this news and now that I have a chance to see more of Brew's work I shall be an even bigger fan of the company. Coincidentally, I was wearing a Ballet Cymru t-shirt when I visited The Tramway on Saturday.

I hope to write a proper appreciation on Brew and his work when I know more about him. Now that I have seen two of his ballets and had short meetings with him in Llandudno and Glasgow I am beginning to understand his art.

DIG this - Marc Brew's Exalt and Hans van Manen's 5 Tangos

DIG stands for Dance International Glasgow which takes place at various venues in Glasgow between 24 April and 5 June 2015. One event that is tempting me North is Scottish Ballet's collaboration with Indepen-dance4 in Marc Brew's Exalt which the two companies will dance as the first part of a double bill at The Tramway on 24 and 25 April 2015. The second part will be Hans van Manen's 5 Tangos which Scottish Ballet last performed in 2012 (see the interview with Mea Venema who teaches van Manen's ballets).

Last September I was lucky enough to meet Brew after Ballet Cymru and Gloucestershire Dance performed his Stuck in the Mud in the streets and on the beaches of Llandudno (see An Explosion of Joy 21 Sept 2014). This was my first experience of inclusive dance and it was one of My Personal Ballet Highlights of 2014 28 Dec 2014. According to its website:

"Indepen-dance is an inclusive dance development company offering creative movement classes to people with diverse abilities, their carers, family members and volunteers. Throughout the year, the company performs work of high artistic quality created in collaboration with professional choreographers and dancers. Indepen-dance enables individuals with diverse abilities to participate in and benefit fully from a high quality arts provision."

Indepen-dance 4 appears to be a group of performers within Indepen-dance consisting of Hayley Earlam, Adam Sloan, Neil Price, and Kelly McCartney.

I have not yet met van Manen but I have twice applauded him the last time being after Visions Fugitives had been performed by the Dutch National Ballet Junior Company on 6 Feb 2015 (see The Dutch National Ballet Junior Company's best Performance yet 8 Feb 2015. He is one of the resident choreographers of the Dutch National Ballet and one of the reasons why I am a Friend of that company. I have admired his work all my life. He is one of the all time greats of ballet.

Scottish Ballet is a very special company of which the whole UK and not just Scotland should be very proud. Its performance of Streetcar Named Desire at Sadler's Wells on 1 April 2015 was magnificent. One of the most remarkable experiences in the theatre ever. Because of its collaboration with Marc Brew and Indepen-dance I am even more impressed with that company,