Pulse

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National Dance Company of Wales Pulse 18 May 2023  19:30 Lawrence Batley Theatre 

The National Dance Company of Wales is Wales's national contemporary dance company.  It is one of three very important institutions at national, level the others being Ballet Cymru which is Wales's classical dance company and Dawnsio, the  Welsh Folk Dance Society.  It is based at the Cardiff Dance House but partners with a number of "priority venues" one of which is the Lawrence Batley Theatre in Huddersfield. The company has visited Huddersfield regularly for many years and I have seen several of its performances there.  When it comes to our theatre it sometimes allows the public to watch its company class and it always holds a Q&A after the show.  By reaching out to its audience in this way it has made a lot of friends here.

The company visited Huddersfield on 18 May 2023 to dance Pulse (or Pwls in Cymraeg).  This was a double bill consisting of Waltz by Marcos Morau and  Say Something by Sarah Goldring and Yukiko Masui.  The cast for both shows were Vito Bintchende, Jill Goh, Niamh Keeling, Mario Manara, Bianca Mikahil, Ed Myhill, Euan Stephen, Faye Tan and Tim Volleman.  These were two very different works.

Waltz started with the dancers enveloped in a black hood with diamante sequins that sparkled in the dim light.   A recording of Sibelius's Valse Triste was played.   Gradually the dancers unfurled and formed some extraordinary shapes of which the most memorable was something that reminded me of the DNA double helix.  Eventually, they separated though their movements were synchronized.  There is a very good video on the work at Waltz by Marcos Moreau and more information on the Waltz page. 

According to the programme notes:

"A haunting waltz plays in the distance. From the ashes a tangle of shining creatures emerge to inhabit a new world. In the chaos and turbulence their only hope is to remain united."

I have to say that was not my interpretation,  Perhaps because I focused on the double helix I thought it was about the origin of life in the primordial soup and the beginning of evolution.   I should have added that the music changed as the piece progressed.   Sibelius was followed by Suspirium by Thom Yorke, Crawler by Holly Herndon and Pneuma by Caterina Barbieri.  I had heard the Sibelius before but not the other works.   The ingeniously designed customers were by Elizabeth Catherine Chiu (Costume Supervisor and Maker) and Danial Thatcher (Maker).  Lighting was designed by Bernat Jansà and programmed by Will Lewis.   

Say Something was a vibrant, exuberant, percussive work with plenty of beatbox sounds.   There were pulses of light and colour.  The video Say Something by Sarah Golding and Yukiko Masui (SAY) describes it far more accurately than I ever could.   The programme notes state: "Say Something explores what it means to 'represent', and the ever-growing expectation to have a voice."  I don't think the piece needed an interpretation.   For me, it was enough to enjoy the kaleidoscope of sound, light, movement and colour.  The music was by MC Zani and Dean Yhnell. Lighting was designed by Joshie Harriette.  The very striking costumes were by George Hampton Wale.

Euan Stephen was part of the panel for the Q&A after the show.  He was asked how long he had been a dancer.  As he was about to answer the gentleman next to me whispered "That's my boy".Euan had danced well in the show so congratulations were in order.  I was able to express my appreciation to him personally as he was standing with his parents as I was leaving the theatre.   It was quite a good Q&A with questions ranging from the rehearsal times for the two productions to the company's work for Dance for Parkinson's about which I had written before.  I was very heartened to learn that the company always tried to include some of its own choreography in its Parkinson's classes.

The day after tghe show I tweeted the following:

Sioe wych yn @theLBT ddoe. Mwynheais i "Waltz" a "Say Something". Hefyd, y Holi ac Ateb. Falch o gwrdd ag Ewan a'i fam a'i dad wedyn. Dwi'n ysgrifennu adolygiad rwan. Gobeithiaf eich gweld yng Nghaerdydd rhyw ddydd.

— Jane Lambert (@nipclaw) May 19, 2023

That means:

"Great show at @theLBT yesterday.  I enjoyed both "Walrz" and "Say Something," Also the Q&A. Pleased to meet Euan's mum and dad.    I'm writing the review now.  Hoping to see you in Cardiff one of these days."

Dance for Parkinson's in the Pontio Centre

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I remember an interview with Tamara Rojo in which she said that one of English National Ballet's achievements of which she was particularly proud were its Dance for Parkinson's class.  I blogged about them in English National Ballet's Appeal for Funds for its Parkinson's Classes on 14 Dec 2014 and I have supported them ever since.

I have recently learnt that the National Dance Company Wales runs Dance for Parkinson's classes at the Pontio Centre in Bangor as well as Blackwood, Cardiff and Wrexham.  The Pontio Centre is an initiative of Bangor University that houses a theatre, cinema, gallery, fabLab, bars and restaurants as well as the dance studio where the classes take place.  I described its importance in How the Pontio Centre and M-SParc complement each other in the Social and Economic Development of Northwest Wales in NIPC Wales on 5 June 2020:

"Like M-SParc, the Pontio Centre is an initiative of Bangor University and they complement each other. While the science park provides facilities for new knowledge-based businesses the Pontio is a venue for the performing arts. Both are essential for the economic and social regeneration of Northwest Wales. The new businesses in or clustering around M-SParc already provide employment for the region's graduates and young professionals. The arts will nourish their minds and spirits."

I have reviewed three shows at the Pontio by Ballet Cymru:  Dylan Thomas – A Child’s Christmas, Poems and Tiger Eggs on 1 Dec 2018, Wired to the Moon, Divided We Stand and Celtic Concerto on 30 Nov 2019 and A Child's Christmas and Terms and Conditions on 2 Dec 2022.

According to the National Dance Company's website classes at the Pontio take place every Tuesday at 13:30 and cost £3.50.  The Centre is on Deiniol Toad not far from the town centre.  There is a car park almost opposite.

The National Dance Company Wales is one of the UK's leading contemporary dance companies.  It is based at the Dancehouse in Cardiff   It is about to take its mixed bill Pulse which will start at the Pontio on 23 March 2023 and will take in London, Derby and Huddersfield as well as venues throughout Wales.  I am looking forward to seeing the show at the Lawrence Batley on 18 May 2023.