Now we could start of this feature with a withering reference to Edwin Starr's song "War [What Is It Good For?]" but since pretty much nobody will know what we're on about let's move on shall we!

'Five Soldiers' is the latest work from Rosie Kay Dance Company. The piece takes a long hard look at the world of the professional soldier and the personal and psychological issues they face.

The company tell us this much about the work;

"5 SOLDIERS is a timely, controversial, thought provoking and moving exploration of war in modern times.

A dance theatre work with four male and one female dancers, it looks at how the human body is essential to, and used in, warfare. 5 SOLDIERS explores the physical training that prepares you for war, as well as the possible effects on the body, and the injury caused by warfare.

Featuring Kay's trademark intense physicality and athleticism, 5 SOLDIERS weaves a story of physical transformation, helping us understand how soldiers are made and how war affects them."

Our feature includes and interview with the company's director and choreographer and extensive footage from the show itself.

Five soldiers is performed by Tilly Webber, Chris Vahn, Chris Linda, Tomasz Moskal and Michael Spencely with music by Annie Mahtani.

The show is up next at the Jersey Arts Centre on June 3rd and continues touring thereafter, check the company's website for more details.

[ Rosie Kay Dance Company ]

Scottish Dance Theatre, which has nothing to do with reels or ceilidhs and that's the last time we're going to tell you that, is back on tour with a series of new works one of which we bring you, our dear readers, for your viewing pleasure.

'The Life and Times of Girl A' was created for the company by Ben Duke of Lost Dog fame and features a healthy mix of dance (no surprises there), theatre, a little bit of live projection thrown in for good measure and a stand out acting performance from Solene Weinachter.

SDT say this much about their new work;

"Lost Dog's award winning Ben Duke brings his 'highly theatrical and subversively humorous style' (Metro) to his new work for SDT.

A woman is trying to tell us something important about what is happening now. What she needs is a film crew and a financier, what she's got is a stage and some dancers. A piece about moments of crisis both emotional and financial, when all we need is to use less to say more.

Duke's work breaks new ground in his use of improvised performance in exploring emotional states of play at a meeting point between movement and speech."

Also on the current tour is the in house production 'NQR' (not featured), 'In The Middle of the Moment' and 'Drift'. The programme you get to see is dependant on the tour date so check ahead of time.

Next up is the Eden Court Theatre in Inverness on April 15th, complete tour details on the company's website.

Dancers are: James MacGillivray, Toby Fitzgibbons, Ruth Janssen, Jori Kerremans, Naomi Murray, Rocco Vermijs, Solene Weinachter, Natalie Trewinnard, Joan Clevillé, Anna Kaszuba and Matthew Robinson.

[ Company Website ]

We have been featuring Verve, the graduate dance company out of the Northern School of Contemporary Dance in Leeds, for four years now and Verve 10 is here for 2010 with 5 new works and 11 new dancers.

Just in-case you don't know what a graduate company is or does then allow us to explain. Before going out into the wide world of dance the major dance schools thought it would be a good idea to give graduates a good idea what to expect in the professional world. So each of the major schools has their own graduate company.

The only major difference between Verve and a full on professional company is the dancers don't get paid, so when you think about it it's not really that different from the professional world (little bit of politics, keep it up! Ed!)

This year the company have brought in Michael Schumacher (no, not that one the other one), Luis Lara Malvacías, David Zambrano, Laïla Diallo and Kathinka Walter, an eclectic mix, that much is certain.

As ever the dancers are superb and the dance making is varied and challenging. For this feature we bring you an interview with two of the company's dancers, Elisabeth Connor and Lucy Starkey which includes material from the complete rep (video 1). We also have a single feature on 'Draw Your Mind' by Venezuelan dance maker David Zambrano (video 2)

During the tour the company will perform 3-4 of the works for each show so make sure you check beforehand because the choreography you really want to see might not be on.

The next show is on March 13th at Builth Wells, Wyeside Arts Centre touring throughout the year. Check the NSCD website for details.

Verve 10 is perfromed by Robert Goodby, David Michel, Elina Karimaa, Elisabeth Connor, Letty Mitchell, Lucy Starkey, Kassie Starkey, Gemma Riley, Janice Keith, Joelle Greene and Natalie Duffield Moore.

[ NSCD Website ]
[ Verve 09 ]
[ Verve 08 ]
[ Verve 07 ]

[ Watch Interview with dancers Claire Benson and Junior Cunningham ]

What can we say about Motionhouse Dance Theatre that hasn't already been written? Well, probably quite a lot since our book 'Motionhouse The Untold Story, Living The Dream with Very Little Cash' couldn't find a publisher.

Having previously toured the country with works involving scaffolding ('Volatile'), mountains of sand ('Perfect'), too many objects for words ('Driven') and huge diggers ('Road to the Beach') the company have decided to make things easy for themselves this time out by touring with a giant half pipe ramp made out of fibre glass!

'Scattered' is all about water which thankfully remains mostly virtual and there are no silly 'Flashdance' moments to be seen.

The aforementioned ramp also acts as a projection screen for numerous motion graphics all with a water theme. When all goes well (which is 99% of the time) the dancers interact with said graphics to good effect.

Motionhouse say this much of 'Scattered';

"Scattered combines Motionhouse's trademark highly physical dance theatre and mesmerizing aerial imagery with film and graphics, to create a unique visual performance event. Performed on a huge curved floor (think of a half pipe), which disappears skywards upstage, Scattered uses projection technology to create a world in which the dancers move in, on and through the image.

Scattered delves into the majesty and savagery of water, a fundamental force in our lives as seven dancers plunge into an ocean, tumble down a waterfall, gasp with thirst under a scorching sun and slide on an avalanche to a frozen landscape of arctic beauty.

In Scattered Motionhouse are creating a startling interaction between film and live performance, where dancers glide in the air or rapidly move around the space using aerial silks and harnesses."

The work continues touring throughout the year alongside its smaller, more portable, little brother entitled 'Underground'. Check the company's website for touring information.

'Scattered' is performed by Junior Cunningham, Phillip Stummer, Claire Benson, Olivia Quayle, Alistair Stewart, Laura Peña Nuñez and Giorgio de Carolis with music by Sophy Smith and Tim Dickinson.

[ Motionhouse Website ]
[ 'Scattered preview on Article19 ]

When last we featured the work of Arthur Pita it was wrapped in the cloak that was Bare Bones Dance Company with the '5 Man Show'. This time out Mr Pita has cut loose with a full evenings work entitled 'God's Garden'.

Based on the biblical parable 'The Prodigal Son' (or the 'Lost Son') this work brings that story into a more modern era with a few twists, some live music, comedy and a light seasoning of Portuguese heritage (Arthur Pita is Portuguese).

The man himself explains the proceeding far better than we can in our interview with him (video 1) and you can catch a nice slice of the work itself in Video 2, just get clicking above.

In terms of press speak we have this much;

"Arthur Pita's new full-length work, God's Garden (based on the parable of The Prodigal Son) brings to life the intensity and drama of rustic village life through dance theatre, live fado music, design by designer Jean-Marc Puissant and a cast whose ages range from 26 to 82!

Set high on a hill looking over the sea lies the magnificent village of Porto Moniz, Madeira. The golden boy of the Costa family flees on his wedding day, jilting his faithful bride in order to sow his wild oats. However, when the prodigal son returns, there is much for his family to celebrate....and though the jilted bride's tears water a hungry garden, a wronged woman must take her revenge!"

'God's Garden' is performed by Diana Payne-Myers, Jose Manuel Figueira, Lorena Randi, Nuno Silva and Valentina Golfieri with live music by Phil King.

The work takes to the stage next at the Linbury Theatre, Royal Opera House in London on February 11-13 and continues touring throughout the year. Check the company's website for details.

[ Arthur Pita Website ]

Something a little bit different here in the shape of Finnish dancer and choreographer Tero Saarinen with the re-staging of a work by Carolyn Carlson from the 1980's.

If you're a dance student and you shudder at the thought of performing a solo for a few minutes in front of your teachers or your class then spare a thought for Mr Saarinen who takes to the stage for no less than seventy minutes all on his own for this piece.

The work was originally a solo for a female dancer but in the spirit of experimentation Ms Carlson has handed the work to Mr Saarinen who runs his own company in Helsinki.

The company have this much to say about the work;

"Carolyn Carlson's legendary solo Blue Lady (1983), has touched thousands of spectators around the world with it's unforgettable images. It is a fascinating gallery of female portraits spanning the space of one life - a tribute to maternity and mysterious Venice.

Today the solo is being handed on to Tero Saarinen, the charismatic Finnish choreographer and dancer. Blue Lady [Revisited] offers precious, radiant moments that touch the soul and remain imprinted on the heart. The premiere of this version received standing ovations in Lyon last autumn."

Our feature includes an interview with Terro Saarinen as well as material from the work itself performed as part of the Coda Dance Festival in Oslo, Norway in October last year.

'Blue Lady' [revisited] is performed by Tero Saarinen with music by René Aubry. The work continues to tour throughout this year across Europe. Check the company's website for details.

[ Tero Saarinen Company ]
[ CCN ]

Retina Dance Company return to Article19 for the third time with their new show 'Antipode' . The company is also celebrating their 15th anniversary this year which is a really long time in this business that we call show (who calls it that? Ed!)

'Antipode' itself is performed by 5 male dancers and explores the themes of "polar opposites" which is, in fact, what the word antipode actually means! This work also comes with live music composed and performed by Joris Vanvinckenroye who plays a mean double bass.

The company have this much to say about the work;

"Antipode takes its initiation from innate polar opposites in and around the human body. As human beings we are constantly being challenged by opposition, even verticality commits us to engage with gravity, significance, magnitude and energy. How do we counteract the force of gravity and how do we survive in a world of other people and objects, in an unmistakable web and game of opposites?

The five individuals share the same stage but are on their own journey, with no shared goals and no fear, challenging their own physicality. They collide, caress, fight, play and reject as they stampede along their own pathway. Quirky solos interrupt feisty duets and athletic group work."

Included in our feature is an interview with Belgian dance maker and company AD Filip Van Huffel where we cover such topics as being Belgian, working with live music and why we, here in TheLab™ were not invited to the 15th anniversary party! (you had better not have asked him that! Ed!)

'Antipode' is performed by Robert Guy, Steven Martin, Matthew Slater and Brian Tjon Tjauw Liem with music by Joris Vanvinckenroye.

The work continues touring throughout this year so check the company's web site for further details.

[ Retina Website ]
[ Eleven Stories for the Body on Article19 ]
[ This is Not a Body on Article19 ]

Article19's second feature from the October dance festival that was Coda in Norway features dance maker Cristina Caprioli and company (ccap) with 'Cicadaremix', a word that is surprisingly difficult to remember how to spell!

The Swedish dance company (a first on Article19) brings us a deliberate and relentless display of neo-classical shenanigans. Mixing together contemporary and classical dancers, a dangerous business at the best of times, with some off the wall music for 55 minutes of pure dance.

No plot, no story and no set. Just movement, music and top notch dancers, that's the way we like it here in TheLab™

The company has this much to say about their work

" green dresses and grey out-fits, dancers in line, dancers across. dancing straight forward and in between, by2, by3, by4. glitch, loops and edges, modulation of tone, dissonance, ruffles, and virtuosity. point-work thrills and bare-footed groove, cicadaremix brings classical ballet dancers together with ccap's contemporary dancers in a jointed stylistic extravagance."

'Cicadaremix' is performed by Agnieszka Dlugoszewska, Katarina Eriksson, Annika Hyvärinen, Johanna Klint, Rafael Sady, Eytan Sivak and Kristine Slettevold with music by Alva Noto, Kevin Volans and Pixel.

The company are still plotting their next moves (pun very much intended) for 2010 but you can follow their tour plans via the company website which is in English just in-case your Swedish is not quite up to speed!

[ Company Website ]

It has been more than 3 years since we last featured the goings on at one of Norway's brightest dance companies. With their latest touring efforts we have 'Private Rite' (video 1) from Canadian dancesmith Hélène Blackburn and 'WeFiction' (video 2) created by the company.

With Panta Rei we have a company that's all about the movement and custom built music, provided by Nathaniel Reed. Yes we have some themes and variations, and adorable mini-pianos in Ms Blackburn's work that reminded us of Schroeder from 'Peanuts' but Panta Rei is old school and we, here in TheLab™, like that!

The company have this much to say about their work;

"Dette er en koreografi som har vokst fram i nær dialog med danserne. Nyskapte toner med inspirasjon fra norsk folkemusikk kommer fra England, gjennom Nathaniel Reeds spesialskrevne musikk. I denne energiske og vakre forestillingen møter vi tre dansere som byr på seg selv og fører minner fra sine egne liv inn i koreografien."

"Forestillingen er koreografert av en av Canadas fremste og mest anerkjente koreografer, Hélène Blackburn. Hun har laget en stram, men samtidig en humoristisk og underholdende forestilling som inneholder overraskende elementer. Publikum får være med på en reise inn i dansernes daglige ritualer ? en evig søken etter den perfekte forestillingen."

Right about now you're wishing you had paid a lot more attention in those Norwegian classes at school right?

We're all in Europe kids so let's get used to it! The premiere of these two works took place on October 22nd at the Coda Dance Festival in Oslo, Norway.

Panta Rei will be touring throughout the new year, check their website for details (including international dates).

'WeFiction' and 'Private Rite' are performed by Garry Tomlinson, Julie Drønen Ekornes and Silje Bævre Lian with music by Nathaniel Reed.

[ Panta Rei Website ]

Disclosure: Article19 was responsible for creating multi media work for Panta Rei and Coda

Pair Dance, helmed by dancer/choreographer Harriet Macauley and soundsmith Richard Leonard, last appeared on Article19 about eighteen months ago with the superbly crafted 'Silent Steps' one of the highlights of the Big Mission festival.

That particular work is soon to be retired but the company have two new pieces in the pipeline for future touring. A solo entitled 'Insideout' (video 1) performed by Ms Macauley and a work in progress called 'Rush'(video 2), a trio, for three dancers.............. (you're fired! Ed!)

'Insideout', the solo for one dancer (stop it! Ed!), was created in the frozen wasteland of Edmonton in Canada earlier this year when Ms Macauley was a visiting artist. Ok, so it's not a wasteland but it is frozen, literally!

'Rush', the trio (don't do it! Ed!) is a work in progress, for the moment, but will grow over the coming months into a full blown piece of work. The company have this much to say about it;

"In the evocation of commuter chaos, garbled speech cloaks movement with contextual explanation. Confined labours take on the realism of a packed tube at rush hour. The distinctive, collaborative style was celebrated by an invitation to premier this new work at the John Ryan Theatre, New York as part of Wave Rising Series. Created with the support of Swindon Dance and performed at the Siobhan Davis Dance Studio."

Touring is over for the moment but the company will be back in the new year. Keep an eye on their website for more details.

Dancers for 'Rush' are Luke Birch, Vanessa Abreu, Karolina Kraczkowska. Sound design by Richard Leonard.

[ Pair Website ]

ACE Dance and Music return to Article19 with their brand new touring works 'Switch' created by the in house AD Gail Parmel and the company's dancers and 'Listen' crafted by Douglas Thorpe of Mad Dog's fame.

What we have here is a striking mix of well crafted movement and some animated background visuals that really do work without causing the poor audience to seek medical treatment upon leaving the theatre.

Each work covers a very different theme from the pure movement aesthetic of 'Switch' [Video 1] to the effects of conflict on the human mind in 'Listen' [Video 2].

The company says of these works;

"Switch draws inspiration from ancient practices and their relevance to our lives now. Dancing from the heart, ACE will pull energy from its oldest, purest source and transform it into something fresh, new and pulsating - flipping on its head the notion of tradition and the ancient.

Set in a black and white space, this is an exciting new collaborative work by ACE's directors Gail and Ian Parmel with choreographers Douglas Thorpe (ex Phoenix Dance Company) and Andile Sotiya. Switch promises to be an exciting blend of sophisticated dance, music and visuals, accompanied by a robust and agile cast of six international and UK based dancers."

'Switch' bows next at The Civic Theatre, Barnsley on the 16th and 17th of October and continues touring nationally for some time. Check the company's website for more details.

Dancers: Sade Alleyne, Anna Finkel, Theo Lowe, Yu Yu Rau, Stephen Wright, Elena Zaino and Laura Vanhulle. Music by Ian Parmel with Peter Maxwell, Junior Wollocks and Benjamin George.

[ ACE Company Website ]

MK Raw is back for 2009 and once again we have a collection of three strong works from those crazy kids at the annual youth dance program right here on Article19 in miniaturised video form.

Lest you be unfamiliar with the goings on in England's darkest city let us enlighten you. Some 50 or so young dancers gather in Milton Keynes and spend 10 days working with professional dance makers on three distinct styles of dance. You only get to play in one group though, either Jazz, Contemporary or Street.

Each year there is a theme running through the work and this time out it was "Why do I dance" or words to that effect.

Following the 10 day stretch a performance is given at the vast Milton Keynes Theatre and the rest, as they always say, is history.

For three years in a row we reckon MK Raw is by far the best youth dance project around simply because they produce great work, full stop. If it's not about that dear readers then, we ask you, what is it about?

Choreographers for MK Raw are Nikki O'Hara, Helen Parlor and Andy Instone on Jazz, Contemporary and Street respectively.

Dancers Jazz: Joe Barlow, Gabriella Bolino, Francesca Buckland, Megan Burbridge, Rebecca Burbridge, Anthony Cragg, Gemma Cross, Samantha Fox, Hannah Gillet, Lillia Gilliland, Eve Gilliland, Rebecca Landy, Amy O'Brien, Hayley Parker, Loren Payne, Emma Prowse, Emma Rice, Jess Sauvarin, Hannah Shackell, Abi Smith, Laura Troiano and Katy Woodley.

Dancers Contemporary: Rosie Algar, Naomi Allen, Evie Aspirall, Phoebe Barber, Hannah Bitcliffe, Joshua Buckham, Farrell Cox, Sam Frizzell, Katherine Godfrey, HArry Gough, Danielle Hahn, Olivia Hannah, Jennie Harris, Katie Harris, Amy Hutchinson, Natasha Kennedy, Rebecca King, Money McGee, Ramzan Miah, Poppy Moroz, Samantha Rossiter, Tamar Spencer, Aimee Vivan, Pippa Ward, Emily Ward and Dewi Witcombe.

Dancers Street: Omatola Awoiobi, Robyn Bevan, Rachele Carr, Stephanie Carr, Lauren Carter, Nikki Coard, Fern Crosbie, Montana Darby, Renoire Da'Silva, Jonathon Davies, Kim Harper, Gina James, Rahemm James, Jaron Johnson, Ed Jones, Robyn Lambert, Robbie Lasenby, Sarah Massey, Michael Naylor, Rocky Nti, Chloe Richardson, Ashley Shackell, Iniyemi Shittu, Fiona Silverthorne, Jade Smart, Abbey Taylor and James Wright.

Continuing the theme of "it's all gone a bit Norwegian" Scottish Dance Theatre's latest work 'A Visitation' was crafted for the company by Norwegian dance maker Christel Johannessen.

This work is a bit of departure for SDT, but not that much of a departure, as the company meanders into the world of storytelling with ghosts, mannequins and all manner of strange goings on. It's all a bit spooky!

Here in TheLab™ we reckon this work would look a treat filmed in an old Scottish castle on halloween with thunderous local weather brought in for added effect.

SDT say of this work;

"A Visitation is the first commission for SDT from Ina Christel Johannessen, one of the most influential and inspiring creative forces in Norwegian contemporary dance.

The work is inspired by the vivid descriptive writing of Bruno Schultz and The Street of Crocodiles, a collection of his short stories and realised in collaboration with designer, Kathrine Tolo, drawing on the interior designs of Rennie Mackintosh. A Visitation features 5 wooden mannequins, 5 ghosts and 5 people in a lost and forgotten room. Haunting work: literally."

So there you have it. We were planning an on camera interview with the company's AD, Janet Smith, but time constraints meant that couldn't happen unfortunately. Maybe next time!

Dancers for 'A Visitation' are : Toby Fitzgibbons, Ruth Janssen, Jori Kerremans, Naomi Murray, Rocco Vermijs, Solene Weinachter, Natalie Trewinnard, Anna Kszuba, Mathew Robinson and Joan Clevillé.

SDT will be performing the work in Edinburgh at Zoo Southside until August 30th with touring to follow. Check their website for more details

[ Scottish Dance Theatre ]

We have seen, many times, an attempt to fuse together street/break dancing and contemporary work into a recognisable show. Most of the time it fails for one reason or another, has 2Faced Dance figured out the magic formula?

The all male dance company, helmed by Tamsin Fitzgerald, has brough 'Still Breathing' to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The Zoo Southside, competing with DanceBase and the Traverse for the home of dance shows in Edinburgh, is the venue for the show.

2Faced began ten years ago with professional status coming along in 2004 and true to their claim 'Still Breathing' is a mix of forms and we have to say, here in TheLab™, that it works a lot better than most, mainly because the dancers are top drawer.

Also on the "Spooky but True" front; The company is based in Hereford, England, the home of the SAS! Coincidence?

They say of this work;

"STILL BREATHING will break new ground for visceral contemporary dance company 2FaCeD DaNcE and pioneering Artistic Director Tamsin Fitzgerald, whose original juxtaposition of contemporary and street dance has won acclaim across the nation.

Playing Edinburgh's top dance venue at Zoo Southside from 7th-31st August 2009, the show is sharper, sexier and more soulful show than ever before, promising new heights for the company's legacy of critically acclaimed Edinburgh sell-outs."

Dancers: Johnny Autin, Nathan French, Dan Lowenstein, Mathew Chambers, Taylor Benjamin, Robby Graham and Jake Nwongu

'Still Breathing' is running at the Zoo Southside in Edinburgh until August 31st then touring around the country. Check the company's website for details.

[ 2Faced Website ]

As promised we have a preview feature for you from Motionhouse Dance Theatre and their ongoing rehearsals for their brand new work 'Scattered' which will premiere in October.

Just like we told you in our photo feature early last month the work features a giant ramp, placed at the back of the stage, as well as bungee assisted slings that pull the dancers up and down said ramp whether they like or not.

Our feature includes an interview with the company's Artistic Director, Kevin Finnan and three of the company's dancer, Laura Pena Nunez, Junior Cunningham and Philipp Stummer. During the interview they discuss the work, its challenges and how it will evolve during MDT's very long tour.

The company say of this work:

"Scattered combines Motionhouse's trademark highly physical dance theatre and mesmerizing aerial imagery with film and graphics, to create a unique visual performance event. Performed on a huge curved floor, which disappears skywards upstage, Scattered uses multiple projection technology to create a world in which the dancers move in, on and through the image.

Scattered delves into the beauty and absurdity of water in different elements. Seven dancers dive into a moving stream, wrestle a raging tide and slide on an avalanche to a frozen landscape of arctic beauty."

The dancers for 'Scattered' are: Luara Pena Nunez, Philipp Stummer, Junior Cunningham, Olivia Quayle, Fernando Pasquini, Claire Benson and Alasdair Stewart

'Scattered' bows on October 2nd at Warwick Arts Centre then goes on to tour nationally, probably until the end of time!

[ 'Scattered' Photo Feature]
[ 'Prefect' on Article19 ]
[ 'Volatile' on Article19 ]