When last we featured National Dance Company Wales they were performing a piece by Itzik Galili. This time out they are doing a piece by……… ok, it’s Mr Galili again but hey, the guys good so let’s move on.
The company are currently touring ‘Romance Inverse’ by the aforementioned Israeli dance maker and ‘By Singing Light’ crafted by non other than Stephen Petronio, yes, that Stephen Petronio.
Currently, the rep companies are bringing us a greater level of variation in their work and National Dance Company Wales is no exception. ‘Romance Inverse’ is actually an extended adaption of previous work called ‘Six’ which you can see right here on Article19.
‘By Singing Light’ is old school pure movement at its best. No set, no clutter, just movement. The dancers have nothing to hide behind but that’s fine because these dancers don’t need to hide.
The company say this much of the works;
“Dylan Thomas’ poetry uses graceful and powerful words to portray rich, human passion that is sharply spiked with Thomas’ personal doubts and insecurities as an artist. Composer Son Lux used Dylan Thomas’ poems In My Craft or Sullen Art and an extract from Lament together with Mansel Thomas’ mixed choir arrangements of Welsh folksongs, Ar lan y môr and Pe cawn i hon to create the score. These provide a harmonic backbone for the music. “
and
“The work is driven in Part One by the elegant minimalistic music of Steve Reich and in Part Two by Percossa’s new score using marimbas and percussion. The choreography matches the music with a focus in Part One on minimalism, mathematical precision and smooth flow, followed in Part Two by organic, more romantic choreography for the sensual music of Percossa.”
Our video features also bring you an interview with the company’s Artistic Director Ann Sholem along with excerpts from the two works.
‘By Singing Light’ and ‘Romance Inverse’ are performed by Lee Johnston, Eleesha Drennan, Karol Cysewski, Maria Hayday, Yuval Lev, Annabeth Berkeley, Harriet Bone, Gareth Mole, Ygal Tsur, Neus Gil Cortés, Eran Gisin.
Performance filmed at The Dance Lab in Newcastle upon Tyne on Friday May 6th. Check the company’s website for continued touring details.