News: Dance on the streets
Let’s hope the weather keeps the rain on hold and the temperature maintains a steady simmer for the next couple of weeks – as there’s a fine choice of dance performances to see and events to take part in coming to London’s open spaces.
Big Dance 2010 opens with a welcome and watery splash as Shobana Jeyasingh’s new work for 15 female dancers is set amongst the fountains of the neo- classical courtyard of Somerset House. There will be 12 performances: Thu & Fri 6pm & 7pm; Sat & Sun 12noon, 1pm, 3pm & 4pm.
Dancing City once again uses the stunning backdrops of the public spaces around Canary Wharf for a cornucopia of dance and physical theatre from around the world – including Motionhouse Dance Theatre (who also present previews on Thursday and Friday evenings), a new open air work by Henri Oguike and East London Dance’s major new work – *Bolero Remixed*. Using Ravel’s famous music, Jeanefer Jean-Charles’ choreography uses 100 local dancers, professionals C-12 Dance Theatre, the 52 piece New London Orchestra, with DJ Excalibah amongst others. _*Bolero Remixed* _reflects the spirit of regeneration which characterises East London at the moment. All performances take place between 1pm & 5pm.
After dusk, from 6 to 9 July in Trafalgar Square, you’ll find artist David Michalek’s wonderful – and huge – film installation, *Slow Dancing*. Michalek is married to New York City Ballet star Wendy Whelan, who is one of his subjects, alongside choreographers William Forsythe and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, artistic director of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre Judith Jamison amongst others. _*Slow Dancing* _is pretty much what the title says – a series of 50 larger-than-life, ultra-slow motion video portraits of dancers and choreographers from around the world. Projected on to three giant screens, the portraits are selected randomly to be shown simultaneously, allowing viewers to compare dancers from different styles and different worlds. Their movements viewed in slow motion gives a fascinating insight on the complexity of the simplest gestures, catching details that would normally escape the eye.
Back in the mainstream, there’s the chance to see dance film favourites _*Billy Elliot* _(4 July, Walpole Park, Ealing, W5) and _*Strictly Ballroom* _(5 July, Potters Fields, London Bridge, SE1) al fresco, as part of Big Dance. More details on our film pages
Watch out too for dance in the City of London Festival (running until 9 July), full details in our what’s on pages.
And there’s still time to learn the routine to join the Big World Dance with thousands of others in Trafalgar Square on Saturday 10 July. Find out the where and when on www.danceatlas.org.uk
So that’s our starter selection of open air dance across London. We’ll be extra busy these next few weeks adding more previews, news, reviews, tweets & Facebook, as well as emails, so sign up if you want to hear more from us.