The Place Prize Previews & Semi-Finals 2012
This week sees the return of The Place Prize – the biggest competition in contemporary dance – which offers choreographers the chance to win up to £35,000 of prize money – and audiences the chance to see cutting edge brand new dance. Finalists in the previous four editions of The Place Prize include Rafael Bonachela, Hofesh Shechter and last year’s winners Ben Duke and Raquel Meseguer.
Sixteen new works have been created for this year – with choreographers chosen from over 200 applications. The new works get their first public showings four at a time in preview evenings starting on Thursday 6 September. The competition starts when each bill is repeated in the Semi Finals, starting on Tuesday 18 September. This year’s panel of judges – Roberto Casarotto (International Dance Projects Director, Operaestate Festival Veneto), Sarah Crompton (Arts Editor in Chief, The Daily Telegraph), Jonzi D (Artistic Director, Breakin’ Convention), Siobhan Davies (Artistic Director, Siobhan Davies Dance) and Stine Nilsen (Co-Artistic Director, Candoco Dance Company) will choose three works to go through to the Final, with a fourth work selected by an audience vote which takes place at each Semi Final.
The Finals take place next April, with ten performances in which the finalists compete for an audience decided prize of £1,000 each evening and the overall prize of £25,000.
As usual, the contestants are a diverse bunch, working in a wide range of dance styles. There are familiar faces from prominent companies alongside first time entrants and some competitors in previous Place Prize editions. Whichever preview/semi final you pick, you’re guaranteed to see four brand new works at the cutting edge of choreography – see all four evenings and you’ve got a great overview of what’s going on in UK contemporary dance today.
Find out more about this year’s contestants here:
www.theplaceprize.com
Preview 6 Sept
Semi-Final 1. 15 Sept, 8pm
Moreno Solinas Life Is a Carnival
Riccardo Buscarini Athletes
Tony Adigun The Lake
Joe Moran Obverse
Preview 8 Sept
Semi-Final 2. 18 September, 8pm
Mamoru Iriguchi, One Man Show
Ben Ash, Execute Now
Hanna Gillgren & Heidi Rustgaard Duet
Rick Nodine Dead Gig
Preview 11 Sept
Semi-Final 3. 20 September, 8pm
Nina Kov Copter
Darren Ellis Revolver
Ben Wright A short lived alteration of an existing situation
Neil Paris The Devil’s Mischief
Preview 13 Sept
Semi-Final 4. 22 September, 8pm
Jonathan Goddard & Gemma Nixon Third
Seke Chimitungwende The Time Travel Piece
Robbie Synge Flux
Eva Recacha The Wishing Well
