Tuesday 20th March 2018
Spring is back, and I have been working for DanceWest for an entire year now! It has been a busy one, packed with teaching and learning opportunities, sprinkled with informal performances and theatre trips.
With DanceWest, I have taught and assisted sessions in schools, public libraries, studios, and even at an embassy, with participants from all ages and levels of experience (from mothers and toddlers to DanceWest’s Youth Dance Company).
This spring, I’m proud to support Ignition Dance Festival 2018:
Produced by Hammersmith-based DanceWest, Ignition Dance Festival showcases a vibrant programme from visionary choreographers who have danced for some of the biggest companies in the world. The festival, launching 16 May, will be in the Lyric Hammersmith’s main house and features a special line up of performances to celebrate Ignition’s fifth birthday. DanceWest have commissioned five previous recipients of the festival’s prestigious choreographic bursaries to present work.
The retrospective programme will include works by international artists Salah El Brogy (Akram Khan Company, Protein), Dane Hurst (Rambert Dance, Company Wayne McGregor) Thick & Tight (Tanztheatre Wuppertal Pina Bausch, Gary Clarke Company) Sally Marie (New Adventures, Royal Opera House) Tim Casson (Jasmin Vardimon, Sadlers Wells). The evening will also include announcements and presentation of Ignitions 2018 choreographic commissions recipients who will create new choreography for the Rose Theatre Kingston in June.
Ignition supports community dancers, emerging artists and mid-career choreographers to create new choreography, produced by cutting-edge dance organisation – DanceWest. Chief Executive of DanceWest and Founder of the festival Rosie Whitney – Fish said: ‘From humble beginnings the festival provides thousands of opportunities for dancers and choreographers at every stage of their career. A huge thank you to Arts Council England, London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham and Royal Borough of Kingston for their support’ ‘Ignition is unlike any other festival and is certainly not to be missed,’ added Rosie, who has recently been recognised for her contribution to arts and culture by Hammersmith and Fulham’s Civic Honours.
The festival continues with events throughout the summer including the popular, accessible and family-friendly – Community Dance Platforms for non-professional dancers aged 6-86, giving an opportunity for everyone to present their work in a slick, short programme on stage at the Rose Theatre Kingston and Lyric Hammersmith.
More info on the DanceWest website and on the event’s Facebook page.
As you can imagine, there is a lot of work to do behind the scenes to make this event happen. Rosie is already on it, and I joined her in the office this morning. More soon!
Yanaëlle Ritter 