Hinged is a new contemporary dance company recently formed whose aim is to deliver a story through dance. Choreographer, Taira Foo emphasises “we want our performances to be filmic, so that we can really take the audience on an emotional journey”.

Three Danceworks staff were lucky enough to go on that journey this week at the Place for their piece – The Soloist. We left the theatre having been fully involvedin a heart-wrenching story based on the movie.

“The performance of the Soloist was transporting me into Julliard’s world and its emotional fragility and existence was as if in another universe” felt Cherine.

Though constrained by a running time of 25 minutes, the twelve dancers performing in The Soloist, including our own Sara Dos Santos, did an astonishing job, and with 9 pieces to learn in two weeks, with rarely a stop or breath between the numbers. But, according to Taira, Hinged is a very “physical company”.

Each dancer was very different which really adds to the piece – all individuals each with their own story. Altogether, it makes The Soloist an impressive performance, which touchedthe audience’s heart.

Coming up for Sara now are two new performances;in March, “I have a Dream” and another one, which she keeps on secret in May.We will be there to see her sensational dancingthen. Good Luck!

From Wednesday 1st February to Monday 5th March The Royal Ballet dances The Dream/Song of the Earth, one of its classic double-bills, at the Royal Opera House.

(Photograph: Tristram Kenton for the Observer)

The contrasting combination of Frederick Ashton’s Shakespeare-inspired The Dream and Kenneth Mc Millan’s sombre musings on mortality of Song of the Earth is one of The Royal Ballet’s most traditional and popular stagings. Based on Shakespeare’s famous comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream – the conflict between the fairy king Oberon and his queen Titiana, danced by Steven McRae and Alina Cojocaru, causes the fairy and the mortal world to mingle and plunge into chaos. This is contrasted with Tamara Rojo as the girl who is torn between the hopeful lover, danced by Rupert Pennefather, and Carlos Acosta playing the Messenger of Death, in The Song of the Earth.

(©ROH/Johan Persson 2011)

Adam Pudney, is one of Danceworks’ highly professional, successful and experienced ballet teachers, who’s CV includes dancing in the corps de ballet and as a soloist in the London City Ballet, working with the English National Ballet in Derek Deane’s arena productions of Swan Lake and Romeo & Juliet, Christopher Hampson’s Nutcracker and assisting with the choreography and setup of scenes in Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut. Since 2008 he has offered physically demanding and challenging advanced and professional classes with a twist at Danceworks.

Adam calls the ROH performance “top notch ballet”. He says that this is the level he and his colleagues at Danceworks aspire to reach with their classes for professionals, and that the occasional appearance of famous dancers at Danceworks such as Lauren Cuthbertson from The Royal Ballet are always an inspiration for the dancers in class.

(©Danceworks/Zsolti Szabo 2012)

Good news for dancers at Adam’s and other Danceworks ballet classes is that famous directors and producers such as Peter Mallek, the founder and artistic director of Vienna Festival Ballet, or Peter Schaufuss, former director of the English National Ballet and owner of the Peter Schaufuss Ballet, visit now and then in search of new faces for their companies and productions.

So if you are an advanced or professional ballet dancer looking to get to the level of the “The Dream/Song of the Earth”cast, wanting to work with experienced professionals and even getting a chance to be discovered by famous directors or producers, come and train with Adam and his colleagues’ at Danceworks. (Professional classes: Mo – 11:30/15:00, Tue – 10:00/15:00, Wed – 10:00/11:30/15:00, Thu – 11:30/15:00, Fri – 11:30/15:00, Sat – 11:00).

Spread the word!

From this Saturday 18^th February, for five weeks to Saturday 17^th March, Let’s Dance for Sport Relief returns to BBC One with celebrities such as British skier Eddie ‘The Eagle’ Edwards, The Only Way Is Essex stars Amy Childs & Harry Derbridge, Shooting Stars regulars Angelos Epithemiou & Ulrika Jonsson, comedians Ava Vidal and Terry Alderton, and comic performer and writer Arabella Weir; plus performances from JLS, Will Young, LMFAO, Tinchy Stryder and Pixie Lott.

Danceworks is taking the opportunity to contribute. During the five weeks in which the show is running we will donate £10 of the fee for every new member joining Danceworks, to Sport Relief. So if you’re interested in dance and fitness and want to support a good cause, come round to Danceworks, (opposite Selfridges Clock), and check us out. If you already know us, and have fallen in love with the warm atmosphere, the diversity of dance styles, classes and courses and are thinking about becoming a member of the Danceworks community, this is the time to do it!

2 weeks of pure flamenco

The annual two weeks of top flight Flamenco from some of the world´s
best dancers, singers and musicians starts at  Sadler´s Wells on 7th February.

Flamenco is now popular all over the world and, is taught in many countries. In Japan, for instance, there are more Flamenco academies than in Spain.   However, the origin of flamenco and even the word itself is uncertain.

This popular art is said to have started in Andalucia, but this genre of music, song and   dance is a combination of Arabic, Jewish, Gypsy and Andalusian
roots and Oriental music.

The fundamental stylistic range of Flamenco was first introduced in the early 19th century – the  Golden Age – and,comprises seven different techniques: Seguiriya, Solea, Tangos, Fandango, Cantes Libres, Cantiñas and Bulerias.

Flamenco was originally performed in theatres and later, in opera houses, and it is still developing. In London
next week there will be the opportunity to see some current flamenco masters including: Vicente Amigo, Manuela Carrasco Company, Olga Pinicet, Gerardo Nuñez, Antonio Gadés Company, Rafael Amargo Company, La Shica and José Mercé.

In Danceworks, we run six weekly classes with two great Flamenco teachers, aimed at complete beginners through to professionals. All newcomers are welcome. They are both enthusistic about the Festival:

Maria Vega has developed a brand new dance form – a unique fusion of Flamenco and Spanish dance, with a twist of Jazz. In her view, the Rafael Amargo Company, “is one of the hottest talent performing today”.

Lucia Caruso, has more than twenty years experience of classical flamenco, and prefers the Manuela Carrasco Company performance, and its “virtuosity and profound knowledge” and the Antonio Gades Company with Fuenteoveuna “folk-dance-drama, and beautiful period costumes”.

Both Maria and Lucia agree that the Flamenco Festival is a great opportunity for Danceworks members and dance-lovers to experience this heartfelt, narrative, sexy and athletic dance form.

Got To Dance Series 3 got off to a great start on New Years Day on Sky 1. It’s a competition for a prize of £250,000 judged by Adam Garcia, Kimberly Walsh and Ashley Banjo- all great professional dancers.

From episode 1, watch out for The A Team – individual street dancers who got together especially for the competition, and Chuck – who takes Hip Hop to a new level. And from episode 2, Prodijig Irish dancers are going to be hard to beat.

Last years’ winners, street dancers Chris and Wes, now have their own show currently on Sky 1 – Let’s Do This!
In one episode you can see them rehearsing a new routine in a Danceworks studio, and joined by Ashley Banjo.

Check out their dance tutorials on the programme’s website.

http://sky1.sky.com/sky1hd-shows/got-to-dance-home