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10th December 2018

National Centre for Circus Arts | Circus Arts | Film & Television | Performances and Exhibitions | Students

National Centre students feature in BBC Four’s Daredevils and Divas: A Night at the Circus

National Centre for Circus Arts students featured in BBC Four’s Daredevils and Divas: A Night at the Circus, which was broadcast on Sunday 9 December. The programme celebrates the 250th birthday of modern circus, and showcases the very best of British circus through a series of lavishly filmed, spectacular live performances. The programme featured student […]

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National Centre for Circus Arts students featured in BBC Four’s Daredevils and Divas: A Night at the Circus, which was broadcast on Sunday 9 December. The programme celebrates the 250th birthday of modern circus, and showcases the very best of British circus through a series of lavishly filmed, spectacular live performances.

The programme featured student aerialists Leanne Thompson and Holly Downey performing in their BA (Hons) Degree Ensemble Show, Even The Stones, directed by Ockham’s Razor.

Also featured is National Centre graduate Luke Hallgarten, performing a Fire Juggling act in Lexicon with leading contemporary circus arts company NoFit State.

You can catch up on Daredevils and Divas on BBC iPlayer here.

The full performance of Even The Stones is available to watch on the National Centre’s YouTube channel:

 

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10th December 2018

BOVTS | Drama | Alumni | Film & Television

BOVTS alumna Olivia Colman nominated for Golden Globe for The Favourite

Congratulations to Bristol Old Vic Theatre School alumna Olivia Colman, who is shortlisted for Best Actress – Musical or Comedy in the 76th Golden Globe Awards nominations. Colman received the nomination for the role of Queen Anne in The Favourite, a historical comedy-drama. The Favourite had its world premiere at the 75th Venice International Film […]

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Congratulations to Bristol Old Vic Theatre School alumna Olivia Colman, who is shortlisted for Best Actress – Musical or Comedy in the 76th Golden Globe Awards nominations. Colman received the nomination for the role of Queen Anne in The Favourite, a historical comedy-drama.

The Favourite had its world premiere at the 75th Venice International Film Festival on 30 August 2018, where it won two awards: the Grand Jury Prize and the Volpi Cup for Best Actress for Colman. It will be released in cinemas in the UK from 1 January 2019.

Take a look at the trailer here:

The Golden Globe Awards will be presented at a ceremony on Sunday 6 January 2019.

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5th December 2018

BOVTS | Drama | Alumni | Awards

BOVTS alumni Adrian Scarborough and Michelle Fox nominated for WhatsOnStage Awards

Congratulations to Bristol Old Vic Theatre School alumni Adrian Scarborough and Michelle Fox who have been shortlisted for this year’s WhatsOnStage Awards. This will be the 19th year of the awards, which are voted for by audiences. Adrian Scarborough is nominated for Best Supporting Actor in a Play for his role in The Madness of […]

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Congratulations to Bristol Old Vic Theatre School alumni Adrian Scarborough and Michelle Fox who have been shortlisted for this year’s WhatsOnStage Awards. This will be the 19th year of the awards, which are voted for by audiences.

Adrian Scarborough is nominated for Best Supporting Actor in a Play for his role in The Madness of King George III, which is also nominated for Best Play Revival.

Michelle Fox is nominated for Best Supporting Actress in a Play for her role in Translations.

The Awards concert will take place on 3 March 2019 at the Prince of Wales Theatre. For the full list of nominations, visit the WhatsOnStage website.

 

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4th December 2018

NSCD | Dance | Alumni | Film & Television

NSCD alumni Company Chameleon feature in BBC Two’s Dancing to Happiness with Darcey Bussell

Company Chameleon, founded by Northern School of Contemporary Dance alumni Kevin Edward Turner and Anthony Missen, featured in a new BBC Two documentary with Dame Darcey Bussell which was broadcast last Saturday 1 December. The one-off documentary titled ‘Darcey Bussell: Dancing to Happiness’ and directed by Pamela Gordon, investigates why dance, more than any other […]

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Company Chameleon, founded by Northern School of Contemporary Dance alumni Kevin Edward Turner and Anthony Missen, featured in a new BBC Two documentary with Dame Darcey Bussell which was broadcast last Saturday 1 December.

The one-off documentary titled ‘Darcey Bussell: Dancing to Happiness’ and directed by Pamela Gordon, investigates why dance, more than any other form of exercise, has such a positive effect on mood and behaviour.

In her quest for answers, Darcey visits Company Chameleon and follows Kevin Edward Turner as he leads a series of workshops with young people from mental health charity, 42nd Street.

Kevin said, “I’m a great believer in the power of dance, as I know how it has helped me in my life, specifically in relation to my own experience with bi-polar disorder. In this project with 42nd Street, young people who are struggling with their mental health, were given the space and opportunity to explore their own challenges and feelings through dance and movement.

Over six-weeks of workshops, Darcey came in and observed the project and the creative process as it unfolded. She questioned me and the young people, commented on the process and gave her feedback and some really lovely insights to the group. She was full of curiosity and respect and her presence created a positive energy in the room.”

You can watch the programme on BBC iPlayer here.

 

[Image: Company Chameleon Co-Artistic Director Kevin Edward Turner and Darcey Bussell]

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4th December 2018

LCDS | NSCD | Rambert School | Dance | Alumni | Awards

Dance alumni nominated for 19th National Dance Awards

The nominations for the 19th National Dance Awards have been announced, and Conservatoire alumni are nominated across six categories. The National Dance Awards have been organised by the Dance Section of the Critics’ Circle in each year of this millennium to celebrate the vigour and variety of Britain’s thriving dance culture. They are presented by […]

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The nominations for the 19th National Dance Awards have been announced, and Conservatoire alumni are nominated across six categories.

The National Dance Awards have been organised by the Dance Section of the Critics’ Circle in each year of this millennium to celebrate the vigour and variety of Britain’s thriving dance culture. They are presented by the Dance Section of the Critics’ Circle, which brings together over 60 dance writers and critics.   They are the only awards given by the body of professional dance critics in the UK.

NSCD alumnus Akram Khan has been nominated in three categories: the Dancing Times Award for Best Male Dancer, Best Modern Choreography for ‘Xenos’ for Akram Khan Company, and Outstanding Male Modern Performance, also for ‘Xenos’.

LCDS alumnus Ben Duke‘s Lost Dog is nominated for Best Independent Company. Ben Duke is also nominated for Best Modern Choreography for ‘Goat’ for Rambert dance company.

Vanessa Vince-Pang (Rambert School) is nominated for the Emerging Artist Award as a Dancer with Phoenix Dance Theatre.

Eleanor Duval (Rambert School) is nominated for Outstanding Female Modern Performance for her role as Lady Macbeth in ‘Macbeth’ with Mark Bruce Company.

Solène Weinachter (LCDS) is nominated for Outstanding Female Modern Performance for her role as Juliet in ‘Juliet and Romeo’ with Lost Dog.

Also in the Outstanding Female Modern Performance category, Vidya Patel is nominated for her role in ‘The Troth’, choreographed by NSCD alumnus Gary Clarke.

Jonathan Goddard (Rambert School) is nominated for Outstanding Male Modern Performance for his role as Macbeth with Mark Bruce Company.

Dickson Mbi (LCDS) is nominated for Outstanding Male Modern Performance for his role in ‘maliphantworks2’ for Russell Maliphant Company.

The winners will be announced at a lunchtime ceremony to be held in Central London on Monday 18 February 2019. You can find the full list of nominations here.

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1st December 2018

BOVTS | Central School of Ballet | LCDS | National Centre for Circus Arts | NSCD | Rambert School | Dance | Alumni | Performances and Exhibitions

Alumni round-up – December 2018

Company Chameleon – NSCD graduates Kevin Edward Turner and Anthony Missen – feature in BBC Two documentary Dancing to Happiness with Darcey Bussell, airing Saturday 1 December at 9pm. Dan Starkey (BOVTS) features in The Night Before Christmas at Southwark Playhouse, 28 November – 29 December. Katherine Coles (BOVTS) is Assistant Stage Manager for A […]

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Company Chameleon – NSCD graduates Kevin Edward Turner and Anthony Missen – feature in BBC Two documentary Dancing to Happiness with Darcey Bussell, airing Saturday 1 December at 9pm.

Dan Starkey (BOVTS) features in The Night Before Christmas at Southwark Playhouse, 28 November – 29 December.

Katherine Coles (BOVTS) is Assistant Stage Manager for A Christmas Carol at Bristol Old Vic Theatre, 29 November – 13 January. George Readshaw and Beau Holland (BOVTS) feature in the cast.

Bonnie Baddoo (BOVTS) features in Wendy and Peter Pan at The Lyceum, playing 29 November – 5 January.

Kristina and Sadé Alleyne (NSCD) are touring in Belgium this month as part of Ultima Vez’s latest production TrapTown.

Umanoove and Didy Veldman tour The Knot to Malvern Theatre on 1 December and Baltoppen, Copenhagen on 4 – 5 December, with dancers Dane Hurst (Rambert, Central) and Jacob Lang (Rambert).

Clive Hayward (BOVTS) features in the RSC’s A Christmas Carol, playing at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, 4 December – 20 January.

Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake comes to Sadlers Wells from 4 December – 27 January. The cast features dancers Dominic North, Nicole Kabera, Katrina Lyndon, Michaela Guibarra, Milwhynne Williams, Tom Broderick (Central), Harry Ondrak-Wright (LCDS), Stan West (NSCD), Liam Mower, Jonathan Luke Baker, Megan Cameron, Bryony Harrison and Nicholas Keegan (Rambert School).

Katherine Farmer (BOVTS) is Director for South Pacific at the Rubicon Theatre, Ventura in California, 5 – 23 December.

Bob Crowley (BOVTS) is Designer for The Inheritance, now playing at the Noel Coward Theatre until 19 January. Michael Marcus (BOVTS) features in the cast.

Holly Tilt (BOVTS) is Assistant Stage Manager for Irving Berlin’s White Christmas at the Curve Theatre Leicester from 6 December.

Rosy McEwen (BOVTS) features in the RSC’s Timon of Athens at the Swan Theatre, 7 December – 22 February.

Rudolphe Mdlongwa (BOVTS) features in The Convert at the Young Vic, 7 December – 19 January.

Scottish Ballet present Cinderella at Festival Theatre Edinburgh from 8 December. The company features dancers Thomas Edwards, Jamiel Lawrence, Aisling Branagan, Amy McEntee and Rishan Benjamin (Central School of Ballet).

Mimbre Artistic Directors and National Centre for Circus Arts graduates Silvia Fratelli and Emma Norin present Fierce Sisters at Shakespeare’s New Place, Stratford-upon-Avon, 11 – 15 December.

English National Ballet present Nutcracker at the London Coliseum from 13 – 30 December. The company features dancer Sarah Kundi (Central).

Living Room Circus (National Centre for Circus Arts) present The Penguin and I at the Shelley Theatre, Boscombe, from 19 – 23 December.

 

[Image: Umanoove in The Knot (dancers: Sara Harton and Dane Hurst) Photo Chris Nash]

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27th November 2018

Central School of Ballet | LCDS | NSCD | Rambert School | Dance | Alumni | Students

Students and graduates join cast of Matthew Bourne’s Romeo & Juliet

New Adventures has announced the full cast for Matthew Bourne’s Romeo and Juliet, with CDD school students and graduates among the company and the Young Cast. LCDS alumna Etta Murfitt is Associate Artistic Director for the production. Romeo and Juliet is a passionate and contemporary re-imagining of Shakespeare’s classic love story. Confined against their will […]

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New Adventures has announced the full cast for Matthew Bourne’s Romeo and Juliet, with CDD school students and graduates among the company and the Young Cast. LCDS alumna Etta Murfitt is Associate Artistic Director for the production.

Romeo and Juliet is a passionate and contemporary re-imagining of Shakespeare’s classic love story. Confined against their will by a society that seeks to divide, the two young lovers must follow their hearts as they risk everything to be together.

As previously announced, the title roles will be played by eight rising stars, including graduates Bryony Harrison (Rambert), Andrew Monaghan (Central) and Seren Williams (Central).

Joining the main cast are Roisin Whelan (NSCD), Sharon Mackenzie (Rambert, NSCD), Gaby Conn, Hannah Mason (LCDS), Reece Causton, Kate Lyons, Stephen Murray, Danny Reubens, Mark Samaras (Central), Monique Jonas, Chris Thomas (Rambert), and current third year students Alexander Fadayiro (Central) and Jana Baldovino (Rambert).

As part of New Adventures’ ambition to support the next generation of on-stage talent, six Young Cast members at each venue will also perform alongside the New Adventures company. This unique opportunity will nurture and develop young talent with a view to them embarking on a career in dance. The following students will join the Young Cast on tour:

Curve Theatre Leicester ( –

Megan Ferguson (Rambert Year 3)

Alhambra Theatre, Bradford ( – )

Pattarapong Chomchan (NSCD BA1)
Bethany Curry (NSCD BA2)

Royal & Derngate, Northampton ( – )

Alanah Corbridge (NSCD Access)
Karishma Young (Rambert Year 2)

Theatre Royal Plymouth ( –

James Knott – (Rambert Year 1)

The Lowry ( – )

Orla Collier (Rambert Year 2)

Wales Millennium Centre ( – )

Llewlyn Brown (Rambert Year 1)
Berwyn Cooper (Rambert Year 1)

Sadler’s Wells Cast One (7-18 Aug 2019)

Dan Baines (Rambert Year 2)
Janacek Wood (Rambert Year 1)

Sadler’s Wells Cast Two (21-31 Aug 2019)

Alexandra De La Bastide (Rambert Year 1)
Matthew Rawcliffe (Rambert Year 2)
Cleo Rose (Rambert Year 2)

Theatre Royal Norwich ( – )

Jack Richardson (NSCD BA2)
Isis Clunie (LCDS)
Freya Brown (Rambert Year 2)

Newcastle Theatre Royal ( – )

Andrew Scott (LCDS)

This production is not only supportive of onstage talent but also off-stage, with Rambert alumna Arielle Smith taking on the role of Young Associate Choreographer. Of Arielle Matthew Bourne said, ‘I’m particularly happy to be working alongside my Young Associate Choreographer Arielle Smith, an exceptional young dancemaker of great maturity and vision. In turn, after 30 years as a professional choreographer, I look forward to being refreshed and inspired by what this team of young artists will bring to Shakespeare’s classic tale’.

Find out more about the tour which opens at the Leicester Curve in May 2019 here.

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27th November 2018

NSCD | Dance | Alumni | Performances and Exhibitions

NSCD alumni perform with Candoco Dance Company on Strictly Come Dancing

Northern School of Contemporary Dance alumni Toke Strandby and Fabian Jackson appeared on the results show of Strictly Come Dancing on Sunday 25 November, performing as part of Candoco Dance Company. The group dance was choreographed by Arlene Phillips for Candoco and Strictly dancers to David Bowie’s ‘Life On Mars’. Speaking about the experience, Toke […]

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Northern School of Contemporary Dance alumni Toke Strandby and Fabian Jackson appeared on the results show of Strictly Come Dancing on Sunday 25 November, performing as part of Candoco Dance Company. The group dance was choreographed by Arlene Phillips for Candoco and Strictly dancers to David Bowie’s ‘Life On Mars’.

Speaking about the experience, Toke said: “”There’s always a risk of something going wrong, but this is the beauty of the industry. We have one chance to make it right!”

Candoco is the company of disabled and non-disabled dancers, founded by Celeste Dandeker-Arnold – an alumna of London Contemporary Dance School – in 1991.

Take a look at the performance here:

 

[Image: Candoco Dance Company]

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23rd November 2018

CDD | Staff

CEO David Ruebain announced as a judge for Guardian University Awards 2019

The Conservatoire’s Chief Executive Officer, David Ruebain, has been named as one of the judges for the Guardian’s University Awards 2019. Prior to joining the Conservatoire, David was chief executive of Equality Challenge Unit (the UK higher education sector’s equality and diversity policy and research agency) until it merged with LFHE and HEA to form […]

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The Conservatoire’s Chief Executive Officer, David Ruebain, has been named as one of the judges for the Guardian’s University Awards 2019.

Prior to joining the Conservatoire, David was chief executive of Equality Challenge Unit (the UK higher education sector’s equality and diversity policy and research agency) until it merged with LFHE and HEA to form Advance HE, and before that he was a solicitor for 21 years – latterly as director of legal policy at the Equality & Human Rights Commission. David is also equality adviser to the Premier League, a member of the Rights and Justice Committee of the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust, a member of the Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Board of the Wellcome Trust, and a trustee of Action on Disability and Development International.

The Guardian University Awards are running for the 7th year and capture the achievements of the sector. The categories honour excellence in everything from teaching practice to beautiful buildings, and the awards offer universities a seal of approval for their most outstanding work.

To find out more about the awards and how to enter, visit the Guardian website.

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20th November 2018

NSCD | Dance | Staff

NSCD Principal Janet Smith unveiled as one of the 2018 Faces of a Vibrant Economy

NSCD Principal and Artistic Director Janet Smith MBE, has been unveiled as one of ‘100 Faces of a Vibrant Economy’. Since taking on the role of Principal in 2012, Janet has led the school in its quest to attract and nurture the next generation of acclaimed dance artists who will go on to shape the […]

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NSCD Principal and Artistic Director Janet Smith MBE, has been unveiled as one of ‘100 Faces of a Vibrant Economy’. Since taking on the role of Principal in 2012, Janet has led the school in its quest to attract and nurture the next generation of acclaimed dance artists who will go on to shape the future of dance.

The ‘100 Faces’ project is an annual campaign by Grant Thornton, which seeks to highlight leaders who inspire by example and show how better business can be done. Each year the firm identifies and brings together 100 progressive leaders across private, public and third sectors that demonstrate excellence in fostering a culture of growth, innovation and social purpose for the organisations they lead.

Sacha Romanovitch, CEO at Grant Thornton UK LLP, said:

“doing well by doing good makes business sense and [we] believe that leaders embracing this ethos deserve to be championed. That’s why we launched the Faces campaign – to celebrate individuals who exemplify the Vibrant Economy movement, which aims to shape an environment where people, organisations and communities thrive.

By celebrating these remarkable leaders, we recognise their role in developing a more purposeful and innovative business environment. They show us how business can be done through ‘human’ leadership which nurtures talent. They provide examples to inspire other business leaders and the next generation to shape a Vibrant Economy.”

The Faces of a Vibrant Economy are selected from across the UK and represent diverse sectors and industries. Among them are business leaders, entrepreneurs, local government innovators and third sector trailblazers – recognised for their commitment to developing an economy that enables people, organisations and communities to flourish.

The 2018 Faces have become part of a wider community that is now 300-strong. The community connects leaders with similar mind-sets and missions, who may otherwise never meet. It gives an opportunity to share ideas and insights, as well as learn from each other.

Find out more about the campaign on the ‘Faces’ website here.

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