Dance Umbrella - annual festival of contemporary dance
This year’s annual festival of contemporary dance takes place from 30 September to 8 November. Dance Umbrella turns 30 this year, and the 2008 festival promises to carry on the long tradition of encouraging new talent from around the globe, with artists from Argentina, Portugal, France, Italy, USA, and the UK.
It also provides a showcase for work from established choreographers and dance artists such as Richard Alston, who celebrates his 60th birthday and 30 years of Dance Umbrella collaborations, American Merce Cunningham, and Jonathan Burrows who revives his seminal piece The Stop Quartet, which was first seen in London at the 1996 festival.
Festival history
Dance Umbrella began as a way of reflecting and encouraging a growing interest in UK contemporary dance. From its modest start as a showcase for emerging choreographers, the London festival has grown to become one of Europe’s leading international dance festivals. It now enjoys a reputation for pushing the boundaries of contemporary dance for performers and audiences alike, and the Dance Umbrella organisation is recognised as one of Britain’s most adventurous dance promoters.
Today as well as the annual London festival, Dance Umbrella organises at least one national tour of a major international company each year and also looks out for opportunities to tour artists featured in the festival.
2008 highlights
There are plenty of performances to enjoy at this year’s Dance Umbrella. Read on for our guide to some of the highlights.
Overture 2012
Royston Maldoom’s explosive new piece sees 120 young dancers take to the stage of the Royal Albert Hall, in a monumental production set to one of the greatest symphonies in the world - Shostakovich’s 10th, which will be performed live by the London Symphony Orchestra.
1, 2 November, Tickets: £5-35.
Two’s A Company
A Brief Encounter With… sees a dynamic series of duets brought to the Southbank Centre’s Purcell Room. The two highly contrasting duets: Circular Disorientation by Impact Dance and ONE by C-12 Dance Theatre will be performed before the Scottish Ballet.
4, 5 October, Tickets: £5 or FREE if booked at the same time as Scottish Ballet.
Transports Exceptionnels
Don’t miss this amazing outdoor duet between man and digger by France’s Compagnie Beau Geste which will take place in five locations in east and west London.
11-13, 17-19 October, Tickets: FREE.
Toilet Tango
Dance Umbrella newcomer Argentinian Rodrigo Pardo takes his Toilet Tango to the one metre outdoor performance space of bathroom retailer Bathstore’s Baker Street showroom.
10-12 October, Tickets: FREE.
Various Materials and Matrioska
Portugal’s Tiago Guedes debuts at the festival with two works - his signature solo Various Materials and Matrioska, which was created especially for younger audiences.
Various Materials: 14-15 October, Tickets: £5-15.
Matrioska: 18, 19 October, Tickets: £5-15.