DanceEast goes from strength to strength, 2014 sees its busiest season to date. With a series of performances reflecting the spirit of spring – the season of ideas, renewal and birth – the company will be introducing a programme of new work at the Jerwood Dance House on the Ipswich waterfront. These include One Night Stands, which offer audiences the chance to see the highest quality new dance and to give feedback afterwards; longer runs by award-winning companies; and collaborations with the New Wolsey Theatre, Pacitti Company and Gecko. We like the look of Border Tales (age advisory 14-plus) which blends dance, dialogue and live music performed by the award-winning Luca Silvestrini’s Protein (Feb 12-15). The show, performed in the round to bring audiences closer to the action, looks at multi-cultural living in the UK seen through the eyes of the characters on stage. Artistic Director and choreographer Silvestrini turns his sharply satirical gaze to stereotypical thinking, tolerance and where lines are drawn between ‘them’ and ‘us’. Looks amazing – and it will be on tour too. For details of DanceEast visit www.danceeast.co.uk.
There is some great musical work coming out of the partnership between Pegasus and the Oxfordshire Music Education Partnership (OMEP). The two organisations worked together throughout 2013 bringing talented young musical artists to the stage in a series of showcase events called Reins, an event programmed by young people for young people at Pegasus. The Pegasus Members’ Committee, aged from 10 years upwards, choose events to appeal to their peers throughout the year. So successful were these musical platforms that they will be continuing in 2014 starting in February. They will feature young people from projects supported by OMEP including Rockschool (based at St. Gregory the Great School), the iRox Project (based at Oxford Academy) and the BG Music and Young Women’s Music Project. The events aim to give young singers, bands, MCs and DJs the chance to perform in a professional venue with mentoring from expert technicians and others. Reins in February will take place at the end of an open weekend, Open House, at Pegasus attracting a wide ranging audience to the live event. For info, check out www.pegasustheatre.org.uk
The Yorkshire Dance festival Juncture 2012 was such a success a second season has been planned. Curated by Wendy Houstoun, it promises to be as eye-catching as the first. Wendy was recently announced the winner of the TMA Award for Achievement in Dance for her piece 50 Acts. Juncture aims to bring new work, professional development, critical debate and innovative performance practice to Yorkshire. This is Wendy’s first time as curator. She said: ‘As a first-time curator I blissfully ignored practicalities and went for a kind of dream list of makers, performers, writers and talkers who all inspire and intrigue me. In all of them I find a clarity and an integrity of purpose.’ Her line-up includes Jordi Cortés, Hugo Glendinning, Grace Surman, Rob Hayden, Louise Wallinger and Riitta Ikonen. Look out for full details of Juncture 2014, including a youth dance ‘fringe’ programme, on the website yorkshiredance.com
And finally we can look forward to a full and varied Royal Opera House Live Season. This is a great way to see opera for novices and enthusiasts of the art. There is Giselle on January 24 and the mesmerising production by Royal Opera House director Kasper Holten of Mozart’s Don Giovanni, as well as some new works. These include the world premiere of The Winter’s Tale, a full-length ballet by artistic associate Christopher Wheeldon (April 28th), and Manon Lescaut in June, which is a new staging by Jonathan Kent. To book, go to either the Royal Opera House website and pop into your local movie house.