11:23am Thursday 15th February 2007
By Emma Clayton
An exciting new dance season, ranging from a startling blend of movement and photography to a classical adaptation of a Shakespeare tragedy, will be presented at the Alhambra this year.
It's the first time a dance season has been packaged and presented as a season at the theatre, and a new brochure has been produced to promote it.
The New York-based Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, which thrilled audiences in 2005 with its sublime performance - including Revelations, Alvin's most famous work - makes a welcome return.
Renowned for its soul-stirring, high-energy performances, the world-renowned dance company takes gospel, blues, hip-hop, soul and jazz music, fusing it with modern, ballet, and jazz dance to create unforgettable performances. The multi-racial company, radiating passionate, explosive energy, will be in Bradford in October.
Also returning to the Alhambra is dance maverick Matthew Bourne, whose ballet of Edward Scissorhands packed out the Alhambra last year. Fasten your seatbelts as Bourne's internationally acclaimed dance-thriller The Car Man hits town in September. Loosely based on Bizet's popular opera, Carmen, the show replaces the familiar 19th century Spanish cigarette factory with a greasy garage-diner in 1960s America where the dreams and passions of a small town are shattered by the arrival of a handsome stranger. Fuelled by heat and desire, the inhabitants are driven into an unstoppable spiral of greed, lust, betrayal and revenge.
Bourne wowed Bradford audiences two years ago with his striking version of Swan Lake, replacing the traditional female corps de ballet with an all-male ensemble. His transformation of one of ballet's best-loved stories into a witty, poignant, contemporary tale, with buff, bare-chested male swans wearing feather britches, was a worldwide hit and enjoyed a near sell-out run at the Alhambra.
The new dance season kicks off next month with world-renowned company Australian Dance Theatre bringing their spectacular production Held to the Alhambra. The quick-fire ballistic rampage from astoundingly athletic dancers is captured via a series of photographs enlarged and flashed onto giant screens.
Projected behind the dancers, the images allow the audience to see and experience movement in startlingly unexpected ways. The production will be accompanied by a post-show discussion, as well as dance and photography workshops.
In June Nederlands Dans Theater 2 brings to town the brand of enthusiasm and youthful energy that has made them firm favourites with British audiences. The dancers, none of them older than 23, are among the best in the world.
They fill the stage with feats of virtuoso dancing, jumping higher and spinning faster than seems possible. Delighting in their own skill, they spread an infectious delight among audiences.
The season closes in October with Northern Ballet Theatre's classic adaptation of Romeo and Juliet. Passionate and dramatic, this is dance at its most intense. The sets and costumes are designed by Lez Brotherston, who was also the designer for Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake and Edward Scissorhands.
Bradford Theatres general manager Adam Renton says the aim of the season is to bring a variety of dance styles to Bradford and to make dance more accessible to a wider audience.
"This is an exciting time for us, presenting a new dance season in such a way, and we're delighted to be able to bring such a wide range of dance shows to Bradford," he says. "We are pleased to welcome back Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater after their sell-out dates with us in 2005, plus visits from Northern Ballet Theatre and Matthew Bourne with his internationally-acclaimed The Car Man.
"We continue to play host to worldclass contemporary dance companies and for the very first time, Australian Dance Theatre and Nederlands Dans Theatre 2 perform at the Alhambra.
"As well as watching these superb shows audiences can participate in a range of dance workshops and pre and post-show discussions with most of the companies. And there are special discounts, packages and early booking offers to take advantage of."
l For tickets or more details about the Alhambra's new dance season ring (01274) 432000.
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