The Place Celebrates Its 40th Birthday in May 2010

THE PLACE AT 40 15 -22 May 2010

look what dance can do

imagine what dance can do

experience what dance can do

celebrate what dance can do

A week of events to celebrate the 40th birthday of The Place

The Place's impact and influence is felt throughout the dance world and beyond. It is hard to think of a choreographer or dancer that has not at some point in their career either trained or worked at The Place. Dance has become the nation's obsession - featuring on TV, in film, pop music, advertising, musical theatre and more. In all cases it is possible to feel The Place's presence. The world of dance would not exist in the same way without The Place. Dancers and choreographers who began their careers at The Place include; Richard Alston, Matthew Bourne, Siobhan
Davies, Hofesh Shechter, Mark Baldwin, Russell Maliphant and many others.

To mark its 40th birthday The Place is producing a week of celebratory events designed to showcase the extraordinary range of work that takes place under one roof.

Something Happening

Sat 15 May 12noon - 11pm

Sun 16 May 12noon - 7pm

The Place opened its doors while the 1960s were still swinging, as a venue for the creative and the curious to make new discoveries in dance and other art forms. There were many different types of performance: some were called shows, others concerts or recitals, many simply "happenings".

Something Happening celebrates the spirit of artistic exploration that was at the heart of The Place when it was founded, and which remains at its heart today. It brings together the artists for whom The Place is a home - established and emerging choreographers and dancers, students, young people - to make things happen throughout the building. In the theatre, in studios and specially-configured spaces, in the windows and on the walls, in corridors and in cupboards, they'll be opportunities to share in the vibrant, diverse, experimental and exciting dance that is created at The Place.

 

Among the things that will happen are:

The Place's artistic director, Richard Alston, recreating Something to do, the first piece he made at The Place in 1969

·
A sampling of the best of the country's new generation of choreographers, including Place Prize winner Adam Linder, Luca Silvestrini, Freddie Opoku Addaie, Marso Riviere, Jose Vidal and many more

·
Pieces created for the students and young dancers of The Place by Maresa von Stockert, Bawren Tavaziva and Jasmin Vardimon, and specially recreated seminal works by Siobhan Davies and Jane Dudley

·
A selection of the best of the 102 works seen in this year's Resolution! festival of new dance, plus a new Aerowaves selection of emerging companies from across Europe

·
Site specific creations for found spaces throughout the building by Dog Kennel Hill Project, h2dance and others

The weekend is divided into five sessions so you can book to see some specific performances, and simply happen upon others. To see the complete programme, go to www.theplace.org.uk/somethinghappening.

This is The Place

Thu
20, Fri 21, Sat 22 May 8pm

This Is The Place tells the story of The Place; a collection of memories, anecdotes, dancers and performances that have together shaped The Place, as well as the stories of many for whom The Place has played an important role in their life and work. This Is The Place is a meeting of diverse and acclaimed performers, coming together to celebrate the legacy and impact of 40 years' work developing the careers of artists and shaping the future of dance.

This Is The Place is specially commissioned for The Place's 40th birthday celebrations, and directed by internationally celebrated choreographer Aletta Collins. Preceding each performance, a work by h2dance plays interactive tribute to the previous incarnation of The Place's building as a drill hall for the Artists Rifles regiment (whose members included such luminaries as Wilfred Owen and Noel Coward).

Tickets for This is The Place are £25 (concessions £20). Each show is followed by a champagne reception.

 

 

 

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