The Place And DanceEast Commission Family Shows For Christmas

Two of the country's leading contemporary dance venues are teaming up to commission brand new family friendly shows to be presented during the Christmas period of 2018 and 2019. The Place and DanceEast have commissioned Luca Silvestrini's Protein and Vicki Igbokwe's Uchenna Dance's to create the shows. It will be the first time Vicki Igbokwe has created a work for families, and the first time Luca Silvestrini has used an existing story as his starting point. The project also marks the first time The Place has commissioned a show for the festive season.

Vicki Igbokwe will create a contemporary version of the classic fairytale Hansel & Gretel which will run in December of this year at The Place, who will also produce the show from 15-24 December 2018. Uchenna Dance's version sees the two title characters lost in London, overwhelmed by the sights and smells of the city. Vicki Igbokwe is the founder of Uchenna Dance, known for blending dance styles from vogueing and waacking to contemporary and African dance, often along with text, to create shows that are both entertaining and informative. Uchenna's The Head Wrap Diaries proved popular with audiences at The Place and is currently touring the UK. Following the run at The Place Hansel & Gretel will tour throughout 2019 with a Christmas run at DanceEast's Jerwood DanceHouse. Tickets for the run at The Place will go on sale on 9 July.

Luca Silvestrini's Protein will present an adaptation of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's The Little Prince, which has been loved by children and adults around the world for generations. Audiences will be invited to join The Little Prince as he journeys through the baffling world of grown-ups, meeting fascinating characters along the way whilst learning about the value of friendship and the complexity of love. A cast of four will bring the story to life using Luca Silvestrini's trademark blend of original choreography, theatre and music. Following a preview at The Point, Eastleigh on 1 December 2018, The Little Prince will premiere at DanceEast's Jerwood DanceHouse from 12-16 December, will tour during 2019 and be presented at The Place in time for Christmas 2019. Tickets for the December 2018 shows are already on sale.

Speaking about the collaboration, Theatre Director at The Place Eddie Nixon, said "We're delighted to be commissioning Luca and Vicki to make new shows for families. Each artist, in their own way, has a distinct and imaginative way of telling stories through dance, which we think will translate well for younger audiences. Families coming to The Place at Christmas will discover something a bit different to the usual festive fare. It will be a treat to see how these world class artists find unexpected ways to inspire and entertain families at Christmas."

Brendan Keaney, Artistic Director and Chief Executive at DanceEast said "We are delighted to be collaborating with The Place to commission and produce these two new dance works. We have been commissioning and presenting high-quality Christmas shows since 2013 and have built a loyal audience with high expectations. We are in no doubt that The Little Prince and Hansel and Gretel will certainly not disappoint."

Luca Silvestrini said "I am really excited to bring to life such a beautiful and important parable. The Little Prince's journey to other asteroids and planet Earth which, is both magical and transformative is a relevant example of what should really matter in life. Love, friendship, and even loss, take centre stage in this story as children make discoveries and their grownups are reminded that they were once children too. I'm incredibly lucky to embark on this journey with a fabulous team of artists and we are creating a theatrical experience that will entertain and connect the entire family."

Vicki Igbokwe said "I'm thrilled to be making this show with The Place and DanceEast. Hansel & Gretel is one of my favourite fairy tales, and I can't wait to bring the Uchenna vibe to this story, celebrating the tenacity and ingenuity of children and young people."

The Place is one of Europe's most exciting, innovative dance spaces, where artists from all over the world come to push creative boundaries, to experiment and to perform outstanding new work for audiences who expect to be surprised, inspired and delighted. The Place is home to London Contemporary Dance School, Richard Alston Dance Company, a 280 seat theatre, an extensive range of classes, courses and participatory opportunities for adults and young people, and professional development programmes for artists. https://www.theplace.org.uk/

DanceEast is one of the UK's leading dance organisations. It is based at the Jerwood DanceHouse in Ipswich, the home of dance in the East of England.

DanceEast's programme embraces the artistic, educational, social and recreational roles that dance plays in the local and national arts ecology. It places artists at the heart of the organisation, presenting high-quality, high-profile dance work in the Jerwood DanceHouse and offering artists support, development and stimulation via programmes such as the Associate Artist Scheme, Rural Retreats, Professional Development workshops, advanced level classes and the Choreographic Development Fund. DanceEast has been running a range of innovative community projects for over thirty years, working closely with partners on local, national and international projects. https://www.danceeast.co.uk/

Empowering, Entertaining and Educating through Dance.

Uchenna Dance was founded in London, UK in 2009 under the vision and leadership of Vicki Igbokwe. The company's overarching aim is to empower, entertain and educate through dance in a diverse programme that includes the creation of dance theatre production experiences, dance workshops and empowerment sessions. The Uchenna Dance style fuses dance styles from waacking, vogue and house to contemporary African dance, to create shows that are both entertaining and empowering.

For further information, please visit the Uchenna Dance website www.uchennadance.com

Formed in 1997 and currently one of the most distinctive voices in British dance theatre, Luca Silvestrini's Protein uses a blend of original choreography, humour and music to entertain and provoke audiences. The company's idiosyncratic dance theatre is provoked by the everyday and its repertoire includes B for Body, a Place Prize Finalist in 2006, the award-winning LOL (lots of love), May Contain Food and Border Tales which have toured extensively since their debut, winning acclaim from critics and audiences alike. http://www.proteindance.co.uk/

To post a comment, you must register and login.