PHOENIX DANCE THEATRE RETURN HOME
Phoenix at Home 18th – 20th October
now on sale
It’s been quite a year for internationally-renowned, Leeds-based contemporary dance company, Phoenix Dance Theatre.
Twelve months ago its Artistic Director, Sharon Watson, announced she was creating a first-ever dance piece around the subject of Windrush, the ship that brought the first large group of immigrants from Jamaica to the UK. It was to mark 70 years since the ship’s arrival in 1948 and went on to be a huge success, lauded by audiences and reviewers alike. After touring to nine UK venues, a festival in Germany, and a special performance at Tilbury Docks on Windrush Day, Windrush: Movement of the People continues to tour returning to Yorkshire in November this year.
“This last year has been amazing for the company,” says Sharon. “We have toured around the country with Windrush and its supporting Mixed Programme; we met and developed a relationship with Alford Gardner, the only Leeds resident to come to the UK on the SS Empire Windrush 70 years ago, we met the Prime Minister, performed at Tilbury Docks, visited China to promote Leeds and Yorkshire as a cultural powerhouse, and now we’re preparing to head home to Leeds for our annual production Phoenix at Homeat our very own Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre.”
This is the eighth production of Phoenix at Home; last year saw the company celebrate female choreographers utilising the company’s own talent including a piece by multi-award-winning company dancer Sandrine Monin.
“Female choreographers are few and far between,” Sharon continues. “There are many women at entry level but as you go higher up they disappear – I wanted to show off our own company’s female talent.”
This year Phoenix will present Robert North’s world-renowned Troy Game. Described by the New York Times as a ‘funny and sexy romp’, Troy Game is a tongue in cheek parody of male machismo specially re staged for Phoenix to include female dancers.
Sandrine Monin makes a welcome return with an excerpt from her new pieceKirke for which she has again teamed up with composer Roberto Rusconi, and Phoenix Youth Academy take to the stage with colourful and comedic new work Spam choreographed by company dancer Michael Marquez.
“We always look forward to performing in our home city of Leeds,” Sharon concludes. “It’s where we were born and we’re very proud of that.”
Phoenix at Home is at Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre from
Friday 18th to Saturday 20th October 2018 at 7.30pm
with a 2pm matinee on Saturday.
Tickets are on sale now priced at £16, £13 concession
Book online at www.phoenixdancetheatre.co.uk
or call box office 0113 220 8008