Take Flight - Choreographic Commission 2017
In 2017 I was commissioned by the Royal Ballet to create a public performance as part of their residency for Hull City of Culture. Taking the classic repertoire, Swan Lake I adapted it for a large-scale participation performance project presented in the Square outside Hull Minster. The project was created in collaboration with local dance schools, festival volunteers and professional dancers.
I created a score using arm positions, patterns and simple phrases from the ballet which each group adapted. I worked in a similar way with the composer, John Webb giving him a few sections from the music score, which he adapted to fit with the choreography. The final piece involved 100 dancers and was performed in the Square and on top of Hull Minister. Clusters of movement were intertwined with fast-running sections in and around the audience. The piece evoked the power and beauty of birds in flight and used every space in the Square, with dancers performing next to and around the audience. The piece was very well received, including high praise from the Director of Hull City of Culture, Martin Green.
Listen to radio 4 podcast about Take Flight where I along with others, including members of the dancer schools, composer John Webb and Kevin O'Hare CBE. Director of the Royal Ballet talk about the making of Take Flight.