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A unique wedding celebration where the bride, groom, best man and bridesmaids are all world-class dancers and audience members are the wedding guests.   The Knot, about ritual, doubt, nerves and the sheer magic of weddings, is Didy Veldman’s latest dance creation and follows the huge success of The Happiness Project:

The Happiness Project is terrifically enjoyable and, marking the long-awaited launch of
Veldman’s own company, it promises even better things to come.
 
Judith Mackrell, Guardian ****

A cast of seven perform to LES NOCES, Stravinsky’s gorgeous music from a Russian folk wedding and a specially commissioned score by Ben Foskett.  Guests arrive and excitement builds as scenes of love and togetherness overcome anticipation and nerves amongst the wedding party.

The work is supremely physical and theatrical, with beautiful costumes and set by Joana Dias, evocative lighting from Ben Ormerod and moments of participation to ensure you’re at the heart of the celebration.

Key Information

When

Thursday 8 November 2018

Where

DanceXchange, The Patrick Studio, Birmingham Hippodrome

 

The Knot was commissioned by DanceEast, with support from Studio Wayne McGregor through the FreeSpace programme and funds from Arts Council England, Linbury Trust, The Master Charitable Trust – The Marina Kleinwort Trust, Beth Krasna and an anonymous donor.

 

Didy Veldman is a former dancer with Rambert, one of the UK’s leading dance companies, and left the company in 2000 to pursue a choreographic career. In 18 years she has become a highly sought-after choreographer both nationally and internationally and has created works for Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal, Cedarlake (New York), Cullberg Ballet (Sweden), Introdans (Netherlands), Gothenburg Ballet, Iceland Dance Company and Royal New Zealand Ballet.

In the UK, Veldman has been commissioned by Rambert, Northern Ballet and Scottish Dance Theatre and in 2019 she will create a new work, collaborating with composer Gabriel Prokofiev, the grandson of Sergei Prokofiev, for Birmingham Royal Ballet’s inaugural ‘Ballet Now’ programme.

For Umanoove, Veldman tailors each company of dancers to suit each work.  The international cast of performers interpret the themes of Veldman’s work through her extremely physical and theatrical movement style.

Dancers returning to The Knot this autumn are: Dane Hurst (Rambert, National Dance Company of Wales, Phoenix Dance Theatre and Company Wayne McGregor); Mathieu Geffré (Dansgroep Amsterdam, Noord Nederlandse Dans, National Dance Company Wales, Theo Clinkard); Oihana Vesga Bujan (Richard Alston Dance Company); Oliver Chapman (Henri Oguike Dance, National Dance Company of Wales, Icon Dance); Sara Harton (erSa Danse, Les 7 doigts de la main, PPS Danse, ezdanza); and Angela Venturini (recently a post-graduate student at The Place). Joining them is apprentice dancer Sam Costello (London Contemporary Dance School).

Stravinsky’s masterpiece Les Noces (The Wedding) is intertwined with specially commissioned music by London and Paris-based British composer Ben Foskett. His work has included commissions for CBSO Youth Orchestra and London Children’s Ballet.

Lighting design is by Ben Ormerod, a regular collaborator of Veldman’s, and set and costume design is by Joana Dias.

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