Monday 19 March, saw Dance Woking’s Boys Platform take place at Rhoda McGaw Theatre despite the weather. Who would have thought that the day before Spring officially starts we’d be worried about this event being hampered by snow!
With a re-scheduling of some of the technical and dress rehearsals during the day we were able to host this amazing and inspiring event where we saw some great boys dance groups perform.
The style was very much linked to James Wilton Dance Company where the groups had had either direct contact with the company learning some of James Wilton Dance’s signature movement or through a Dance Woking teacher, again after having undertaken CPD with James Wilton Dance.
The different ideas that were featured based on the company’s distinctive dance movement, highly energetic, engaging and inspiring, the physicality of the movement, shares a lot in common with martial arts and capoeira were evident.
The groups having spent about six hours with one of Dance Woking’s highly skilled Dance Teacher’s, Emily Neighbour, Laurie-Ann Jeffrey or Steve Johnson, to develop the work managed by Kate Finegan Dance Woking Education and Outreach coordinator. A great team effort by choreographers and dancers.
Schools featured at the platform were Horsell Junior School, Westfield Primary School, Kings International College and Wellington Dance Company; some pictures of the groups:
The boys groups were followed by the amazing BDblaq Dance performing for the first time in Woking presenting SENSE a narrative piece exploring how powerful the human senses become in a person who is blind. It is supposed that the remaining are heightened in the absence of vision; for example, the awareness of sound becomes heightened.
With music by Jean Pierre, special artists rooted in tap, hip hop and contemporary dance and inspired by The Royal National Institute of Blind People. BDblaq Dance use a fusion of tap and contemporary dance to provoke a raw emotional connection with an audience. The piece illuminates character and story through dynamic, textured duet choreography.
Choreographer: Rikkai Scott Co-Choreographer: Ashley Goosey
Dancers: Rikkai Scott, Ashley Goosey
An inspiring way to finish a great evening of boys dance.
