I write this time from Florida, where the Sarasota Ballet has just premiered my early piece, THE INFERNAL GALOP (See News Section for details and Review). The piece dates from 1989, when I was both making work for, and dancing with the Company. It has been an interesting experience to rehearse a work that I not only performed in many times, but also created , more or less, on my own body.  The understanding of the movement is on a much more personal and physical level. Most of my work now is made on the dancers who create the roles, and its a collaboration between them and me. I always say that they are much better dancers than I ever was, and I would be crazy not to use those skills, but the uniqueness of the movement style in "INFERNAL" was a direct result of my own way of moving, and I suppose, my physical limitations, and I was pleasantly suprised by it's eccentric charm.
                          For those of you who have not seen the piece, it does feature as part of the set design, a rather large phallus like French Pissoir, which in one scene, serves as the meeting place for two young men who are looking for a "good time" shall we say!  I must say that Etta and I were concerned about how the piece would be taken, by the ballet goers of Sarasota. We had been told that we were dealing with a very conservative community, who might run screaming for the exits when this scene got under way. We even talked about what we would do if they booed us on our First Night bow! Well, we need not have worried.... they lapped it up! Clapping every section, laughing with a kind of shocked delight and giving the piece a rousing cheer as the can-can finale reached its climax (!!!) Far from conservative, I felt the audience were desperate to appreciate the new work that Iain Webb, the new Artistic Director, has brought them, and those regulars that I met, including the 96 year old balletomane, Ulla, were delightful and genuinely thrilled by the whole evening.
                          The Sarasota company included three young dancers (Simon Mumme, Miguel Piquer and Christine Piexoto) who had performed the piece last year when Etta and I revived it for Maggie Barbieri's IMAGES OF DANCE company and they were an enormous help to us this time. Its great to see them all thriving in their first professional Company.


Simon Mumme, Miguel Piquer and Christine Piexoto

Its Iain Webb's first season as Artistic Director of the company and his achievement has been immense - Choreography by Ashton, MacMillan, Balanchine, Van Manen and Bintley, not to mention a World Premiere by Dominic Walsh - but also a revitalised company of dancers who are rising to the challenges of this incredibly varied rep. There have been a few problems along the way, as there always is when changes are made in an existing company, but I think Iain can be massively proud of what he and the company have achieved this season. I predict an exciting future for dance in Sarasota!
                           One of the pleasures of staying with Iain in Sarasota was meeting his other houseguests, Dominic Walsh and his partner Domenico Luciano. Well, I say, "house", it was more like a small mansion, with a gorgeous pool and beyond that a lake that seems to attract local wildlife, including, I am told, Alligators!  - Needless to say, I kept my distance!


DOMINIC WALSH

Dominic, was a well known dancer with the Houston Ballet for several years, but since 2002 has had his own company, where Domenico is its leading dancer. It was great for Etta and I to share our thoughts about running a dance company and indeed the difficulties of presenting dance in the present climate. I can only say that if you ever get the chance to see Dominic's company, you will be in for a treat. I was particularly impressed by the musicality of his work.... a rare talent amongst choreographers today!  For a look at his work, check out his company site at -
www.dwdt.org
                           I now have a crazy few days coming up! I fly from Sarasota to Gatwick on Sunday evening, arriving back in London on Monday morning. I am then off to the first rehearsal for our new Principle dancers for EDWARD SCISSORHANDS on Monday afternoon. The full "EDWARD" company begin on Tuesday morning, so I am there to greet them all, before flying off to Belfast for New Adventures' debut performances in Ireland with our NUTCRACKER!. As reported in our News Section, several performers are joining the cast there, so I will check out how they are doing before returning to London to get stuck in with the EDWARD cast, who are now only 5 weeks away from their Sydney Opera House debut. The new National Tour of MARY POPPINS started rehearsals last week, so I am eager to get in there and see how they are doing. Also for Cameron Mackintosh this year, is the new production of OLIVER!, (Who is your favourite Nancy?) I am trying to squeeze in set meetings and auditions for that before I go off to Oz, and if that were not enough, I am also trying to create a new show! DORIAN GRAY is only 10 weeks away from rehearsals, so I am swamped with research, design and music meetings, and trying to find a small bit of time to actually be "creative"
                           ......... I always say that I'm actually quite a lazy person.... maybe its time to accept that I am the workaholic everyone says I am!