Phoenix Dance Theatre
Phoenix Dance Theatre at The Lowry
The Lowry, Thu 29 November, 2007
Press night, Thu 29 November, 7.30pm
Phoenix Dance Theatre will perform Olivier Award-winning Javier De Frutos’ internationally acclaimed triple bill for the first time in Britain at The Lowry on Thu 29 November.
Now North West audiences can experience this inspiring work which had the critics calling for more at the International Festival of Contemporary Dance in Venice this year. The performances Los Picadores and Paseillo have since been nominated by the Critics’ Circle National Dance Awards 2007 for the category of Best Choreography (Modern).
The triple bill begins with the sublime Paseillo, set to Mozart’s Litaniae de Venerabili altari Sacramento, K243. Los Picadores follows, set to a haunting version of Stravinsky’s Les Noces. Co-commissioned by La Biennnale, a fight director was involved in the choreography and the work contains violent imagery. The evening is completed by the Mexican influenced Nopalitos, set to tracks performed by Lila Downs and featuring spectacular set and costumes incorporating Mexican-wrestling-style masks.
Venezuela-born Javier De Frutos was appointed Phoenix Dance Theatre’s Artistic director in March 2006. Javier trained at the London School of Contemporary Dance and at the Merce Cunningham School, New York. He was appointed Choreographer in Residence at Movement Research in New York in 1992. On his return to the UK in 1994 he established the Javier De Frutos Dance Company, which toured to great acclaim around the world. Javier’s work is in the repertoire of many dance companies including Rotterdam Dance Group, Rambert Dance Company and the Royal New Zealand Ballet. In February 2007, Javier received the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Theatre Choreographer for his work on Cabaret.
Over the last 26 years Leeds-based Phoenix Dance Theatre has grown to be one of Britain's leading contemporary dance companies. From their home in Yorkshire, the company tours nationally and internationally, bringing inspiring and entertaining dance to the widest possible audience. Phoenix’s Artistic Policy is the maintenance of excellence in dance whilst exploring its evolution as an art form and its place in the 21st century. The company selects choreographers of the highest calibre to work with a top-flight company of ten dancers, hand-picked from all over the world.
Posted on Wednesday, 28 November 2007 under Press Theatre Press