La La La Human Steps
The Dance Consortium presents
La La La Human Steps
Amjad
Sat 9 February, 7.30pm
Press Night: Sat 9 February, 7.30pm
La La La Human Steps, the world famous dance company make their first ever visit to The Lowry with Amjad, a sumptuous, high-speed fever-dream of a show on Sat 9 February.
Edouard Lock, founder of La La La Human Steps, is a visionary who re-defined dance as we know it. With a track record for producing startling, radical dance with a world class reputation, North West audiences will now get to see his latest piece, Amjad. Lock unfurls the latest razzle-dazzle creation with his interpretation of some of the great classical ballets, with live on-stage music. Amjad is a stunning collision of classical ballet and modern dance, power and poetry, style and substance.
Born in Casablanca but resident in Canada since the age of three, Lock’s creative credentials reach beyond dance. He co-conceived and was artistic director of David Bowie’s Sound and Vision world tour in 1990. He also collaborated with Frank Zappa on what would turn out to be the latter’s final concert performances.
Lock and the nine splendidly smart and sassy members of La La La Human Steps rush dance headlong into the 21st-century, paying homage to the traditions of the past while striding with bold, elegant muscularity into an avant-garde future.
Women in sexy black corsets and sheer black tights enjoy fleeting encounters with men in stylish suits and form-fitting t-shirts. Gussied up in this urban haute couture, the couples move with mercurial speed and an edgy energy that draws a tantalising equation between danger and desire. The stage space they occupy is striking. Filled with jagged shadows, it’s like a sacred ground where they are free to push their bodies to startling new limits.
Two of the peaks of classical ballet, Swan Lake and The Sleeping Beauty, are revisited here but lent an audacious new twist. It’s the world of fairy tales and tutus turned inside out, with the glorious music of Tchaikovsky given a respectful yet still scintillating makeover by the British composer Gavin Bryars and played live by four musicians (piano and strings).
The Lowry season of dance also welcomes back the British theatrical sensation Stomp, Richard Alston Dance Company, and NDT1. We’re also delighted to welcome other first company visits from Bonachela Dance Company and Fabulous Beast. And last but certainly not least, dance legend Sylvie Guillem will be joined on stage by Russell Maliphant for a mixed programme of solo pieces and duets in PUSH. The Lowry is offering a special multi-buy opportunity for 2 or more dance shows this season with tickets at £10 per seat.
Posted on Friday, 01 February 2008 under Press Theatre Press