I wrote the post below at the end of 2011. I thought it would be interesting to see what was on my agenda / radar then and whether my wishes came to fruition (for me, at least).
Twenty dance-related (and other arts-based) wishes for 2011...
Twenty dance-related (and other arts-based) wishes for 2011...
- That I see as much ballet, dance & physical theatre as I did in 2009 and '10. I have somehow managed to see roughly the same amount of dance each year, even though I have a sense that there is 'less on'. The willingness to travel to Liverpool and Huddersfield and the opening of HOME have helped with this.
- That no dance company goes under because of the destructive slashing of arts budgets by national or local government. The Arts Council re-funding lottery will be announced 30 March 2011. As a result companies will topple all year as their business models collapse. I think this was in response to the loss of New English Contemporary Ballet, Henri Oguike Dance Company and especially, at the time, Lea Anderson's The Cholmondleys & The Featherstonehaughs. Have there been closures since? I'm not sure there have, but I still have a real sense that life is very, very tough for small to medium touring companies and there seem to be long hiatuses between funding, and shorter, more infrequent touring. Although experience has shown that many companies of a certain size only tour the UK on a five-year cycle.
- That at least one of the people I have taken to see dance goes to see some more - either with me or because they liked it enough to want to see more and have bought tickets. I am very pleased that friends I have taken to see dance have continued to see dance - without me dragging them along. I am also aware of a few of people who have been to see dance because of my promotional efforts on social media. Which is beyond gratifying.
- That the following companies (and many more) visit Manchester / Salford: DV8 Physical Theatre Yes, with the amazing John, Jasmin Vardimon Company Yes, Henri Oguike Dance Company lost their ACE funding and promptly folded, Rafael Bonachela Company Rafael has been Artistic Director at Sydney Dance Company for several years now so his own company appear to be in hiatus, Chunky Move (Australia) Nope, Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet (US) Toured the UK but infuriatingly the schedule missed The Lowry, Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet sadly closed in spring 2015. Stephen Petronio Company (US) Saw NDCWales do some of his wonderful choreography but SPC don't appear to have toured outside the US for a long time now, Toronto Dance Theatre (Canada) Nope - basically that a combination of arts cuts, financial downturn, absurd visa restrictions on artists and performers don't result in an end to national and international touring. I'm sure all the reasons cited have played their part, but in the regions, unless it is a major festival, we wouldn't get to see international touring companies outside of London at all without Dance Consortium or Dance Touring Partnership - and they have gone quiet for a year.
- That Contact Theatre starts booking more dance and is less focused on its own narrow arts agenda. Contact Theatre actually seems to be widening its artistic agenda. This may be due to Barry Priest's role within the organisation...? A change of Artistic Director does seem to have widened and shifted Contact's programming. They continue to support dance, notably with Turn, but more than just that. A capital expediture-funded redevelopment of the building will see Contact closing (not sure to what extent) for a year or so.
- That greenroom books more dance. greenroom lost its ACE funding in 2011 and closed for good in May 2012.
- That the Royal Exchange Studio continues to book small-scale touring dance - in fact, more of it. At the moment they seem to have stopped booking any... Situation unchanged. They book the odd thing each - but not every - season.
- That some fantastic redevelopment plan is announced for The Dancehouse - one that brings the theatre into more use, improves the public spaces and facilities, improves the standing of the attached dance school and Manchester City Ballet and increases the amount of dance actually programmed to appear in the theatre (i.e. some). This is pure fantasy. This does indeed seem to be pure fantasy. Yes, pure fantasy. It's still a packed programme of comedy and alt-film festivals and Manchester City Ballet endures. Still never seen them.
- That the BBC site on Oxford Road is earmarked for a landmark urban regeneration project and not a mixed use hotel/offices/apartments/retail units yawnfest. Work has started on Circle Square in three phases and the site is set for completion in 2023. It is a mix of hotel/office/apartments/retail/leisure/public spaces. Not a new opera house for Manchester then. There was talk at the time of a new northern second home for the ROH, involving The Lowry (Royal Ballet), the Palace (opera) and/or a new building.
- That the Liverpool Playhouse continues to programme really great dance and that their investment plans don't fall through. Liverpool Playhouse and sister theatre the Everyman have had their funding significantly cut by Liverpool City Council. They are optimistic this is survivable. Liverpool Everyman has reopened after a complete rebuild and appears to be a thriving regional theatre - and just announced the formation of a rep company. Liverpool Playhouse still programmes a similar amount of dance - usually Phoenix and Wayne McGregor and is unchanged.
- That the Manchester International Festival thrives in 2011 and isn't scaled down by arts funding cuts. The Manchester International Festival announced a programme in March full of music and with no dance events planned whatsoever. Over-familiar, dreary even, this year's MIF should be hugely successful... MIF goes from strength to strength. A new Artistic Director for 2017 will hopefully result in a programme that more closely meets my own interests, although in 2015 MIF finally commissioned a significant piece of dance (Tree of Codes) and Akram Khan's 2016's between-festival new version of Giselle is an MIF/ENB commission.
- That Urban Moves returns in 2012 and is promoted more effectively - perhaps tying the free public performances in with some theatrical events...? Urban Moves did indeed return in 2012 with a decent programme locked in Castlefield rather than the city centre. Urban Moves 2014 was also pretty good and based in Cathedral Gardens. No news on 2016's event.
- That some theatrical use is found for the Theatre Royal (Peter Street) if it's not going to be the new home of the Library Theatre. Chronically, tragically, the Theatre Royal is to be somehow absorbed into the adjoining Radisson Blu EDwardian hotel (in the former Free Trade Hall). Although plans were announced some time ago, no work appears to have started, and the Theatre Royal still just looks like a boarded-up theatre. Tragic.
- That Queer Up North returns - but with a less narrow artistic agenda. Queer Up North have lost their funding from Manchester City Council and with no announcements, no pre- events and no update to the website looks to have folded? Queer Up North has indeed ceased to be. Barry Priest of Queer Up North has steadily rebuilt the festival at Contact under the Queer Contact brand.
- That there is some positive movement on the former Odeon on Oxford Street (although imagining that it will be restored to its former Paramount glory or returned to any kind of theatrical use is pure, pointless fantasy). Again, this was fantasy. The building is scheduled for demolition and a new 14-story office development called Landmark is to replace it. Except that was meant to be completed years ago and the Odeon is still boarded up. New developer funding was announced in 2013 but still no activity. The Paramount/Odeon is no longer salvageable, alas.
- That Birmingham Royal Ballet, the English National Ballet and Northern Ballet bring some more fabulous fully-staged narrative ballet (not just Swan Lake, Cinderella, The Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker and Romeo & Juliet - much as we love them). Actually, I'm about ready for another Swan Lake. Birmingham Royal Ballet are bringing Coppelia (which I've never seen). English National Ballet are bringing their Strictly Gershwin show (should be popular with the Palace's mainstream audience but leaves me cold). The Northern Ballet are bringing The Nutcracker in November (again), although they have a number of other interesting productions on the go - their new ballet Cleopatra, Beauty and the Beast, Hamlet and Giselle. It looks as if BRB may be touring less next year as they have announce their 2011-12 season and have no Lowry dates as yet... Nothing really to add here. BRB, ENB and Northern Ballet continue to visit. ENB are undergoing something of a renaissance under new AD Tamara Rojo, which is diversifying their offering.
- That I see some amazing contemporary company that I've never seen before who really excite me. This happens every year. For which, many thanks. Dance still has the power to amaze and delight.
- That I go and see something in London that I never get the chance to see in Manchester. I finally did something about this and have now been to Sadler's Wells twice with another show booked - and got tickets for The Place in June.
- That I will finish writing my ballet synopsis and send it to someone. Oh dear.
- That my reviews for The Public Reviews get better and get read. The Public Reviews was relaunched in May 2015 as The Reviews Hub. The site goes from strength to strength. I am very pleased to be one of their reviewers - specialising in dance - and sometimes write something that gets a reaction or that I'm really pleased with.