Rambert School Takes Part in the Next Generation Festival at The Linbury Theatre in June

On Monday 20 June, Rambert School takes to the stage at the Linbury Theatre as part of the Royal Opera House's Next Generation Festival, performing an evening that embodies the adventure, imagination and technical excellence that has fuelled the School for over 100 years.

For this special performance, Rambert School presents four new commissions, two re-stagings and two excerpts from internationally revered choreographers, emerging artists and shape-shifting dance makers, in a visionary celebration of its talented young dancers.

The programme for the evening has seen the School's students work with the acclaimed dancer, choreographer and newly appointed Patron of the School, Christopher Bruce CBE, on a restaged version of his Dancing Day originally created for Rambert School in 1981. Alongside this, students have had the chance to reflect on Sir Matthew Bourne's creative process, as they contribute their own choreographic ideas to an excerpt from his critically acclaimed Sleeping Beauty. Also performed will be an excerpt from Bourne's Highland Fling, his unique retelling of the story of La Sylphide.

One of the UK's most innovative dance companies, Alleyne Dance, has created new piece Innocent Children, based on their award-winning work A Night's Game, an atmospheric and abstract work reflects the turmoil and strife of human emotion when faced with the prospect of incarceration. While 2020 Olivier Award-winner Mthuthuzeli November creates A Place of Gathering, a new work that honours the spaces that allow us to dance and give us the freedom to emotionally connect with ourselves and our art form.

As well as developing dancers who go on to join some of the most prestigious companies today, Rambert School graduates also include some of the most significant British choreographers. For these performances, the School is delighted to welcome back alumni Richard Chappell and Cree Barnett Williams, who have both created new works for the students. In Chappell's A Vessel for Everything the dancers explore their connectivity, tenacity and love of moving, while Barnett Williams' Shall We Try?! is a response to the pandemic and highlights our need to fight for joy.

Completing the programme, Deputy Principal, Darren Ellis, presents a re-working of his piece Being, based on his original 2018 creation Being Human Being commissioned by the Music and Arts University of the City of Vienna. This ensemble work features 16 dancers and is set to an electronic score by Erik Truffaz & Murcof.

Rambert School's performance at the Next Generation Festival on the 20 June is dedicated to the memory of Lord John Sainsbury. For many years Lord & Lady Sainsbury and the Linbury Trust have been closely associated with the School and their dedication and incredible support has been instrumental in helping to make Rambert School what it is today.

To post a comment, you must register and login.