Stine Nilson and Pedro Machado, Co-Artistic Directors of Candoco Dance Company have invited me to draw during rehearsals for Candoco’s new work by choreographer Marc Brew. 7 years ago I had a residency with Candoco culminating in a joint exhibition and performance at Waterside Arts Centre, Manchester. Since that happy collaboration I have drawn them many times, painted (Don’t Look Back. 2009) using the drawings as inspiration and based 3 sculptures on inspirational Candoco dancer and personal friend Bettina Carpi.
I arrive in time to draw the class, led by Candoco dancer Darren Anderson. The cast of 12 warm up to Prince – what a fabulous way to start the day.
Class led by Darren
Marc Brew arrives during class, we quickly catch up on the last 2 years when I last worked with him, drawing during rehearsals of his beautiful dance Nocturnes, (scroll to Nocturnes 1 and 2, see the dance at Greenwich Festival this June), we talk of his recent post of Associate Director with Scottish Dance Theatre and he asks me to draw at his forthcoming Fusional Fragments. He gives me a speedy account of Parallel lines, the work we are here for. The cast of 12 includes 2 dancers of Chinese origin and 2 Brazilian dancers as well as the core dance company. China, the UK and Brazil: the past, present and future hosting cites of the Olympic Games.
A fascinating but complex linear structure crosses the studio. The dancers shift from class to rehearsal, the taught lines are lowered and raised, dancers move between, in and out, over and under them, giving the effect of a giant cats-cradle
Marc Brew rehearsing
Bettina Carpi (above)
Sadly I could only spare 1 day to work with Candoco because of a very special family birthday last weekend and the Open Studio this weekend but I will soon return to draw.