Sally McKay

Yorke Dance Project‘s Americana is “four different slices of the American Dream”. I drew Post Etiquette, choreographed by Artistic Director Yolande Yorke-Edgell, set to Alessando Marcello’s concerto in D minor. The dance is inspired by the writings of American author, Emily Post. A dance of high energy, speed and lyricism.

Americana rehearsal

Yorke Dance Project was set up by Yolande Yorke-Edgell after dancing with the Lewitzky Dance Company in Los Angeles for four years. Americana premiers at Merlin Theatre, Frome on 2nd October, with a London premiere on 18th and 19th October at Bloomsbury Theatre.

On Monday I was at Farnham Maltings to draw Stopgap Dance Company during one of the final rehearsals before the Autumn tour begins, opening on Thursday 23rd September at Weymouth College Theatre and in London on 20th November at Robin Howard Dance Theatre. StopGap are an integrated dance company working with dancers with physical or learning disabilities as well as non-disabled dancers. They will perform a double bill, Trespass, choreographed by Thomas Noone and Rob Tannion, the company rehearsed Splinter by Rob Tannion while I was with them.

Laura Jones and Sophie Brown rehearse Splinter 

Chris Pavia

In 2003, I drew the choreographer of Splinter, Rob Tannion with Liam Steel, both former dancers with DV8, during their rehearsals and devising of Sinner the physical theatre debut of Stan Wont Dance. Rob is not only a very gifted choreographer but a beautiful and skilled performer.

On Friday I drew in the morning rehearsals of Edit, this is a little of what I drew.

In the afternoon I walked from the rehearsal studio in London Bridge to Tate Modern via Borough Market to take a last look and do a few more quick sketches of Michael Clark Company.

This week Michael Clark Company have been rehearsing for a new dance in the Turbine Hall at Tate Modern, responding to the huge space. On Tuesday I drew during the rehearsal.

A totally different experience from drawing the Featherstonehaughs. Rather than sit a few feet away from the dancers, I sat way up looking down on them from the first floor, although I longed to get in close I enjoyed the spacing created by the dancers and the sense of perspective below me.

During the lunch break the dances evaporated but Michael Clark remained and walked through what was to be rehearsed during the afternoon. (see above). I love watching dancers do this, the intense concentration, the body in total contact with the brain, thinking with and through the body. I was sure if someone spoke to him he wouldn’t hear, so intense were his thoughts/movements. 

Afternoon rehearsal

I also drew this company performing come, been and gone at the Barbican in June.

The Featherstonhaughs are the all male dance dance company directed and founded by choreographer Lea Anderson, we have known each other since the early 80’s when we were students at Laban and Goldsmiths. Before her dance degree Lea studied Fine Art at St Martins which comes across in her productions, but even more so in the rehearsal studio. I first drew the company in 2001 during rehearsals of 3 with their all women sister company the Cholmondeleys. Lea invited me to draw the rehearsals through a chance meeting while I was doing my MA, since then I’ve returned to draw rehearsals of Double Take, Yippee!!! and  Dancing on Your Grave. It was through this first opportunity to draw during rehearsals that I came to be involved in many other dance companies.

Edits is a new work with reference to filmic time and images, and film editing, this is a first sketch.

There will be (fabulous) live music by Steve Blake and Will Saunders but at this early stage the dancers move to silence apart from the counts. One of the dancers bares an uncanny resemblance to the lawyer who saw me through a very sad and painful time in my life, I find my concentration is waning, as in my head I hurtle back to the past. But hey this man is not a lawyer he’s a dancer in a vivid green dress and heels, in the lunch break I seem to walk miles to attempt to shake off unwanted memories and the ghosts in my head.

In the afternoon they rehearsed The Featherstonehaughs draw on the Sketchbooks of Egon Schiele, creating beautiful clusters of movement. There are many things I like about the dances that Lea creates but one striking aspect, particularly when you are up as close as I am, is the focus and facial expressions of the dancers, you feel yourself drawn in as if you too are part of the activity and energy.