Contemporary Dance
Contemporary Dance
Slideshows with narration and music extracts – most of which were created some years ago using photos and images from my archive. In some cases the original photos were poor quality. And in some scanned images, from the only source available – contact sheets.
Dancework the Beginnings Duration: 6:49
Dancework 1978 Slideshow Duration: 7:28
Alexandra Palace & Grounds Summer 1978 Duration: 5:10
Dancework 1979 & 1980 Duration: 9:50
The videos date from 1979 or 80, the quality of recordings being variable. They nevertheless preserve some of the essence of the choreography and styles presented by Dancework in its relatively short life . Early works were also video taped but seem to have been lost in the mists of time. Perhaps those tapes will miraculously materialise. The 1970s were the beginning of such recordings. The programmes to begin with were recorded on systems such as Sony Betamax and U-Matic. Very clunky by today’s standards ie 2026. More recently the VHS tapes that survived have been able to be digitised first to DVD and then digital files created for uploading.
Recordings of Dancework and other choreographic works/ performances – even dance classes are available to watch on Vimeo or You Tube on Christine Rapley’s channels.
Amongst the videos is a 1980 recording of a Dancework trio programme presented at what was then Leicester Polytechnic School of Performing Arts at Scraptoft. Where Tony Thatcher and Christine Juffs taught and also created work with the dance degree students. Gavin Bryars was then Head of Music and Dancework had numerous collaborations with Bryars and also John White who was on the faculty. Gavin kindly operated the video camera for the recording He did an excellent job.
Dancework came to an end in 1984 when funding had ceased, and gave their last performance at Thamesdown Town Hall Studio, Swindon. The recording is unfortunately poor quality. The programme included “Ronsaria”; “Monkey’s Wonder”; “Grey Window” and Greg Nash’s solo work “Slippery Afternoon”. “Ronsaria” had by then been taken into the repertory of Diversions Dance Company (Cardiff). The famous remote controlled kettle had to be sold for their production, so “Ron” is missing from the final Dancework performance.
1980:
“A Day in the Life of a Romantic Novelist” Choreography by Tony Thatcher ; Sound score by John White – performed by the Coolhurst Quartet (voices of Simon Callow, John White, Pat Garrett and Tony Thatcher. NB The voices begin in the darkness and only after about 2 minutes do you see the dancers begin. Lighting by Tom Donnellan. Recorded at Scraptoft campus, Leicester. Dancers Mary Evelyn, Christine Juffs & Tony Thatcher. DURATION: 18:31
“Duet with 2 Handkerchiefs” Choreography by Tony Thatcher. DURATION: 9:53 Dancers Mary Evelyn and Tony Thatcher. A duet first choreographed specifically for and performed in the Hobson Art Gallery, Cambridge. Further developed for Dancework duet and trio programmes 1980/81
“Glove” Choreography by Tony Thatcher with specially composed music by John White. DURATION: 13:09 Dancers Mary Evelyn, Christine Juffs and Tony Thatcher. Costumes by Beatrice Berry and Katie McPhee. Recorded at Scraptoft Campus, Leicester Polytechnic.
“Grainger Suite” DURATION: 10:12 Choreography by Christine Juffs. Music various compositions of Australian composer, Percy Grainger. This suite of dances was also performed with additional solo and given its first performance at London Dance Umbrella ICA. A trio was added on for the Dancework programme that toured in 1981.
“Sidescraper” Choreographed and performed by Christine Juffs. DURATION: 5:08 A short solo dance created to specially composed music by Gavin Bryars. Whilst teaching dance on a summer course at Spannocchia in Italy, I wandered into a room where archaeologists had collected various items. Among them was a piece labelled “A sidecraper on a pseudo blade” . This intrigued me and inspired me to choreograph a dance predominantly cutting sideways across the dance space. We managed to get on loan a large electric fan that was placed onstage and set to rotate, providing further visual interest. The costume was rather striking: fluorescent green lycra trouser, vivid yellow shirt – and a pair of lilac framed sunglasses worn throughout the dance.
1981:
“Answerphonedance” DURATION: 10:54 Choreography by Tony Thatcher. Dancers Sally Gardner & Tony Thatcher. A poor quality recording unfortunately. Recorded 30 September 1981 on tour – King Edward VII School, Coalville.
Dancework Extracts 1981 DURATION 18:16 Extracts of “Pythagoras’ Trousers” choreographed by Tony Thatcher – music composed by John White. Pythagoras was apparently credited with the invention of trousers. “Skerry” choreographed by Ruth Barnes. Dancers: Sally Gardner, Christine Juffs, Caroline Pope. David Turner and Tony Thatcher.
“5 Afield” Choreography by Judith Moss. DURATION: 16:27 Work began on “5 Afield” in New York as 3 of the dancers were studying there. Returning to England, the work was completed as part of the rehearsal period with 5 dancers. This was an ACGB commission.
“Suds” Choreography by Sally Gardner. DURATION: 5:29 Sally dancing her lovely solo “Suds” close up recording whilst on tour with Dancework in 1981.
“Sixteen” Choreography by Christine Juffs and music specially composed by Gavin Bryars. Choreography and music commissioned by Bolton Festival where it premiered. DURATION: 17:24 Poor quality recording 1981. Dancers: Sallie Gardner, Caroline Pope, Tony Thatcher & David Turner
1983
“Grey Window Triple Screen” Choreography by Tony Thatcher.
The 3 cine reels filmed by David Robinson in 1983. Although the reels were shown simultaneously during the dance piece, the projectors were switched on independently. The film reels were also of different duration. So the effect was rather different than seen here. Also of course, the scale was different as the images were very much larger when projected. There were during the performance, pausing of the projections, in front of which the dancers Sue Curtis, Christine Juffs and Tony Thatcher danced. The filming took place inside and outside of a disused council greenhouse in Haringey – close to where the company rehearsed and taught (in Muswell Hill). The music here is an extract – specially composed by Gavin Bryars (ACGB commission). The film was partly supported by a grant from the Film department of the ACGB. David Robinson gave his services for free.
“Grey Window” A dance and film collaboration 1983
DURATION: 18:19
This work was choreographed by Tony Thatcher. The film was made by New York independent experimental film maker David Robinson. Unfortunately the sound recording includes the sound of the 3 film projectors. The company received minimal funding from the ACGB from around 1978 to 1982/3. When they ceased to receive any funding and this was one of their final projects before folding in 1984. The music was specially composed by Gavin Bryars. The dancers are Sue Curtis, Christine Juffs and Tony Thatcher. Tom Donnellan designed the lighting and the minimal set which related to the disused Haringey greenhouse where the dancers were filmed – both inside and outside of the greenhouse. The costumes were designed by Adele Thompson.
“Grey Window” & Party Slideshow 1983
DURATION:Approx 5 minutes. Slideshow of Dancework 1983 – images filmed in a Haringey greenhouse. Photos by Irene Hall, Eleni Leoussi & David Robinson (who filmed the dancers). A few contact images from a party held after the performances. Music extract of the Gavin Bryars composition for “Grey Window” and party music The Microscopic Septet. Images of “Grey Window” performances show Tom Donnellan’s beautiful lighting for a section. I worked with the restored cine films and have created a split triple screen video with Gavin Bryars wonderful music.
Anna Sokolow at The Place c1971 Duration: 17:11 On You Tube there are short adverts, but it’s easy to skip them. This was shown on BBC TV and although there are clips showing students and classes – the focus was on Sokolow and the mounting of her work “Scenes from the Music of Charles Ives” which included the section “The Unanswered Question” on LCDT. The final section of the film shows the young Siobhan Davies, Linda Gibbs, Clare Duncan, Irene Dilkes, Xenia Hribar, Derrick Linton, Steven Barker, Ross McKim, Namron, Robert North and Anthony Van Laast. And slow solo by dancer Robert Powell, who was a charismatic soloist formerly with Martha Graham in New York. I am in the earlier dance composition class wearing all black. Forgive me for still thinking that this example of Sokolow’s teaching of Louis Horst based pre-classic dance forms was tedious beyond belief. And her dictatorial bossiness was very difficult for some of us quite young and free spirited at the time of filming – to take. I still recall the run in I had with her in the dance studio. However, I recognise that she was rightly revered as a choreographer.
London Contemporary Dance School Decades Series 1970s
Duration: 4 minutes Includes a brief extract of Robert Cohan’s iconic work “Cell”
Dance Technique Class taught by Christine Juffs in Oxford 1987
Duration: 1 hour 26:47
Jane Dudley Master Class TV Programme 16 April 1988
Duration: 18:59
Susan Alexander Teaching Dance Technique Class at Paris Conservatoire 2008
DURATION: 40:27
Susan Alexander rehearsal director and company teacher for Groupe de le Recherche Choreographique de l’Opera de Paris (GRCOP) for many years until the company folded. Then became a teacher at the Paris Conservatoire. This recording of her working with talented young dancers was made by Christine Rapley during a visit to see Susan in Paris. Only a week or so before Susan left Paris after having lived there some 25 years – to return to the US. She lives in Santa Barbara where she continues to teach dance.
DURATION: 3:21
A slideshow of images from years ago and one or two recent photos of misty trees for the poem “Heartghosts” written by Tony Thatcher
DURATION: 6:27
A slideshow of time spent in Ireland in 1986 – a holiday in Ballynagaul where we met Tom & Joan Clancy.
“A Slideshow of Happy Times in Lipari 1984 &1987”
DURATION: 10:28
DURATION: 6:54
A Slideshow of images from a short stay in Gothenburg as a guest teacher of contemporary dance. At the invitation of Lee Nathensen & Rubicon in 1987.
DURATION: 7:45
A slideshow of images of swans, ballet dancers & Swan Lake set to an extract from Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake” (Act II V. Andante-Allegro). Created for Swan Lady of Stroud.