Production Week!

Last week the company worked in the Bernie Grant Arts Centre theatre as Bawren Tavaziva unravelled his intriguing and inspirational choreographic work of art.  The dancers worked exceedingly hard and looked incredible on stage as they performed the strikingly seductive and remarkable ‘Sensual Africa’.

It is extremely exciting to see everything come together and have the opportunity to watch ‘Sensual Africa’ performed on stage with lighting and costume. With all of the key components of the piece coming together I was able to be enticed and feel part of a voyage that Bawren had experienced when visiting Malawi.

The company’s lighting designer Antony was working in the theatre all week with Bawren to capture the correct lighting and image for ‘Sensual Africa’. The lighting used created warm tones on the dancers bodies and smoke was also used on stage creating a sense of mystery and ambiance. Rosie our costume designer was also on stand-by to make sure that the dancers were secure in their costumes and to fix any final problems. Bawren wanted to capture the rawness and rich culture though the dancers costumes by using neutral earthy colours. The traditional style of the Tumbuka and Chewa tribes is also emphasised by the authentic necklaces, dresses and masks worn by the female dancers, which will give dancers a striking appearance on stage.

During the week the company also had their promo video filmed for ‘Sensual Africa’. The filming was shot from different angles and specific solos and parts of the work were chosen in order to give a thrilling insight into the work. I look forward to sharing the link for the promo video in my next blog post! It is exhilarating to see the dancers and Bawren in action during production week and the amount of support that they give one another is amazing. The dancers nerves are kicking in as the tour is only round the corner… first stop South Holland Arts Centre – to book please visit http://www.southhollandcentre.co.uk/live/events/Sensual+Africa.htm!

I also had the exciting opportunity to interview one of Tavaziva’s Dancers Katie Cambridge and get an insight into production week. Katie joined Tavaziva Dance in August 2009 as part of LCDS's Post Graduate Apprenticeship Scheme. During her time as an apprentice, Katie was also involved in Tavaziva's Education Programme, creating works for Cornwall Youth Dance and the Wycombe Swan's United in Dance project. Following her apprenticeship, Katie joined Tavaziva Dance as a full time dancer in September 2010.

Q&A Session with Katie Cambridge

How was production week for you and the dancers?

Production week was great! The piece has really developed and everything has come together so well. I wish we had some more rehearsal time to really explore the characters and clean some of the newer movement, but I'm sure it will all come together on stage!

How does this compare to your last production week?

Previously we have always had to go away for the week of production, which has been hard because you’re never really able to fully relax. The company residence status we have at the Bernie Grant Arts Centre meant that this year we haven't had to travel! This has been amazing mentally and also for our bodies as we have been able to eat properly, relax and make sure that we are prepared for the rest of the tour. 

Has production week given you a better understanding of the stimulus and movement (i.e. not just rehearsing movement and going through steps – a deeper understanding)?

We went into production week this year with the whole piece complete which meant we had time to break down each section to find out the meaning and intention behind some of the movement. This has really helped the piece to develop and I'm excited about taking it on tour and seeing what people think. 

Has Bawren changed much of the piece after seeing it on stage?

He made a whole new ending for the piece, and he has padded some sections out with extra movement to fill the stage or to increase the intensity, but not too much has changed this year. I can remember doing Wild Dog production and he was changing and making whole new sections because it looked so different on stage than in the studio!

How are all of your bodies coping? Do you have any rescue remedies?

I get home and have a really hot shower and then I always blast my legs with cold water and lay with them in the air for 10 minutes. I seem to not be in so much pain the next day, so I think it does something! Also a glass of wine sometimes helps!

How do you cope with touring? Do you have any traditions/superstitions that you do before a performance?

This tour is quite full on it doesn't look like it on paper, but there is a lot of education work that we do with each venue! We are constantly on the go and having to keep fit and healthy for the next performance. 

You are going to make me look crazy now! I have a few - two I have done from when I was small dancing in competitions and festivals and it's just kind or stuck. When I warm up I make sure I look at every single seat in the theatre, just so I'm aware of my surroundings and audience. As we leave the stage to let the audience in I always let out a bit of vocal noise to let off some steam. 

The last one is just before I go on stage as I'm about to perform I hold my shoulders up to my ears for 10 seconds and then release and I repeat this twice. I was told to do this by my ballet teacher so that I didn't dance with my shoulders up. I hope I don’t dance with my shoulders up anymore and it's just a familiar thing I do to make me feel comfortable. 

In 3 words how would you describe the work?

Fun, intimate and intense...Definitely a must see!

Tavaziva's Sponsored Silent Disco!

Thursday 23 February 2012 11am-5pm
Bernie Grant Arts Centre, Tavaziva Dance Office,

Town Hall Approach Road, London, N15 4RX

 

 

Tavaziva Dance  office staff and dancers from the company will be spending 6 hours dancing and bringing the greatest silent disco experience into the Tavaziva office!

The office will be set up to a live feed, allowing supporters to keep a close eye on our dance moves and to see whether we can rise to the challenge! Supporters are welcome to participate in this unique experience and either watch or bring along a set of headphones!

Suggested donation £2.50*
 

All funds will go towards company development.

To make a donation please visit:
http://www.justgiving.com/sponored-dance

or
 you can also donate by text as follows:
Text the code- TAVA76 and the amount you want to donate to 70070
 

If you would like to be involved in this event please send an email to: info@tavazivadance.com and insert Sponsored Dance in the subject line.

*All donations can be Gift Aided
Registered Charity No. 1139967

Weekly Update!

This week was the last time the dancers were able to rehearse in the studio before production week kicks off! The dancers have been giving 110% in the studio as the final touches of ‘Sensual Africa’ are made and the work is completed. They also had their final costume fitting, stage makeup trial and hair appointments to get them prepared for next week and the Tour!

 If you haven’t already booked your ticket for ‘Sensual  Africa’ I urge you to do so, as this is a performance not to be missed! First stop for Tavaziva Dance will be the South Holland Arts Centre, Spalding  2 February and we will also be visiting Stamford, Oxford, London, Ireland, Musselburgh, Bridport ... and for full listings visit www.tavazivadance.com!

This week in the Tavaziva Dance office we have been sending mail outs for ‘Sensual Africa’ to those of you on our mailing list, so keep an eye out for more information on our Spring 2012 Tour! We are also excited to announce our partnership with Creative Dance 60+; a dance group for people aged 60 and above who have a passion for dance!  They are such an inspiring company to work with and we are looking forward to sharing ideas and workshops with this exciting group that love to dance!  For more information on Creative Dance 60+ visit www.simonascotto.com.

Tavaziva Dance also had the fantastic opportunity to be involved and have a stall in the Tottenham Arts Market this week! The Arts Market was a free event and an evening where Haringey artists, venues and organisations had the opportunity to showcase their creative projects to the residents of Tottenham. The dancers also had the opportunity to perform and showcase a sneak preview of ‘Sensual Africa’ for audiences at the Arts Market. This was also a great way to meet, see and be inspired by Haringey’s arts and culture!

Production week is quickly approaching and the whole company is going to be working extremely hard to get prepared for the World Premier of ‘Sensual Africa’ ! I look forward to sharing the on goings of production week and the final stages of preparation for the Tour next week! 

Laura

Weekly Update!

The weeks are flying by, with just under 3 weeks until our world premier of ‘Sensual Africa’ at the South Holland Arts Centre, Spalding! During the week I had the opportunity to see the dancers in the studio rehearsing the first half of ‘Sensual Africa’ and I was completely blown away! Iyshea and I came out with goosebumps and words could not express how exceptional the work is looking. The music is uplifting, powerful and supports Bawrens stimulus with an emphasis on African sounds and culture.  The contrast and fusion of contemporary dance creates seamless energy, as Bawren injects his own style and interpretation through use of dynamic sharp movements and moments of suspense and control. Seeing the dancers in action creates real motivation and excitement as we get closer to the tour! 

This week in the office I have been focusing the marketing campaign, which involves venue liaising, ordering merchandise, leafleting, plugging the company through social networking and working on the final stages of preparation for the tour. Tickets for ‘Sensual Africa’ have also gone on sale at The Place and to book your ticket visit http://www.theplace.org.uk/12132/whats-on/tavaziva-dance.html !  Keep an eye out for Tavaziva Dancers as they will be flash mobbing in key locations before certain performances, giving an exclusive look and taster of ‘Sensual Africa’! 

Tavaziva Dance office staff and dancers from the company will also be hosting a Sponsored Dance as our next fundraising event!  We will be spending 6 hours in the Tavaziva Dance office bringing the greatest Silent Disco experience from 11am-5pm! The office will be set up to a live feed allowing supporters to see if we can keep with challenge and keep a close eye on the our dance moves! Supporters are also welcome to bring a set of headphones and join in with the event! We will have more information and a date for our exciting fundraising event soon!

Laura 

A New Year for Tavaziva Dance

A new year begins for Tavaziva Dance and with just under a month to go until the ‘Sensual Africa’ Tour kicks off, everyone is going to be extremely busy! The dancers and Bawren appear to be well rested after the Christmas break and are ready to work hard and get prepared for the tour!

Tavaziva was still running over the holidays and we all thoroughly enjoyed our Christmas meal at Winter Wonderland! Bawren also lead the Christmas Intensive for dance students, aspiring dancers and dance professionals.The Intensive had a great turn out of participants and was a brilliant and inspiring three days of dance.


During the three day intensive Bawren lead a technique class each morning and the participants had the opportunity to learn repertoire from ‘Sensual Africa’. This gave them a brilliant insight into the company’s African and contemporary style and an exclusive look at the movement and material of the Spring 2012 work. The participants also had the opportunity to have a creative session with a showing of work on the final day, which they all thoroughly enjoyed. The Christmas Intensive was such a success, so make sure you look out for our next intensive with the company in the New Year.

What our Christmas Intensive participants have said…

“We did such a variety and a different technique class each day! Bawren pushed us so much and made us really improve!”

Participant

“I really enjoyed the three day workshop and I’ve loved working with Tavaziva himself- what a lovely guy!”

Participant

“The Christmas Intensive was very beneficial and lived up to the name!”

Participant

The company class is also still running until the end of January before Tavaziva Dance go on tour. The class is open to professional dancers and students who are close to completing their full time training. The class will only be running until Friday 27th January, so make sure you don’t miss out on this opportunity! For all class dates and if you would like to apply to take class with the company please send your C.V to Laura Collins- admin@tavazivadance.com.

This week in the office we have been focusing on the preparation and planning for the final stages of the ‘Sensual Africa’ Tour. The flyers have arrived and excitement is spreading throughout the office! Make sure you book in advance to avoid disappointment and to see the tour schedule visit www.tavazivadance.com !

I look forward to sharing another company update with you next week and informing you on the stages of ‘Sensual Africa’ !

Laura