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!