5 SOLDIERS

5 SOLDIERS- The Body Is The Frontline

“ONE OF OUR MORE ENTERPRISING YOUNG CHOREOGRAPHERS” THE TIMES

Rosie Kay Dance Company presents

5 SOLDIERS – The Body is the Frontline

A New Commission by choreographer Rosie Kay

5 SOLDIERS is a timely, controversial, thought provoking and moving exploration of war in modern times.  A dance theatre work with four male and one female dancers, it looks at how the human body is essential to, and used in, warfare.  5 SOLDIERS explores the physical training that prepares you for war, as well as the possible effects on the body, and the injury caused by warfare.

Featuring Kay’s trademark intense physicality and athleticism, 5 SOLDIERS weaves a story of physical transformation, helping us understand how soldiers are made and how war affects them.

5 SOLDIERS is a unique collaboration between award winning choreographer Rosie Kay, visual artist David Cotterrell and theatre director Walter Meierjohann.  It follows an intense period of research, where Rosie learnt battle training with The 4th Battalion The Rifles and David spent time in Helmand Province with the Joint Forces Medical Group.  The piece has an original sound score by Annie Mahtani and dramaturgy by Petra Tauscher.

“We are surrounded by the images of Britain at war; the war in Iraq, the war in Afghanistan. Can we see beyond the stereotypical soldier and try to understand their lives? How can you possibly put yourself and your body at such risk as part of your job?

I wanted to look at how the physicality of a soldier’s job defines them –like a dancer, the soldier is drilled, trained, their responses becoming automatic, but can anything prepare you for the realities of war?  It is young soldiers and their bodies that are the ultimate weapon in war – their strength and weaknesses may win or lose a battle, their ability to harm or injure others is key to victory.  While war is surrounded with weaponry, uniforms, history and ceremony, the real business is human, dirty, messy, painful and happening right now.” Rosie Kay

“I rate Rosie Kay as one of the brightest and most enterprising young choreographers currently at work in the UK. Her choreography is definitely rooted in the body, but it also conveys a sharp, sound sense of the theatrical along with a conceptual savvy.” Donald Hutera, freelance writer for The Times

The dancers are Tilly Webber, Tomasz Moskal, Chris Vann, Michael Spenceley and Chris Linda.  The research and development phase beings at Warwick Arts Centre in December 2009 and the work will move to DanceXchange Studios in January.  5 SOLDIERS will be presented as a ‘work in progress’ at British Dance Edition, and then premiere at the 2nd International Dance Festival Birmingham on the 23rd and 24th April before touring nationally.

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Rosie Kay Dance Company produces striking dance work with intelligent and thoughful content and athletic physicality. One of the more enterprising dance companies in the UK (The Times), Rosie Kay Dance Company’s work marries explosive drama with technical precision (Scotland on Sunday)

Recent Quotes

‘Outstanding Partnership of the Year’ chosen by Mary Brennan in Dance Europe’s Critics Choice of the Year.  Outstanding Partnership: Rosie Kay and Morgan Cloud in the feindishly challenging Double Points:K- Kay’s own classical take on the synchronicities of an early Emio Greco | PC work, Double Points:Two”

Double Points: K

Double Points | K from Article19 on Vimeo.

Danced by Morgan Cloud and Rosie Kay

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Past Works

Supernova and Double Points: K

Double Points: K is a duet choreographed by Rosie Kay in a unique collaboration with Emio Greco | PC. Taking inspiration from the use of breath and extreme physicality, Rosie Kay and Morgan Cloud dance to the edge, in this work of pure dance. Music contrasts Bach concerto in A minor with Dub Step, Electro and an original composed score.

Supernova is a work of beauty and fragility as five female dancers translate concepts of the universe and the internal. Music combines a commissioned score by Annie Mahtani and Vivaldi’s Grosse Concerto in D minor. See touring works for more details.

The Wild Party

The Wild Party was a smash hit at Edinburgh Festival 06 and toured between 2007 and 2008 in the UK, including Belfast Festival, Lichfield Festival, Warwick Arts Centre and The Place, London. Named as the Cultural Highlight of The Year by The Sunday Herald. See reviews on the right for more information. The Wild Party was based on the 1928 poem of the same name and combined the talents of director/ choreographer Rosie Kay with dramaturg Ben Payne and composer Hans Koller.

Asylum and Other Stories

Asylum and Other Stories toured the UK in 2005-2007. It received outstanding reviews and was presented as part of Dance Umbrella 2007 at the South Bank Centre. Asylum was based on intensive research with refugees and asylum seekers and showed dance can be political and moving.