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INTERNATIONAL DANCE DAY

Thursday 29th April 2021

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PLEASE SHARE OUR VIDEO (SEE BELOW) on 29th April on all social media platforms and make sure you find a way to dance on this day - even if that means online in your own room! 

 

International Dance Day takes place every year on 29 April, which is the anniversary of the birth of Jean-Georges Noverre (1727–1810). Noverre was a French dancer and dancing master and is generally considered the creator of “ballet d’action” - a hybrid genre of dramatic dance that emerged during the 18th century.

 

INTERNATIONAL DANCE DAY strives to encourage participation and education in all types of dance through events and festivals held on the date all over the world. 

 

Please enjoy watching our VIDEO we have compiled especially for 2021 Dance Day. 

 

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ABOUT THE VIDEO: 

This last year has been very different in the world of dance, with restrictions on how and when we can dance.

 

MOVING MEMORIES:

You will see memories of times in the past when we could dance and perform in public. There are highlights from NONSUCH appearing at: 

·      The Middle Temple, London

·      The National Centre for Early Music, York

·      The International Medieval Congress, Leeds

·      The Resolution Festival at The Place, London

·      The Dance Conservatory, Seville, Spain 

·      UNESCO dance events in UK & Spain

·      Arts Council of England project: The Dance of Deadly Sins

 

LOCKDOWN DANCE: 

NONSUCH used online platforms to present the ONLINE HISTORY AND DANCE CLUB: “FROM FALL TO SPRING” from October 2020 – March 2021. Special guests of academics, historians, musicians, costumiers, and theatre directors joined online participants from all around the world! Sessions moved chronologically from the medieval period through to the Victorian age. On this video we sample a few moments: 

·      Social dances such as the Branle de la Torche - with improvised torches (Jo Hobbs & Caryl Griffith)

·      Partner dances such as Torneo Amoroso with your “love tournament” partner in a different zoom box! (Faye Maughan & Neil Hancock)

·      Drama and scenes from plays and novels – such as Scrooge from Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol(Andrew Holdsworth)

·      Costume and etiquette from the novels of Jane Austen (Ruth & Rosie: re-enactors from Kentwell Hall)

·      Live music on many musical instruments (Ruth Hopkins of the K’antu Ensemble)

·      Scottish steps and dance tunes (Alena Shmakova & Dr. Aaron McGregor) 

 

Thank you to all contributors to the ONLINE CLUB: 

 

Dr. Alena Shmakova of Les Danses Antiques 

Dr. Aaron McGregor of University of Glasgow

Susan de Guardiola of USA / Russia

Geoff & Liz Bowen of the Yorkshire Dales Workshops (Joshua Jackson manuscript editors)

Sian Walters, Cambridge University, Art History Focus, Dance in Art project from National Gallery, London

Prof. Michael Burden of Oxford University & Oxford Dance Symposium  

Cecilia Dorland, Artistic Director of Scena Mundi 

Ruth Hopkins of K’antu

Neil Hancock of The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust

Peter Stickney of The Lord Chamberlain’s Men

Yvonne McCombie of Nemesis Works

Izabella Pitcher of Prior Attire

Frances Rive of Royal Ballet / Youth Music Initiative Coordinator for City of Edinburgh Council

Emmanuel Siffert, Principal Conductor Orchquestra Sinfonica San Juan Argentina & Professor of Opera Repertoire, Buenos Aires

Delma Tomlin MBE, Director of the National Centre for Early Music

Jo Hobbs & Caryl Griffith of Kentwell Hall  

Mickey Wongsathapornpat of University of Cambridge &  Opera Siam Bangkok, Thailand with violinist Phongphairoj (Tongsu)

 

The Nonsuch Dancers : 

ONLINE CLUB Dance Demonstrators: Penelope Boff, Faye Maughan, Jo Hobbs, Caryl Griffith. 

VIMEO recordings: Francesca Perissinotto Delle Roche, Tomos Young, Andrew Holdsworth, Jo Bartlett, Benedict Smith, Dan Wilby, Hanna Randall (costume), Oliver Goater (filming), Jed Staton (editing).

DANCE OF THE DEADLY SINS Arts Council England project: Penelope Boff, Joy Renzi, Danielle Mansell, Dylan Lincoln, Amanda Bates, Frances Billington, Caryl Giffith, Ian Hoggart, Peter Culshaw, musicians from The National Centre for Early Music. 

 

 

Thanks to all our members, special guests and audiences, NONSUCH can proudly declare that this year we have followed the advice from the President of the UNESCO International Dance Council: 

 

A message from the President of UNESCO International Dance Day 

 

“As dance professionals, think of your role in the present situation of pandemic, lockdown and curfew. People need you now and will need you after this crisis. You produce a vaccine against the virus of the soul: you know how to make people dance. You hear the call, answer it!”

Alkis Raftis

President of the International Dance Council, UNESCO

 

DANCING WITH THE PAST INTO THE FUTURE

A DANCE DAY message from Artistic Director, Darren Royston

 

“NONSUCH HISTORY AND DANCE have done more than survive the pandemic: our members have discovered new ways to research and teach the history of dance, to train dancers online in age-old techniques, to entertain and perform dance from the past on the world wide web network, and to produce documentaries available for future examination. 

Dance has always been a state of intense being, known to all generations and connecting people together globally, as this year’s UNESCO President highlights.

NONSUCH looks forward to being part of the post-pandemic renaissance of the future, supporting the aims of UNESCO International Dance Council.”

 

Darren Royston, Artistic Director, NONSUCH HISTORY AND DANCE