Performance

VenueTheatre Royal Plymouth
Other spaces: Drum Theatre, The Lyric
TownPlymouth
CountyDevon
From15th April 2004
To17th April 2004
When19:30
What is currently on at Theatre Royal Plymouth (V895)

Dance Theatre of Harlem

Dance Theatre of HarlemT01036234974
Famous as America s first culturally diverse neo-classical ballet company, Dance Theatre of Harlem (DTH) was founded in 1969 by African American Arthur Mitchell and the late Karel Shook. The company is now widely acclaimed as a major cultural institution encompassing a world-class ballet company, a school of dance, and a national and international arts education and community outreach programme.


Archive :: production:T01036234974, dance or ballet:S686022530, venue:V895

Dougla/Return/Firebird

Dougla - Geoffrey Holder's 1974 exotic processional Dougla comes complete with his voluminous, eye-catching costumes and a percussive score accented by whistling flutes. A tribal wedding sets the tone for a steady stream of head-wagging ceremonial celebration. Return - In Return, premiered in 1999, former DTH principal dancer Robert Garland finds the boogie in ballet. Witty and sensationally entertaining, this suite of dances is cued to a clutch of recordings by soul masters James Brown and Aretha Franklin. Here street-smart attitude and the dynamics of black pop music meet classical cool to sizzling effect. Firebird - In a dense and mysterious forest a young man is hunting. He hears strange and ominous sound and then sees a fiery light that sweeps the air and suddenly turns into the glittering image of the Firebird. So as not to frighten her away, he runs to hide as the shining creature leaps onto the scene. The Young Man returns and, fascinated with this shimmering creature, part magical-bird and part-beautiful woman, he attempts to capture her. Terrified, she alternates between frozen immobility and the wild fluttering of escape. She pleads for her freedom and the Young Man releases her. In gratitude she dances for him and with him. Before she leaves, she takes a feather from her breast, indicates that it is a magical feather that will protect him from danger, and then leaps high into the air and disappears from view. In the gardens of the Prince of Evil, the Young Man comes upon a group of Beautiful Maidens, led by the Princess of Unreal Beauty. He watches their simple and joyous dances for a moment and then steps forth from hiding. The Beautiful Maidens are alarmed, particularly so when the young man tries to meet the Princess of Unreal Beauty. But the Princess of Unreal Beauty steps forward and they begin to dance. Suddenly darkness settles over the scene and with a crash of music, Creatures of Evil appear and attack. The Young Man starts to flee but remembers that the magic feather will protect him. He stands his ground against the Creatures of Evil and the wicked Prince of Evil who has joined them. There is a flash and the Firebird appears. With incredible swiftness she circles the stage leaving a wake of fire. The Firebird destroys the Prince of Evil and the Forest darkens. In a final, softly shining lullaby, she brings peace to the forest and then flutters out of view. In the final scene, courtiers, attendants and bearers of pennants celebrate the wedding of the Young Man and the Princess of Unreal Beauty.

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Company

Producer Dance Consortium
Choreographer Geoffrey Holder (Dougla)
Choreographer Avind Harum (Dougla)
Costume Zelda Wynn (Dougla)
Lighting Paul Sullivan (Dougla)
Choreographer Robert Garland (Return)
Music James Brown (Return)
Music Alfred Ellis (Return)
Music Aretha Franklin (Return)
Music Carolyn Franklin (Return)
Costume Pamela Allen Cummings (Return)
Lighting Roma Flowers (Return)
Choreographer John Taras (Firebird)
Music Igor Stravinsky (Firebird)
Costume Geoffrey Holder (Firebird)
Lighting Paul Sullivan (Firebird)
CORONAVIRUS: All UK venues closed on 16th March 2020, restrictions were lifted on 19th July 2021. Please note that iUKTDb archive listings between March 2020 and July 2021 may not be accurate as we did not receive details of all rescheduled and cancelled shows.

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