Dep Arts Ltd

Search

Archive for the ‘Balbir Singh Dance Company’ Category

Balbir Singh Dance Company – Trespass# II Rehearsals

by Rachael on September 21st, 2011
Balbir Singh Dance Company

Dep Arts’ Project Management intern Alison spent the afternoon watching the final rehearsals for Balbir Singh Dance Company’s new show, here’s what she thought of it:

It was buzzing at Leeds University yesterday, and not just because it’s Freshers Week. Balbir Singh Dance Company have been rehearsing at stage@Leeds ahead of their performance on Thursday.

I went along to the rehearsals on Tuesday, which was a fantastic experience. It was fascinating to see how the piece has developed and to get a sense of how everything works behind the scenes. I particularly enjoyed the intimacy created by the relationship between the dancers and live musicians. From what we were lucky enough to see yesterday, Thursday’s performance is looking to be a really intriguing and diverse show.

The double bill will consist of a performance of Trespass# II, which further explores the fusion of contemporary dance and traditional Indian Kathak with the added dimension of live musicians, and Decreasing Infinity, which enjoyed sell out performances this summer at the Edinburgh Fringe, featuring two male dancers and live beat-boxing.

Be sure to check back very soon for more blogs on the many performances we’re off to see in the coming weeks!

‘Trespass#2/Decreasing Infinity’ by Balbir Singh Dance Company

stage@leeds: main theatre

22nd September, 7:00pm

to book tickets please click  here

Edinburgh Update

by Rachael on August 22nd, 2011
Balbir Singh Dance Company,Dep Arts News,Rashdash

So I am sat in one of Edinburgh’s many cafes with a coffee on a Monday morning catching up with a few emails. This week is the last week of the Fringe and two out of the three Dep Arts’ shows we have up here this year finished over the weekend. RashDash with Scary Gorgeous won yet another Fringe First (see earlier blog post on this) and Balbir Singh Dance Company has had a great run at Dance Base with great audience numbers and consistent 4 star reviews.

There has been a lot of talk in Edinburgh this year about audience numbers and some suggesting that numbers are down on previous years; with over 2000 shows it’s difficult to say, Edinburgh feels as busy as ever and the really great shows that generate the festival hype still look to be selling out. RashDash sold out well before the end of the last week but only time will tell on what the general sense is regarding numbers for this year.

Another point of interest this year is in regard to stars. With so many people now reviewing shows and giving stars, are they still a true guide to if something is good, bad or indifferent? I do feel to have so many members of the audience writing blogs and reviewing shows is a positive move, as at the end of the day, they are the audience and that is whose opinion we should be interested in above anybody else’s. However it does then make the star system potentially redundant.

So I am now off to the ‘Visiting Arts Producers Breakfast’ and to see a whole load of shows today. Check out my blog on Wednesday for more Edinburgh mutterings and you can also follow me on twitter @departsltddavid

- David

Phil on Tour

by Rachael on August 10th, 2011
Balbir Singh Dance Company,Dep Arts News,Rashdash

Back from the opening week of the Fringe festival and the frolics are in full force! Over 800 shows to choose from and the mile is packed like I have never seen it before. Once I got to the Fringe I checked in with both the Dep Arts companies Balbir Singh Dance company and RashDash Theatre, who both received some great reviews from their press nights and are all set to start the Fringe with a bang!

Whilst in Edinburgh it’s always good for me to see what new dance works are out and about, so 15 shows in 30 hours is a pretty good hit!

I can thoroughly recommended  Falling man/Decreasing Infinity. I have to admit when I first read about this piece by Thomas Small, I had some reservations concerning the concept, however I am willing to eat my own words and say ‘WOW’, what a classy and well executed piece of work. This piece was followed by Balbir Singh Dance Company with an extremely contrasting duet, the contrast in the works compliment each other and this is a must see Double Bill.  Whilst at Dance Base I can also recommend a highly entertaining Solo by Arnica 9CH, which was extremely funny with a great message about dancers and the damage that dancing can do to the body.

I was again amazed at RashDash and how drastically the piece has grown, having seen 2 scratch performances of the work I was set to see a more polished version, however it was almost like watching a new show. This is a fantastic piece of theatre which made me question, as to what level people will go to for fun! The girls have defiantly hit the jackpot with the band, Not Now Bernard and I would recommend this piece to anyone!

I loved my time at the Fringe and will be returning for some of the British Council week, to see more shows and to ensure the smooth running of Company Chameleon’s performances at Dance Base.  Watch my twitter page for tweets on must see shows and reviews for Dep Arts companies.

Dep Fest 2011

by Rachael on August 3rd, 2011
Balbir Singh Dance Company,Dep Arts News

The sun was shining and the wellies were out last Thursday as Dep Fest finally came around! Luckily the weather allowed for a great barbecue which certainly saw all of us enjoying a few too many sausages and going back for seconds and thirds. After the fantastic food, all the guests made their way inside for another treat, a performance of Decreasing Infinity by the Balbir Singh Dance Company. The dancers had the guests transfixed and the performance has got everybody at Dep in high spirits for the Fringe Festival.

The musical entertainment for the evening was electro-pop band, Escort Knights. The Leeds based group ensured that everybody was up and dancing for the rest of the evening with hits like Contagious (which features on our homepage video!)

A massive thank you  to both Balbir Singh Dance Company and Escort Knights as well as Starkey’s for the great food and everybody at Slung Low  and The Holbeck Underground Ballroom for the use of their great venue.

If you want to catch Balbir Singh Dance Company or either of our other companies heading to Edinburgh see their websites: www.balbirsinghdance.co.uk, www.rashdash.co.uk and www.companychameleon.com. Be sure to give Escort Knights a listen too: www.escortknightsmusic.com.

Check our website soon for pictures of DepFest!

Balbir Singh Aqua-Dance Sessions

by Alison on July 25th, 2011
Balbir Singh Dance Company,Synchronised

It’s almost time for a brand new wave of movement! Aqua-Dance sessions, organised by Balbir Singh Dance Company, are part of Synchronised, a project under the Cultural Olympiad and a part of the imoveand  projects taking place across Yorkshire in the run up to London 2012. The sessions fuse Kathak (a traditional Indian dance) and contemporary dance with training similar to those used by synchronised swimmers.

Imoveand is the Yorkshire regions’ contribution to the Cultural Olympiad and aims to get the public up and moving to explore not only the region around us, but the diversity of human movement and potential of each individual. What better way to explore diversity by, quite literally, taking the plunge to discover new cultures and ways of moving from such a different angle!

If you’re interested in taking part in the Aqua-Dance sessions join in at the Huddersfield Stadium Pool (for children) from 9:00-10:00 am every Thursday in August and 1st September. Spenborough sessions (for adults) are at the Spenborough Pool and Fitness Complex from 5:00-5:45pm every Monday in August (excluding 29th) and 5th September. Sessions are free and all abilities welcome!

For more information www.balbirsinghdance.co.uk. Keep an eye out for more sessions at Bramley Baths, Ponds Forge and York St. John University soon!

 

 

Edinburgh, here we come!

by Fiona on June 9th, 2011
Balbir Singh Dance Company,Company Chameleon,Edinburgh Fringe Festival,Rashdash
Welcome to the Dep Arts’ new blog, we will be blogging furiously up until the launch of our shiny new website in order to keep you updated with all the exciting things happening in the Dep Arts office and with Dep’s artists and companies.

Dep is happy to announce that the Edinburgh Fringe Festival brochure has just been launched, featuring two of our artists, RashDash and Balbir Singh Dance Company.

RashDash are making a triumphant return to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival after winning last years Fringe First award with Another Someone. Their new show Scary Gorgeous focuses on sex, sexiness and love, using a dual narrative, which explores the boundaries between female empowerment and pornography. Scary Gorgeous is a must see show, interwoven with movement, live music from Not Now Bernard, singing and text. This show will set your toes tapping and your mind whirring, not to be missed!

'Decreasing Infinity' - Balbir Singh Dance Company

'Decreasing Infinity' - Balbir Singh Dance Company

Balbir Singh Dance Company will make their Edinburgh Fringe Festival début at Dance Base, fresh from their sell out run at the Dublin Dance Festival, with Decreasing Infinity.

Balbir Singh Dance Company create captivating and dynamic dance through a synthesis of Kathak – classical North Indian and contemporary dance accompanied by live music.

Decreasing Infinity created by choreographer Balbir Singh, shows how two different forms of dance influence each other, starting in their purest form seen through abstract mirrors they are attracted to each other and slowly influenced until they collide at which point neither style of dance exists but something new…

Dep are also busy finalizing details for a special appearance at the Fringe by Company Chameleon who will perform an exert of Rites and their fantastic outdoor piece Before Night Fell, keep checking the blog for more information about this one off double bill.

For more information about RashDash, Balbir Singh Dance Company, Company Chameleon and any or our other artists, take a look at our current website or get in touch with us at admin@departsltd.com

Delivering
Performance