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News
RANDOM DANCE
Author:
City
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Baku
Country :
Azerbaijan
Pages
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1
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Random Dance Company, famous for its creativity, performed in Baku at the State Theatre of Musical Comedy on 13 and 14 June. The performance was organised by British Council.
Our city was among five post-Soviet cities included into Random Dance tour. Due to close co-operation with British Council prior to Baku British dance company performed in Yerevan and Georgia, and after outstanding performance here went to Almati and Bishkek. Comparatively young company was founded by famous choreographer Wayne McGregor in 1992 and over last four years Random achieved high success and won awards for its works like Millenarium (1997), Sulphur (1998) and Aeon (2000). Along with professional skills of dancers these works included technological elements and united into the Trilogy. This program has led to explosion of the company both in dance and synthesis of modern technology. Wayne McGregor’s appointment as choreographer-in-residence at The Place Theatre, London, in 1992 served as a starting point for the company. In his activity McGregor widely uses modern technologies with skilful combination of present heritage and artistic potential of dancers. With the constant support by British Council, Random dance toured Germany, France, Belgium, Russia, Israel, Malaysia, Poland, Macedonia, Canada, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Albania and Japan. As a result of McGregor together with company have chosen complicated and versatile field of art and new media since 1997, Random performances showed another look at dance through digital technology.
After the successful performance in Tbilisi the British dance company arrived in Baku on 10 June. In addition to scheduled performances Random Dance had tight work programme with British Council staff. On 11 June the company held master class for Opera and Ballet theatre dancers, Choreography Academy students and for anyone else who have direct relation to dance. The company came to master-class with its artistic director Wayne McGregor. An event was also attended by British Council director Margaret Jack, Choreography Academy director Nullifier Kerimova, popular artist of Azerbaijan Rafiga Akhundova and academic personnel of musical and theatre structures. Thus, the audience divided into two categories;  participants and watchers, but both parts were really interested in Random Dance. From the first minutes Random Dance energetic collective gave a special impulse to the lesson. Each dancer in turn was showing a cycle of dance movements for Azeri students to repeat. The dance language exactly felt by both parts almost did not require translation. After two-hour lesson Wayne McGregor admitted that he did not expect this high level of local participants.
From 12 June’s early morning Random’s technical staff together with their colleagues from the Theatre of Musical Comedy were preparing stage for rehearsals. It is necessary to note the efficiency and kind of obsession in the work of British company technicians and help of theatre technicians. In the evening a press conference held at ISR Plaza was attended by British Council director Margaret Jack, Random Dance artistic director Wayne McGregor, tour organiser Andrew Jones and dancer Leila Diyallo. Mass media was represented by journalists from leading newspapers and magazines of Baku and four TV channels. Journalists asked Random about their educational and professional background. Dancers replied that each member possessed academic dance background. Media representatives also were interested how company used British folklore in their activity. McGregor replied to this question as really creative person. He said that he did not divide folklore and other culture. In his view, the main point is an inspiration that he gets from what he heard and saw earlier. He mentioned his visit to Gobustan, and said that cave paintings had an unforgettable impression on him and maybe in the future these historical monuments would be included in this program. He also hoped that Azeri audience would value their unusual and versatile performance. On 13 June everything was ready for the long awaited concert. It is necessary to note, two weeks before British Council started distributing invitations, which finished in two days. Azeri audience said the reason was that such an event is not often occurs in cultural life of Baku.
On 13 June before the performance British Council hosted an official reception attended by delegation from city of London led by Lord Mayor, British Council Director, State officials from ministries, professors, academics, conductors, popular artists, leading choreographers and dancers. Random’s tour head organiser from UK side Andrew Jones spoke to head ballet-master of Opera and Ballet Theatre Yulana Atakishizadeh, ballet-master of Opera and Ballet Theatre Sergey Bogdanov, leading artist of the same theatre Yuriy Lobachev, popular artists of Azerbaijan Rafiga Akhundova and Magsud Mammadov, and Arts Academy graduate, choreographer Nikolay Pesherov. During the conversation Andrew Jones was mostly interested in requirements of Azeri audience in arts, particularly in dance, and about directions and areas of present work of choreographers and ballet-masters. British Ambassador Andrew Tucker made an introductory speech before the show and thanked management of the Theatre of Musical Comedy for support the development of cultural relations between Azerbaijan and the UK.
The Random’s dancers performed their programme. Programme called Trilogy contained four elements (water, fire, earth, air). Use of virtual and physical effects organically accompanied by high level of professionalism of dancers. During 70 minute-performance Random kept the audience concentrated on them. 8 real and 8 virtual partners were confidently proving the actuality of their activity based on opportunities of human body and modern technologies. On 14 June Random Dance gave final performance, which had the same success as first. British Council director Margaret Jack made an introductory speech and thanked dynamic and talented company for an opportunity that Azeri audience could see a new way of dance. She specially thanked the ministry of culture and management of the theatre of Musical Comedy for help and support. Jack emphasised that the Musical Comedy theatre was the one where Leyli and Majnun was first performed in 1908, the world’s first Muslim opera, based on traditional Azeri mugam music, and where, four years later, for the first time in the Muslim world a woman sang on stage without a veil. According to Jack, the main aim of British Council to be the bridge for exchange of cultural and creative experience between two countries was achieved. The final performance of Random Dance was received by Azeri public with high appreciation. In order to gain an audience feedback about Random’s performance, British Council conducted a questionnaire. Results showed that majority of audience praised Random’s shows in Baku.
In September this year British Council is planning to conduct another event in Baku. British percussionist Pete Lockett, who is travelling in the world to collect unusual rhythms of the planet, will come to Baku. Lockett’s performances in Baku will be held in co-operation with renowned Azeri folk ensemble led by Fikret Verdiyev. British musician is planning to play together with Azeri musicians Azeri national music and also to get to know Azeri musical heritage and folklore. Concert is really promising, as it will be a joint work of really rich creative potential of Britain and Azerbaijan and deserves an attention of Azeri public.
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