A short description of the first rehearsal for the educational project of sadler's wells with the Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch
February 10am on a saturday morning, 22 dance students, from three different London based dance schools, were welcomed by a number of artists in the Ashton Studio at Sadler's Wells; Pascal Merighi and Felix Bürckle, two dancers from Tanztheater Wuppertal-Pina Bausch, the writer Yemisi Blake and the composer Hannah Peel. This group of artists represented only a small part of a group, standing at the beginning of the Sadler's Wells project Compass, bringing together 100 dancers from all age groups and different levels of experience.
At the beginning of the workshop the students were full of nervous excitement and curiosity, everyone was looking forward to finally getting an idea about the forms, this project would take.
Two intensive days of getting used to new people and new ideas of movement, concentrating on urban life in a mega city like London, could not have passed any quicker and left the group with strong ideas inspired by personal experiences, that had been explored through different tools; In stillness or accompanied by music, movement, stories, words and imagination were at the center of the working process.
The tasks, given by Felix and Pascal, were precise and yet allowed freedom to follow personal interests and space for individuality. To point out the intensity of this weekend, it might be of interest that each movement task, leading to a short solo, was performed in front of the whole group, whilst a camera was recording the material, for future reference. The tasks were demanding and sharing the work in front of many unknown faces, made some people forget their material, but at the same time during these moments of sharing personal work, the studio was filled with spirit, which had been carried by the energy, sensitivity and alertness in which Pascal and Felix guided and witnessed the working process, and the concentration and commitment in which the students followed their ideas. The level of intensity made the group come closer together, in a very short amount of time.
From tape, pencil and paper, personal stories, about journeys through urban landscape, to creative partnering exercises, group improvisations and creating set material, inspired by the word Moloch, this weekend has been full of creativity, question marks, stories and new faces and a very exciting first glimpse on Sadler's Wells stage. It has been a very enjoyable time, promising many more unforgettable moments to come in future rehearsals.