An interview with Rambert Artistic Director, Mark Baldwin
What is it that sets Rambert apart from other dance companies?
Rambert is unique in many ways; however, one of the things which set us apart from other companies is the 90 years’ worth of history and experience which we have at our finger tips. Rambert was originally a ballet company before it went on to become the first contemporary dance company in the UK. Our dancers today come from a variety of backgrounds, however, they are all trained in classical and contemporary technique. As a choreographer, for me the relationship between music and dance is incomparable. We are the only contemporary dance company to have its own in-house orchestra which tours the country with us accompanying our performances enriching the experience for audiences.
How has the company changed over the past 90 years?
The big change was in the 60’s when the company started to commission and stage contemporary works, however, each period of the company’s history has been different. Today’s brand of dance encompasses the company’s rich heritage whilst pushing at the boundaries of contemporary dance, with new, fresh choreographic voices joining an impressive list of iconic ones. The company is always refreshing itself with new works which have something to say about the time we live in – for example Malgorzata Dzierzon’s Flight is inspired by stories of migration an extremely relevant topic at the moment in post referendum Britain.
You were a dancer with the company before you became Artistic Director. Do you have a favourite moment or piece from that time?
To be honest with you, I find it very difficult to remember specific moments from my time as a dancer. I think this is because I used to lose myself in each and every role I danced – I was living in the moment. However there were three pieces in particular which I enjoyed immensely; Soda Lake by Richard Alston, Sergeant Early’s Dream by Christopher Bruce and Pierrot Lunaire by Glen Tetley. What I do remember from performing Pierrot Lunaire was the pure exhaustion and exhilaration I felt afterwards – dancing the main role meant being on the stage for over 40 minutes which was pretty gruelling, yet incredibly rewarding at the same time.
The company has been a full time touring company since the Second World War. Why is touring so integral for the company?
Touring is at the heart of what the company does. We take Rambert and its world-class dancers across the UK, giving people the opportunity to experience a spectacle – the virtuosity of our dancers, the variety of our programme accompanied by our excellent musicians. Every town or city we visit is different. Bath is one of the cities we love touring to the most. The beautiful Georgian theatre offers a more intimate setting for our works than other venues, with fantastic acoustics which make the orchestra sound especially beautiful. Returning to Bath year on year (we’ve been coming here since 1937) feels like visiting an old friend – it is always a special occasion for us.
Rambert is known for touring contemporary dance across the UK. This year the company is bringing three new works by female choreographers to Theatre Royal. Can you tell us a little bit about the works?
Bath will be able to enjoy Lucy Guerin’s Tomorrow which is inspired by Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Lucy has divided the stage in two and on one side the dancers re-enact the outline of the play starting with the final death and working backwards. On the other side of the stage the witches cast spells and incantations with their bodies, acting as the driving force in the work and propelling the action taking place on the other side of the stage.
Malgorzata Dzierzon the choreographer of Flight has drawn upon her own experiences to explore ideas of migration and travel. The work features sixteen dancers and depicts the emotional journey of leaving one home in search of another. Composer Kate Whitley has created a beautiful piece of music for strings and piano which, along with music by Japanese composer Somei Satoh, creates an emotive score – beautiful, soft and lyrical. The set, a moveable wall which becomes screens upon which architectural images are projected, is reconfigured throughout the work by the dancers, drawing the audience into the work.
Patricia Okenwa danced with the company for twelve years. Her first work for Rambert’s touring repertoire, Hydrargyrum revolutionises our dancers technique. I admire Patricia’s bravery in this work – she’s held nothing back. The work moves seamlessly from hooded threat to sensual freedom, under a giant rotating mirror. Aleksandra Vrebalov’s score takes us from high driving electric guitar to crystal clear drops of sound. The piece is quite a journey.
Two of the works this year are choreographed by former dancers (Malgorzata Dzierzon and Patricia Okenwa). Does Rambert actively encourage its dancers to try creating their own works? How does Rambert support dancers who want to make the change from dancer to choreographer?
Marie Rambert had a special interest in developing choreographers which I seem to have inherited. Malgorzata and Patricia have grown out of the company, just as choreographers Frederick Ashton, Anthony Tudor, Christopher Bruce and I did. Nurturing talented individuals has been an important part of the company’s work since the beginning. We have been developing both dancers and choreographers for 90 years and are looking at ways we can develop and support these artists further. They are the future of dance.
Photo credit – Nick Guttridge
