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On the train to Plymouth for the start of the autumn tour - Dane Hurst

Posted by: Dane Hurst on 18 September 2009

It's late 2009, I am on a train to Plymouth and as predicted, many changes and rearrangements have taken place; cosmically and individually that is.

 

Firstly, I have returned to Rambert (after a year at Phoenix Dance Theatre), happy that Mark has taken me back, and secondly, I find myself displaced and at the bottom of the pile having to fight my way back up, like I did when I first arrived six years ago in 2003.

Why am I back and why at the bottom of the pile? Well I am back to grab onto the possible opportunity of having my choreographic ideas put into practice on some of the big stages; and I feel I'm at the bottom of the pile simply because I think Rambert has some of the best contemporary dancers around at present and I am definitely feeling the pressure, which is a good thing. In my time away I missed the chance of creating for Rambert's Season of New Choreography at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre, but in hindsight, it might have been too stressful, too soon. I did however get the chance up in Leeds at Phoenix Dance Theatre, with a piece that made it onto the Peacock Theatre stage; so no complaints and no regrets.

Apart from striving to be a dancer of quality and conscience, I would also like to create a body of choreographic work that speaks intellectually as well as physically, and I am sure countless other people do too. So I am in a fortunate position right now, therefore, it is good for me to be here and not anywhere else. All the ingredients are on the shelf apart from the time, or lack there of, dedicated to my own work. We work within tight creative schedules and are either constantly rehearsing existing repertoire or constantly creating new repertoire. Is there any chance of maybe lengthening the year and slowing down the ticking clock? Hmmm... We always seem to be fighting against the clock anyway and choreographic workshops are usually squeezed in between this tight schedule and are mostly created in the one-hour lunch breaks on a full stomach of tuna and avocado sandwiches. This might have an adverse affect on my health and the final product, but might also add to the edge and vibrancy of newly created work and is certainly a testimony to the will and eagerness of the creators to have their voices heard. Luckily, all the pieces of the puzzle lay under one roof; no funding applications or auditions needed. It's not as simple as it sounds but close enough to achieve.

What lies ahead? Well, we have a ten-week tour of five very diverse pieces danced by a very different and diverse group of dancers. If you like ticking boxes then the multicultural one is definitely taken care of here but that's beside the point; we are a diverse bunch but more importantly we are diversely talented, always willing to be the best. It is a stellar team, inside and outside of the studio, and I am very happy to be back at Rambert and part of it. Great things lay ahead in the distance I think, it just depends how much we want it and how much we're willing to pay to get it. All in all, the road looks pretty good.

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