Wales based choreographers create short dance performances
for outdoor performance this summer.

National Dance Company Wales (NDCWales) invites you to join them for a 45 minute open-air performance and to rediscover the joy of dancing this summer.

NDCWales: Open Air Performance will feature two exciting dance voices. NDCWales company dancers Ed Myhill and Faye Tan have been developing their choreographic voices over the last few years and exploring creating pieces for the outdoor in various locations across Wales. 

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Faye Tan has worked with the NDCWales dancers to create a brand new energetic dance piece – Moving is everywhere, forever. It’s a satisfying ode to the act of dancing; an invitation to yield to the irresistible impulse of grooving, to the soundtrack by Welsh electronic duo Larch.

Faye said, “Moving is everywhere, forever’ first began as a research into a dance of satisfaction and catharsis as a means to invite audiences to groove along with the dancers, yielding into their own natural instincts to move to the beat. It was also an inquiry into the proposition that dance can exist at anytime, anywhere.

Thinking about situating the piece outdoors immediately gave the piece a strong reason to be bold with how the performers connect with the audiences and how they embrace the ever-changing elements of an outdoor environment with confidence and spontaneity; A reaffirmation that dance does not have to be confined to the indoors, in controlled atmospheres, or a particular time of day.

It has been an incredible experience of growth and joy for everyone involved, and we are so excited to have a mutual  exchange of energy with an audience in broad daylight during our performances.”

As well creating a new dance performance, NDCWales have also been reworking their acclaimed piece, Why Are People Clapping!? for the outdoors.  ‘Why Are People Clapping!?’ by Ed Myhill is an uplifting, funny and ridiculously clever dance piece that is set to composer Steve Reich’s ‘Clapping Music’ and uses rhythm as a driving force. The dancers clap, stamp and jump to create the live soundtrack.  It’s a face-pulling, toe-tapping 13 minutes of joy.

NDCWales dancer and creator of Why Are People Clapping!?, Ed Myhill said, “Adapting Why Are People Clapping!? for outdoors has been a challenging but exciting process. We have had to remould ourselves to fit into what will be more exposed and temperamental environments. Without our usual lighting and sound capabilities, as well as opening up two more sides for audiences to observe from, our creativity has been tested in how we want to reimagine this piece. Despite finding restriction in some areas, it has forced me to go in a different a direction that has revealed some great alternative possibilities and it’s exciting to work together with the dancers to unveil these ideas. I am thrilled with this new staging for the outdoors which has become even more vibrant and joyous.”

After the two performances there will be an opportunity for the audience to join in and learn some moments from the two performances.

National Dance Company Wales: Open Air Performances will be going to Chapter (Cardiff) – 6 & 7 August; Aberystwyth Arts Centre – 10 & 11 August; Theatr Clwyd (Mold) 13 August and Pontio (Bangor) 14 August.

NDCWales are working with venues and partners and taking guidance from the UK and Welsh Government Guidance on Performing and Participation activities and advice from Public Health Wales regarding the spread of COVID-19.