dance from 1969 - now
Extemporary Dance Theatre
Does anyone remember our off shoot company, Extemporary Dance Theatre?This was such a vibrant, experimental time when we were working across so many disciplines in dance. We used the voice, experimented with the use of props, encouraged to use musical instruments , worked with poets, actors and writers. I remember we had an affiliation with Central School as well. Does anyone have photos, film footage, reviews, old programmes? I was working with Extemporary the same time as Corrine B. Jeff Powell was administrator and of course still being part of the Place, we rehearsed and attended classes there.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Anita Griffin on -
Hi Fiona.....sorry I missed seeing you at the Alumni!
I was a founder member of Extemporary Dance Theatre which, once formed, first performed at the Edinburgh Festival. The dancers were Jeff Powell, Tom Jobe, Rebecca Rifkin, Judy Garay and me. We did a piece by Cathy Lewis called 'More' and one by Tamara Mc Clorg called 'Red on Red' which I think was to music by Terry Riley.
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Permalink Reply by Fiona O'Kelly Chaney on -
Yes, I also remember dancing in a piece by Cathy Lewis, I have feeling it was the same one, and if I remember rightly, extremely fast moving. Tamara also choreographed a haunting work based on an Irish folksong about the famine. I must have joined Extemporary when I returned from the Juilliard in 1976(I think?) I also worked with Shelley Lee in her company Basic Space. Have you any idea what happened to this company?We had a residency in Southampton University with The Society for the Prompotion of New Music.We worked with the musicians, very improvisational stuff..wonderful though. An amazing introduction to synthesised music...very new and exciting at the time and instrumental in inspiring in me a life long love of New/Experimental Music. We were based at The Place as well. It was towards the end of our third year..Jayne was also part of this company for a brief period. It was difficult to really get to talk to people at the Alumni..it was so so busy..but nevertheless really great to meet up and make contact again. Sorry also to have missed you Anita..its curious to piece threads from ones memory together again..it was all such an intensly creative time as a young dancer.
Anita Griffin said:Hi Fiona.....sorry I missed seeing you at the Alumni!
I was a founder member of Extemporary Dance Theatre which, once formed, first performed at the Edinburgh Festival. The dancers were Jeff Powell, Tom Jobe, Rebecca Rifkin, Judy Garay and me. We did a piece by Cathy Lewis called 'More' and one by Tamara Mc Clorg called 'Red on Red' which I think was to music by Terry Riley.
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Permalink Reply by Adam Reynolds on
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Hi, I was very interested to read these posts. I work as an archivist at the National Resource Centre for Dance at the University of Surrey where the archives of Extemporary Dance Group/Company/Theatre are held. We’re currently beginning an AHRC funded project to create an educational website, containing videos and photographs of dance performances, and one collection we’re particularly keen to use in connection to this is the Extemporary Dance collection
I’m currently looking for more information on the history of Extemporary, particularly from the period 1975-1981, in order to flesh out a history of the organisation, and any information that people may have in relation to this would be very useful indeed.
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Permalink Reply by Fiona O'Kelly Chaney on
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Hello Adam, Its great to hear about this work you are doing. If my memory serves me well re dates, I was a dancer with Extemporary about 1977-8. As I mentioned, its amazing in retrospect what impact we had on the experimental dance scene and on choreographers that later followed. Matthew Bourne has written in his 'Interviews' about the hugh influence we had on him. As a young dancer at the time I never took on board the importance of our work, I just got on with the dance in that moment in time. Perhaps thats why it was a company of such innovation and vibrancy. What I'd also add here is that I was given time also to explore my own creativity not only with the wonderful guest choreographers as a dancer, but also as a choreographer. Many works from this period are lost because they went undocumented but I will do my best to help you here. I look forward to reading your research when completed.
Adam Reynolds said:Hi, I was very interested to read these posts. I work as an archivist at the National Resource Centre for Dance at the University of Surrey where the archives of Extemporary Dance Group/Company/Theatre are held. We’re currently beginning an AHRC funded project to create an educational website, containing videos and photographs of dance performances, and one collection we’re particularly keen to use in connection to this is the Extemporary Dance collection
I’m currently looking for more information on the history of Extemporary, particularly from the period 1975-1981, in order to flesh out a history of the organisation, and any information that people may have in relation to this would be very useful indeed.
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Permalink Reply by Adam Reynolds on
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Hi Fiona, it's very interesting to hear from someone directly involved at the time. I don't know the frequency and extent to which works were being performed at this time, so I don't know how full a collection of videos of surviving performances we hold here at the NRCD. From the years 1975-78 we have the copies of the following; Red on Red, More, Ballad, Seesaw, Robber's Glen, Work Songs, Thaw, Crusin', On the Run, Nightspells, Dreams, Blueprint, Alone, and Emily.
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Permalink Reply by Fiona O'Kelly Chaney on
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Hi, this is great...I certainly performed 'More' and 'Red on Red', Tamara's and Kathy's works. 'Ballad' sounds familiar but I also danced in a work by Anna Sokolow called' 'Ballad' and 'Rememberance of things Past' (this was choreographed at the Place and Juilliard School) I'd love to see them again at one point. We did so much outreach work at the time..always on the road. I was also founder member of 'Spiral Dance Co' based in Liverpool (I remember naming the company with Irene Dilkes and other members) she was inspirational. I guess I ought to make at trip to the centre. Back to Extemporary, Geoff Powell I believe will have documentation from my time. He was directing us. Keep in touch and let me know what else you find. Fiona.
Adam Reynolds said:Hi Fiona, it's very interesting to hear from someone directly involved at the time. I don't know the frequency and extent to which works were being performed at this time, so I don't know how full a collection of videos of surviving performances we hold here at the NRCD. From the years 1975-78 we have the copies of the following; Red on Red, More, Ballad, Seesaw, Robber's Glen, Work Songs, Thaw, Crusin', On the Run, Nightspells, Dreams, Blueprint, Alone, and Emily.
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Permalink Reply by Leo Lyons on
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Hi All
In 1978 I was studying photography at a college in Aberystwyth. When the Extemporary Dance Theatre performed at the University I asked if I could come and photograph the rehearsals. I posted some of the resulting prints to Extemporary and was asked to do front of house publicity shots for a few shows.
It's all a bit hazy now but I remember being very pleased with the shots at the time. I tried to get movement in the shots with long shutter speeds. All very arty! It was very exciting too and some of my photos were exhibited in a dance book shop off Charing Cross Road. I was also asked to submit photos to the Photographers' Gallery for an exhibition of dance photography. Thought I had hit the big time. Despite initial great enthusiam from the gallery my photographs were not used in the end and I soon learned how hard and brutal the arts could be! I had my theories as to why I was dumped but that is another story.
One of my photographs was used for a poster at Edinburgh and went on to win the best poster in festival award. but again it left a sour taste in my mouth as no-one told me and I missed the chance to be at the award ceremony with Pamela Stephenson presenting the prizes. I don't even have a decent copy of the poster. Oh dear I am sounding all bitter and hurt. It's all coming flooding back!
Anyway I always had a great time with the dancers and got some great shots. Still have all the negatives and could scan them if they are of any use to the archive. Have to say some of the old negatives despite being looked after are beginning to show some signs of age so they should be digitially captured. Think it might have been down to my development skills as i was still learning then and did all my own processing.
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Permalink Reply by Fiona O'Kelly Chaney on
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Hi, this sounds really great. If you give them to the archive let me know, then I can get to have a look through at one point. I hope your still taking photographs, you obviously showed early talent....its the doing and the making thats so so important,....I hope you get to put negatives onto digital format. If your not interested or haven't got the time please let me know...I am actually making a dance video at present and have had first showing at The Crypt Gallery Kings Cross in July, it was shown as a piece with dancers performing live and live musis....it was really exciting and very well recieved. I have an idea to perhaps interlay..just an idea after recieving this email from you, to interlay old negatives with current footage???what do you think??Thanks for this reply anyways...
Leo Lyons said:Hi All
In 1978 I was studying photography at a college in Aberystwyth. When the Extemporary Dance Theatre performed at the University I asked if I could come and photograph the rehearsals. I posted some of the resulting prints to Extemporary and was asked to do front of house publicity shots for a few shows.
It's all a bit hazy now but I remember being very pleased with the shots at the time. I tried to get movement in the shots with long shutter speeds. All very arty! It was very exciting too and some of my photos were exhibited in a dance book shop off Charing Cross Road. I was also asked to submit photos to the Photographers' Gallery for an exhibition of dance photography. Thought I had hit the big time. Despite initial great enthusiam from the gallery my photographs were not used in the end and I soon learned how hard and brutal the arts could be! I had my theories as to why I was dumped but that is another story.
One of my photographs was used for a poster at Edinburgh and went on to win the best poster in festival award. but again it left a sour taste in my mouth as no-one told me and I missed the chance to be at the award ceremony with Pamela Stephenson presenting the prizes. I don't even have a decent copy of the poster. Oh dear I am sounding all bitter and hurt. It's all coming flooding back!
Anyway I always had a great time with the dancers and got some great shots. Still have all the negatives and could scan them if they are of any use to the archive. Have to say some of the old negatives despite being looked after are beginning to show some signs of age so they should be digitially captured. Think it might have been down to my development skills as i was still learning then and did all my own processing.
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Permalink Reply by Chris Nash on
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Hi All,
I shot quite a few sessions with Extemporary when Emilyn Claid was Artistic Director in the late 80's - I don't know if that's of any interest to anyone. I'm also putting together an exhibition and archive of my work for the V & A at the moment and am including one Extemporary picture (Out Of The Blue with dancer Sharon Donaldson), but I don't have the choreographer details for that piece. Does anyone remember that piece?
Chris Nash
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Permalink Reply by Fiona O'Kelly Chaney on
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Hi Chris, Sorry I can't help you here, I was an early member. I look forward to seeing the results of your research. Please let me know when its completed and on view.
Chris Nash said:Hi All,
I shot quite a few sessions with Extemporary when Emilyn Claid was Artistic Director in the late 80's - I don't know if that's of any interest to anyone. I'm also putting together an exhibition and archive of my work for the V & A at the moment and am including one Extemporary picture (Out Of The Blue with dancer Sharon Donaldson), but I don't have the choreographer details for that piece. Does anyone remember that piece?
Chris Nash
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Permalink Reply by Anita Griffin on
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Hi Chris, Sharon is now the Artistic director of Phoenix Dance Company in Leeds so I'm sure she would remember the name of the choreographer.
Fiona O'Kelly Chaney said:Hi Chris, Sorry I can't help you here, I was an early member. I look forward to seeing the results of your research. Please let me know when its completed and on view.
Chris Nash said:Hi All,
I shot quite a few sessions with Extemporary when Emilyn Claid was Artistic Director in the late 80's - I don't know if that's of any interest to anyone. I'm also putting together an exhibition and archive of my work for the V & A at the moment and am including one Extemporary picture (Out Of The Blue with dancer Sharon Donaldson), but I don't have the choreographer details for that piece. Does anyone remember that piece?
Chris Nash
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Permalink Reply by Adam Reynolds on
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Hi Chris, I'm an archivist at the National Resource Centre for Dance, where we hold all the records for Extemporary. I believe 'Suddenly out of the Blue' to have been choreographed by Liz Aggiss.We have around 40 photographs of the work including some by yourself.
Chris Nash said:Hi All,
I shot quite a few sessions with Extemporary when Emilyn Claid was Artistic Director in the late 80's - I don't know if that's of any interest to anyone. I'm also putting together an exhibition and archive of my work for the V & A at the moment and am including one Extemporary picture (Out Of The Blue with dancer Sharon Donaldson), but I don't have the choreographer details for that piece. Does anyone remember that piece?
Chris Nash
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