DANCE COLLABORATION

KATY SINNADURAI & RACHEL PODGER

It was almost inevitable that Rachel Podger and I would work together at some point. I met Rachel first on the Brecon Mums’ circuit, taking our young children to and from school, playgroups etc. When my youngest child enrolled as a chorister at Brecon Cathedral, I heard Rachel play for the first time, at choral evensong as part of the 2008 Brecon Baroque Festival. Gorgeous music in a gorgeous setting. As I became aware of Rachel’s standing and reputation in the world of professional music, I was impressed at how much time and energy she and Tim were putting into the local music scene, nurturing young musicians from the Brecon area.

This is something that I feel strongly about too. Having been fortunate enough to dance professionally in Europe and the UK, I feel a duty to pass on what I know to local dance students, not only to the talented and potential future professional dancers, but to any child who loves to move.

After discovering that we lived on the same road, Rachel and I then unearthed further similarities in our stories: Rachel grew up in Germany, where I got my first job as a dancer, staying for 3 years. We both studied ballet and music until our mid-teenage, when the time came to make a choice between the two..... and when we realised we shared a birthday, talk turned to collaboration....

Rachel suggested the Bach Suite in D major as a work with choreographic potential. For me, choreography always starts with the music. I hear a piece, and can instantly see moves that flow from it. If I don’t see any moves, I won’t use that piece of music, as I am not a choreographer who does movement for movement’s sake, and juxtaposes this with a soundtrack. I have always been drawn to Baroque music: a piece by Vivaldi inspired my first attempt at choreography while a student, and I went on to dance in John Neumeier’s “Bach Suite 2” with the Bavarian State Ballet, a great experience. However, many choreographers avoid the music of Bach, with its intricacies and many-layered structure - put simply, it’s too good! I know that I will only be satisfied if the dance does justice to the score.....

For the 2009 Brecon Baroque Festival, I am using two of the senior students of the Mid-Wales Dance Academy in Brecon, Josie Laurel and Harlan Rust, both of whom are working towards a career in dance. Using four of the five movements within the Suite, this piece describes the experience of two concert - going audience members who allow the music to carry them away, until they suddenly become aware of each other’s presence. Their relationship develops from this point. The working title for the piece at the moment is “Suite:Meet”.

My hope is that this first collaboration between Baroque musicians and dancers will provide both groups with a new experience from which they will all derive pleasure and inspiration, and that the audience will enjoy the dance piece as a new ingredient in this year’s Festival.

Katy Sinnadurai 2009