About the performance

The Prohibition Order means dance and the act of dancing are strictly prohibited. Infringements of this constitute a crime and persons found guilty will be liable for imprisonment or worse.

Do you conform or rebel? Illegal Dance creates an interactive realm where the spectator becomes part of the spectacle and the real and surreal are blurred.

Key Personnel

Tony Adigun- Artistic Director
Sara Gordon- Assistant Director
Nic Sandiland- Digital Artist
Odilia Egyiawan- Creative Collaborator
Paul Batten- Lighting Design
Inua Ellams- Word Artist

Production Information

Running time at full length: 1hr 15min

Suitable for all ages

Medium use of text

Use of recorded music

Does not require a clear understanding of English or another language

Touring Information

Small scale show (up to 400 seats)

Appropriate for a theatre setting

Availabel for touring September 2011 to Spring 2012

Suitable for rural touring

Outreach and Educational Work

This work involves the integration of local companies into the work through an intensive 3/4 residency. The local people involved will gain a full experience of what it is like to work with a professional company on a work that is fully immersive, involves audience interaction and taking on character based roles.

Company History

In 2009 Avant Garde Dance produced their first full length work which was taken to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, 'Spectrum' receiving critical acclaim and audience numbers of 70% capacity over the run.

At the beginning of 2010 the Artistic Directors of the company pitched at British Dance Editions 'Dragons Den' and secured £5000 of funding from Birmingham Dance Exchange, The Place, East London Dance, Greenwich Dance Agency and Woking Dance Festival towards research and development of a new work 'Illegal Dance'. This Research was undertaken in December 2010 with Digital Artist Nic Sandiland.

During 2010 the company produced 'The Bunker Thing' in association with East London Dance as part of Big Dance 2010, the company performed the site specific work 13 times over 2 days in a World War 2 Bunker in East London, they also toured 'Silver Tree' Internationally at The National Theatre and Greenwich International Festival and produced a new work with Remarkable Production, 'Taxi' which premiered at Paradise Gardens and is set to tour Internationally during 2011.

New partnership were also made in 2010 with Pavilion Dance in Bournemouth with Avant Garde Dance fronting an education project in April 2010 and Oct 2010 involving 10 professional artists from Avant Garde Dance and 100 young people of Bournemouth creating two new works.

In late 2010 the company were successful in receiving Arts Council Funding for their new work 'Illegal Dance' The work has since been premiered at Stratford Circus London and Patrick Centre Birmingham to sell out audiences. The company aim to develop the work throughout 2011 and tour it in Autumn.

Since 2009 the company have been focused on making new partnerships with organisations and increasing national and international awareness of their work. Through touring and education work this is something they wish to see continually growing.

Recent Productions / Tours

Spectrum' 2009 Edinburgh Fringe Festival

A Classical Break' 2009 Breakin Convention

Silver Tree' 2009/2010 Touring

Taxi' 2010/2011 Touring

The Bunker Thing' 2010 Bootstrap Bunker

Illegal Dance' 2011 Stratford Circus Birmingham Patrick Centre

Collabo' 2009/2010/2011 Stratford Circus

Reviews

Avant Garde Youth complete the programme with the darkly gothic A Beatific Vision, danced by to a pair of musical pieces chosen by Shobana Jeyasingh. Combining hip hop with contemporary technique, Tony Adigun’s piece transcends the tricks and posturing associated with hip hop to create a sombre and tense atmosphere. Black-clad youths in hoods process in ritual fashion across the stage, dropping into slick unison around a strong central performance by Russell Royer. A sophisticated and superbly performed work.

Review by Lise Smith 2010, Reviews for ‘A Beatific Vision’

'Avant Garde Dance are one of the most exciting companies around currently- always innovative and pushing the boundaries in term of their vocabulary and style, and keen to explore new collaborations which simply makes their work fresh and exciting'

Quote Kiki Gale, East London Dance