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Christopher Hampson,
Choreographers Diary, Pt 6 | |||||||
Christopher Hampson, a dancer and young choreographer with ENB, is keeping a diary for us on the creation of his next piece. The premiere is in Truro on the 14th April 1998.
Here is a link to the previous column in the series. My month of gloating is over - I turned 50 this month (25 in human years). As a birthday present to myself I finished choreographing Country Garden. About four o'clock on Thursday, John Cavalli lifted Tamara Rojo on the final '8' of the finale, just as Fido entered the rehearsal room in time to say "that'll be the end then". Indeed it was. With all sections completed, I have exactly one week to put the puzzle together - this involves working slowly through each section to clarify the co-ordination of heads and arms, and fixing bits that I have put off for weeks now. These are usually things I can live with but need putting right - a bit like Germany. I also have to plot the ballet for different sized stages: at the moment I am rehearsing in the luxury measurements of Truro's big stage, but sooner or later I'll have to cram it on to Scunthorpe's 25' by 25' matchbox. I have had experience of this recently with Perpetuum Mobile (my other ballet) which I had to squeeze on to Richmond Theatre stage which, despite having an auditorium that looks like a Habsburg ballroom, boasts a performance space that is like a postage stamp on a hill. I haven't done a full run of Country Garden yet, and I haven't seen the backcloth; but I have seen the costumes. They've worked out to be exactly what Fido intended, and look good on all the dancers. With only a week to go before the premiere, I am happy with nothing except the costumes, so the technical rehearsal next Monday will be hectic, nerve-wracking and exciting as I see the ballet come together.
Country Garden has been blessed! I doubt if either of us remember how, but the front page of the score is now inscribed with the words "Dear Hampy, Thanks for the drink, be a good boy, big hug, Mrs Merton." And so, I need to thank the many people who have supported me throughout this creative spurt. But I won't. Instead, a big thankyou to Dunhill for giving me something to do with my hands when I have been stressed, to Guinness for helping me to celebrate when I finished choreographing on Thursday, and to Express Cars for remembering where I live. Is anyone coming to see it?
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