© Anthony Crickmay Mark Baldwin interview Mark Baldwin's plans for Rambert Bruce Sansom interview Rafael Bonachela interview 'Living Toys' reviews recent Rambert reviews

Rambert, located in Chiswick for over 30 years, is my local dance company. But, other than having a presence on the High Road, it seems most of this West London community would not know it was there. To some extent this is due to its premises, which are an unsatisfactory warren of offices and studio space only accessible by a narrow staircase. There is really no way Rambert can accommodate large numbers of Friends visiting, like ROH can at the Linbury or the Clore.

So it was an unexpected delight to receive a letter from Bruce Sansom, Rambert’s Head of Development, inviting Friends to apply to take part in a Rambert Open Day consisting of an opportunity to observe a section of the dancers’ daily class, part of a rehearsal in Rambert’s main studio as well as a chance to meet some of the Rambert’s Artistic and Administrative staff. How seriously Rambert took this day was reflected in that fact that not only was Bruce Samson present, but that both Rambert’s Chairman, Pru Skene, and the company’s new Artistic Director, Mark Baldwin, also took the time to join the group.

The day began for the ten supporters who attended (I suspect the maximum number who could be accommodated) with a presentation over coffee about Rambert’s hoped for move in three to four years’ time to the South Bank as part of the Coin Street Development. Preliminary plans for this move began while Christopher Bruce was in charge. To attract Rambert, the developers are offering the company the land for free (currently a car park and portacabin offices) and the building, which it is estimated, could cost Rambert some £5 million plus fit out costs, at a peppercorn rent. Rambert, in turn, would add to the development by becoming the resident arts organisation of the South Bank community.

Glenn Wilkinson teaching at a Rambert Summer School
© Niki Sianni

The company were able to show us draft architect’s drawings of what the building might look like. With an entrance immediately behind the National Theatre, the three floor building would have space for three studios, the largest being 60 foot by 60 foot, performance areas, adequate dancers’ dressing rooms and a space in the basement for its valuable archive. The building would need to produce an income stream for the company, and there are already thoughts about how parts of it could be rented out as rehearsal space for touring companies coming to perform in London.

If a physical move for the company is on the cards, Mark Baldwin also gave some insight on how he wants to move the company artistically to move forward. His aim is to try to create a repertoire that belongs specifically to Rambert. As part of that design, he gave his first commission to the American choreographer Karole Armitage to create a new piece, Living Toys, set to the score of the same name by the composer Thomas Ades, and fittingly made possible by funds raised by supporters. The piece was premiered on 29 May at the Theatre Royal, Glasgow. Asked if there was any reason why this work was not premiered in London, Baldwin replied that, as a touring company, Rambert liked to premiere work sometimes outside of London to give those in other regions the excitement of having first sight of a new work. In order to balance the programme, Baldwin, working closely with the Rambert’s musical director, Paul Hopkins, has decided to include a piece created by de Frutos to music by Cole Porter. This work, Elsa Canasta will receive its first performance in Salford on 24th September.

Baldwin also wants the company increasingly to perform to live music. The studios in the new building would allow that to happen, as well as letting the dancers perform with proper sets. Their current studio space is often too small to accommodate this.

The visitors were led up the narrow stairway single file to join the company class. The rehearsal director, Vincent Redman, a member of the company who is moving into other directions, gave no mercy as he led the dancers through a difficult and demanding barre and centre. I have attended both ROH and ENB company classes. What made this experience different is that here the audience was not somewhat removed from the dancers, but sitting on chairs on the studio floor literally within touching distance. Those in the group who had been dancers admitted to feeling their muscles twitch in response to the music.

Taking the class with the company was a young, second year Central Ballet student, Katie Lyons, the British entrant in the European Young Dancer of the Year contest. Mark Baldwin has choreographed a short piece for her to music from Flight of the Bumblebee, and she was there to rehearse with him. After class finished, as an unexpected treat and while the dancers were preparing for their rehearsal, we were given a preview performance. Baldwin and his young dancer then left together to make some corrections.

Karole Armitage's Living Toys
© Anthony Crickmay

This left the floor open for rehearsal. This is the first time that Armitage has worked with Rambert, but she comes from a similar tradition having been both classically trained and a member of Merce Cunningham’s company. Working with Rambert’s full company of 22 dancers, she assembled what she described as a metaphoric story of a journey, which travelled through many stages – innocence, aggression, eroticism, and cynicism - to an accompaniment of “slippery” music. Ades’ work is in 8 movements, and is so complex that it is not possible to do a piano reduction. Therefore the company worked to a tape, before they were joined in the days before the performance by the musicians of London Musici. Armitage admitted that the music chosen was particularly difficult for dancers, especially as it was not possible to feel a regular downbeat.

During the rehearsal she gave particular attention to the piece’s second movement. Considering her classical background, it was unsurprising that she often used ballet terms to describe what she wanted. Armitage, who had taken the company class earlier, demonstrated particular sequences ‘full out’; it was clear that she had an easy rapport with the dancers.

The day ended with a buffet lunch with the Chairman with the visitors giving feedback on how Rambert might encourage its supporters. If this event is an example of what the company can do now, given their limited accommodation, they are to be congratulated.