Christopher Hampson has been writing for Ballet.co since November 1997 when he was a dancer and choreographer with English National Ballet.
Tens of works down the line and Christopher is now an internationally known and respected choreographer. So which far flung place is he in this time...
Here is a link to the previous column in the series.
Hampson diary index
Now that winter has drawn to a close in early June, we can look forward to ice-creams and sunburn, lying in the grass in amongst the litter, warm beer and strikes. Well, you can. I’m off to Australia and New Zealand to do winter all over again (yes, they really do have winter).
First stop Sydney
I arrived here early Saturday morning. Headed straight to the Opera House and got tickets to see Sydney Dance Company that night. Graeme’s company is celebrating 30 years of constant new creations, challenging repertoire and inspiring artistic collaborations. Do you remember those days? Well, they’re still doing it and if his latest work, Director’s Cut, is anything to go by he’ll be doing that and more for years to come. Happy “30th”
Today is interview day. Three interviews back to back with the national press to drum up interest for the forthcoming Royal New Zealand Ballet Australian Tour. They’ll be bringing a triple bill with my Esquisses on it. The dates are on my website (www.christopherhampson.com). Then tonight I fly to Brisbane to do the same thing there, then the next night to Wellington, NZ to start rehearsing Esquisses. I’ll be in New Zealand for 5 weeks, so more of that later.
London
Prior to this trip I’ve been in at ENB starting talks with them about bringing Sinfonietta Giocosa into the repertoire. It should be in the UK within the next year…I’ll be with ENB throughout Autumn/Winter (my third this year) to re-stage Nutcracker.
Prague
I’ll be here August 7th for two weeks to do the annual Masterclasses with Daria Klimentova. Details of this years teachers are on the website www.balletmasterclass.com and there are still a few places left (and a few scholarships for boys too). If you’d like to recommend somebody or if you wish to apply yourself, then please contact the Administrator, Ian Comer, via the website.
I was in Prague a couple of weeks ago to rehearse Tereza Podrilova and Michal Stipa in my Perpetuum Mobile pas de deux, which will be performed this summer at the Spafest Dance Gala. I wrote about this in my last diary and I have an apology to make as I got the date wrong. It is on August 4th.
Hong Kong
…Don’t think I’m able to say why yet…
Other stuff
I’m not sure if Deborah Colker’s Dance Company are still in the UK. If they are I wish them a good tour. I was teaching them in May when they had just arrived from Rio. I enjoy putting them through their training. Dancers with natural joy and keenness. You can’t beat that South American spirit. It’s from Deborah herself too. She leads a disciplined company and she’ll do anything to keep feeding her artists new ideas. She is very, very energetic too.
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