Profound insight offered into dance company life

Three very different pieces will form National Dance Company Wales September tour, alongside a host of events, all presented at Blackpool Grand Theatre 19-20 September

Fans and newcomers alike can get up close to a dance company heading to Blackpool.

The National Dance Company Wales (NDCW) is bringing a triple bill of works to the Grand Theatre, running alongside events to bring their work to new audiences.

Performances of Profundis, They Seek to Find the Happiness They Seem and Folk will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday, September 19 and 20, 7.30pm.

On the Tuesday afternoon, there will be a free open class allowing people to watch, sketch, film and photograph the professionals in preparation for the night’s performance, while Wednesday’s Discover Dance session will allow dancers to learn some moves on stage, watch a brief performance and speak to the dancers. There will also be a post-show talk on the Tuesday night.

A spokesman for the NDCW said: “Profundis, by Israeli-born Assaf, is a provocative and sensual ensemble piece, featuring whimsical wordplay, vintage bathing costumes and an exotic soundtrack by Umm Kultum, Leonard Bernstein and Alva Noto.

“Lee Johnston’s They Seek to Find the Happiness They Seem is a heart-wrenching duet, set to music by Max Richter.

“A jigsaw puzzle of reconfigured snippets from classic love stories and dance partnerships like Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, this piece focuses on dislocation and separation within a relationship. Its title is inspired by a lyric in Irving Berlin’s Cheek To Cheek.

“Folk features artistic director Caroline Finn’s darkly comic expressions of life and people using her quirky and highly engaging choreographic style.

“Exploring themes of social dynamics, surreal scenes and characters come alive to an eclectic and enchanting musical landscape.”