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Jazz Conversations – Footprints in Jazz and Touches of Miles,
The Place, London, September 20-21
Body of People Jazz Theatre Company (aka BOP)
Dancers: Nafisah Baba, Chloe Bertini, Ilaria Breschi, Harley Charles, Valentina Dolci, Alice Miano, Lara Renaud, Oraine Frater, Bafana Solomon Matea
Musicians: Rob Barron, Jihad Darwish, Noah Ojumu, Tyrone Stuart, Joel Rocca, Elias Atkinson
Creative director/choreographer: Dollie Henry MBE
Composer/musical director: Paul Jenkins
Running time: 90 minutes plus interval
Choreographer Dollie Henry and jazz composer Paul Jenkins have for more than a quarter of a century led the Body of People Jazz Theatre Company (aka BOP) on the basis jazz is a life-affirming, always-contemporary, ever-adapting, all-inclusive, forgiving form.
Rather than something to fear as an unattainable benchmark, the giants who have gone before are an inspiration for a fearless next generation.
In that spirit, we kick off, almost literally, with a curtain-raiser by the joyfully flexible, youth company Impact Dance and conclude with a homage to Miles Davis.
In between, “Footprints in Jazz” puts taut, athletic and flowing movement to arrangements by Paul Jenkins that explore issues from personal bereavement to an individual’s importance in “the tapestry of life”. Depending on your viewpoint, it’s narcissistic or a legitimate celebration of our present-day, human-centric vernacular.
The climax is nevertheless the music of Miles Davis with a live band to prove jazz is alive and well.
That, for many, would be enough without a voiceover to drive home the point that Davis was a genius.
All the accompanying dance is lively, full-hearted and accomplished. For me, however, it was at its most beguiling when Ilaria Breschi and Bafana Solomon Matea turned “The Man I Love” into their own story.
Jazz Conversations – Footprints in Jazz and Touches of Miles,
The Place, London, September 20-21
Body of People Jazz Theatre Company (aka BOP)
Dancers: Nafisah Baba, Chloe Bertini, Ilaria Breschi, Harley Charles, Valentina Dolci, Alice Miano, Lara Renaud, Oraine Frater, Bafana Solomon Matea
Musicians: Rob Barron, Jihad Darwish, Noah Ojumu, Tyrone Stuart, Joel Rocca, Elias Atkinson
Creative director/choreographer: Dollie Henry MBE
Composer/musical director: Paul Jenkins
Running time: 90 minutes plus interval
Choreographer Dollie Henry and jazz composer Paul Jenkins have for more than a quarter of a century led the Body of People Jazz Theatre Company (aka BOP) on the basis jazz is a life-affirming, always-contemporary, ever-adapting, all-inclusive, forgiving form.
Rather than something to fear as an unattainable benchmark, the giants who have gone before are an inspiration for a fearless next generation.
In that spirit, we kick off, almost literally, with a curtain-raiser by the joyfully flexible, youth company Impact Dance and conclude with a homage to Miles Davis.
In between, “Footprints in Jazz” puts taut, athletic and flowing movement to arrangements by Paul Jenkins that explore issues from personal bereavement to an individual’s importance in “the tapestry of life”. Depending on your viewpoint, it’s narcissistic or a legitimate celebration of our present-day, human-centric vernacular.
The climax is nevertheless the music of Miles Davis with a live band to prove jazz is alive and well.
That, for many, would be enough without a voiceover to drive home the point that Davis was a genius.
All the accompanying dance is lively, full-hearted and accomplished. For me, however, it was at its most beguiling when Ilaria Breschi and Bafana Solomon Matea turned “The Man I Love” into their own story.
Barbara Lewis © 2024.
By Barbara Lewis • dance, music, year 2024 • Tags: Barbara Lewis, dance, music