ClearStory and Sadler's Wells head behind the scenes of contemporary and classical dance.

Ch1. Firedance: Latin Fever
Supercharged by BBC One's Strictly Come Dancing, the exuberant Latin styles of salsa, Argentine tango and paso doble are taking off in ballroom dancing classes around Britain. This film follows two of Strictly's most popular stars, Karen Hauer and Gorka Marquez, as they put together a spectacular Latin showcase called Firedance for their fans.

The sell-out show started touring regional theatres in the UK in March 2020 and joyously celebrates dance as pure entertainment. Tracking the rehearsal process and the early days of the tour, the film explores how Karen and Gorka express their emotion and physicality through every movement of their fiery routine.

Ch2. Sharon Eyal: A Basic Instinct
Sharon Eyal, a former star dancer and in-house choreographer at Tel Aviv's pioneering Batsheva Dance Company, has become one of the most exciting and powerful choreographers in contemporary dance. Her recent collaborations with fashion house Christian Dior and American art-rockers The National have brought Eyal and her dark, sensual work into mainstream culture.

This film sees Sharon and her dance company L-E-V at their most raw, rehearsing and premiering new work against the brutalist backdrop of Bold Tendencies in Peckham, south London, a multi-storey car park turned hip arts venue. It is an aesthetic and an attitude that echoes Eyal's origins in the underground techno rave scene in Tel Aviv, and the film documents how this common ground creates a uniquely intimate and visceral performance for the London crowd.

With contributions from the dancers, musicians and Sharon Eyal herself, and with backstage access to the company in London and Israel, this film is a rare opportunity to observe the creative process of one of the dance world's most admired figures.

Ch3. Ballet Black: The Waiting Game
London's Ballet Black is a professional dance company bringing ballet to a more diverse audience by promoting dancers of black and Asian descent. The company made headlines in 2019 when it performed during Stormzy's bravura Glastonbury set.

This film explores the work of artistic director Cassa Pancho as she nurtures aspiring young dancers and gains recognition for her company's collaborations with world-class choreographers. It also follows the creative process of South African dancer and choreographer Mthuthuzeli November as he creates a dynamic new ballet inspired in equal measure by Samuel Beckett's seminal Waiting for Godot and African rhythms and language.

Ch4. María Pagés: An Ode to Flamenco
A film that transports us to Spain and the mesmerising work of flamenco star María Pagés. María's passion for flamenco is infectious. A child prodigy, she came of age in the golden era of professional flamenco and is now passing her inspiration and experience on to the next generation as she promotes modern flamenco at her new dance centre in a working-class suburb of Madrid.

The film explores the tension in María's work between flamenco's traditional roots in the streets of her birthplace of Seville and her theatrical shows, performances that push the boundaries of the dance style and tell bigger stories. The film culminates in a searing homecoming performance of a haunting new work for 2020 called Una Oda al Tiempo (An Ode to Time) back in flamenco's heartland, Seville.

Further Information

BBC

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Danceworks Series 1
Dance on Film: Introducing Arts