Scottish Arts Council - Archive - Scottish Dance Theatre Autumn Tour 2006

Out of Africa (and the Hebrides)

With another successful Fringe run complete, Scottish Dance Theatre (SDT) – one of the UK’s leading dance companies - now presents a new season of inventive dance theatre.

Two SDT dancers in Zulu; Photo: Chris Nash

The award-winning company’s Autumn repertoire features Artistic Director Janet Smith’s Touching Zulu – a piece originally made on her company Janet Smith & Dancers after she visited KwaZulu-Natal in Africa in 1996.

In this exciting revival, Touching Zulu has been re-staged and brought bang up-to-date for the new millennium, looking at the clashing of ancient and modern worlds, the battle for survival of their inhabitants and the impact of modern life on the natural environment. In Scotland, Touching Zulu will tour with Jan De Schynkel’s Shakespeare-inspired surrealist work No Stronger Than A Flower, while English audiences will enjoy a programme featuring Touching Zulu and Liv Lorent’s Herald Angel Award-winning LUXURIA.

As part of our ongoing collaboration between SDT and Scotland’s most lauded chamber group, the Hebrides Ensemble, choreographic partners Johan Greben and Uri Ivgi have created In The Middle Of The Moment, a duet which will be performed at home in Dundee and on tour in Ullapool to recorded music. Later in the Autumn, the work will become part of the Hebrides Ensemble Tour and be performed alongside the group in concert.

The company also has a new look for Autumn with the addition of a new female dancer – former sdt apprentice Naomi Murray, as well as 3 new male dancers - Michal Zahora from the Czech Republic, Marlon Gulbrandsen from the Northern School of Contemporary Dance and Christopher Owen, who joins them from Diversions Dance Company. This follows the departure of Baptiste Bourgougnon, Riccardo Meneghini and Anthony Missen, who have all departed to pursue freelance careers, and Gemma Nixon, who has joined Rambert Dance Company.

SDT dancers creeping on floor in Zulu; Photo: Chris Nash

Tour dates

Following their premier at Dundee Rep Theatre in September, SDT will be touring to the following venues in Scotland:

Glasgow (Tramway, Fri 27 Oct); Ullapool (McPhail Centre, Tue 31 Oct); Musselburgh (Brunton Theatre, Fri 3 Nov); Aberdeen (HMT, Sat 18 Nov); St Andrews (Byre Theatre, Tues 21 Nov); Pitlochry (Pitlochry Festival Theatre, 24 Nov)