Carmel ThomasonCritically-acclaimed Manchester dance company, Company Chameleon is giving home audiences a chance to view its new work, Amaranthine for free, in a trio of pop-up street performances in September.
The company are known for combining a rich mix of dance styles, drawing from an amalgamation of dance techniques including contemporary dance, b-boying, capoeira and partner work.
Amaranthine is a short dance piece, which tells the story of a couple in love and in conflict. Though powerful and risk-taking moves they desperately try to reconnect and find resolution.
It promises to be an emotionally charged event exploring the intricacies of intimate relationships as the pushes and pulls of disagreement and heated argument are felt, alongside the appreciation of space, understanding and eventually, acceptance.
Company Chameleon founder and co-artistic director, Kevin Edward Turner has teamed up with Navala ‘Niku’ Chaudhari to choreograph the piece, which they specifically developed to be adapted and performed in all sorts of different spaces.
“The great thing about our outdoor work is that it has been designed to be performed in many different contexts,” explains Kevin. “When performed the work transforms the space that it is in and for audiences creates a more unexpected and memorable experience.”
The first pop up and the UK premiere of Amaranthine is at The Foundation Coffee House in the Northern Quarter on 13 September at 6:15pm, providing the perfect after-work treat for people who fancy a drink and a little culture after a day’s work.
The second and third performances take place outside on 15 September at 1pm, when the Chameleon will dance across Tony Wilson Square at First Street. Then at 3pm the same day they will take the show to shoppers in St Ann’s Square.
“There’ll be an element of surprise to each of the pop-ups, which we hope will add to the experience we give the audience,” says Kevin. “The performances outside at Tony Wilson Place and St Ann’s Square will showcase the physicality of our style and show how we use the pavement as our dance floor. At The Foundation Coffee House, the context will create something different to see – after all, it’s not often you see a highly physical and contemporary dance piece in a coffee shop!”
Following the premiere, Company Chameleon plan to tour the work to festivals both nationally and internationally. Previous tours have included performances in Spain, Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, South Africa, France, Italy, Romania, South Korea and Trinidad and Tobago.
“We always love to premiere our work at home in Manchester – it’s important we show the work in our community first. It will be great to share the piece with audiences at home before we take it on the road and take it out there.”
For more details visit companychameleon.com
Amaranthine from Company Chameleon on Vimeo.
Jordon Francis