Award winning Midlands based Keneish Dance Company has announced details of the first world premiere UK tour of BALANCE, a brand-new contemporary dance performance piece with themes of regeneration.
BALANCE, which will be performed across the UK in outdoor and indoor spaces, is a mesmerising dance production where art meets science featuring the delicate choreography of the human immune system cells and cellular movement. It is choreographed by Birmingham-born professional dance artist Keisha Grant, Artistic Director of Keneish Dance Company, who has been inspired by the urgency of community and individual wellness at a time when health inequalities are rising.
Keisha said: “My previous choreography has connected to nature’s rhythms and patterns through Afro Contemporary Dance.
“This time I am using cellular research which has been a huge development to everything I care about.” In a time when health inequalities are increasing, Keisha has been interested in using the visualisation of cells to enhance and inspire wellness.
Keisha added “Through creating this work it has opened my understanding of human cells - their movement, behaviour and how they respond to environment. How they react, protect us and rejuvenate, resulting in the creation of this exciting new work which will be incorporated into the company’s wellbeing programming.”
The development of the piece was supported by discussions with Dr.Darius Köster, Associate Professor at University of Warwick, who works on questions of cell mechanics and how they stick to and move through their environment. Darius said: “Working with Keisha and her wonderful company on this piece was extremely fun and motivating.
“It is a rare and wonderful opportunity to work with artists to bring a bit of science out of the laboratory to the wider public.” Keneish Dance Company is passionate about supporting the next generation of dancers and is excited to announce the diverse company of talented professional young UK based performers and practitioners of BALANCE: Taylor Crouch, Angharad Jones, Sera Maehara, Nicole Nevitt, Gemma Pilgrim and Georgia Thompson with costume and design by Heidi Luker and Keisha Grant and music by Matthew Salmon.
Following attendance at the 2023 World Congress Of Dance Research (Greece) the company will also be hosting a series of empowering dance workshops at certain locations for all the family. Running alongside the BALANCE performances, participants will have the opportunity to work with professional practitioners through a series of thought-provoking visuals and interactive activities examining the complexities of the human body and society.
Workshops are open to individuals of all ages and experience levels from seasoned dancers and newcomers alike. As part of the tour, and alongside dance workshops, Keneish Dance Company will be running online experiences and CREATE fest, a collaboration with other local creative leaders and Sandwell Museums.
BALANCE, ideal for all the family and diverse communities, will receive its world premiere at the Yorkshire Fossil Festival, North Yorkshire (26 May) before touring to Resonate Festival, Coventry (2 June) commissioned by Warwick University; Crawick Multiverse & Sanquhar Town Hall, Scotland (20 June) Timber Fest, Leicestershire (6 & 7 July); Sandwell Museums, Bromwich Hall, West Midlands (12 & 13 August) and Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum, (28 Oct – 1 Nov) marking the first time a professional dance company has performed at the venue.
