Famed choreographer and local resident Christopher Bruce is bringing his first new work in over a decade to Frome to celebrate his 80th birthday.
Troubadour, a dance tribute to the songwriter Leonard Cohen, can be seen at Frome Memorial Theatre on 28th and 29th November, presented by the acclaimed contemporary ballet company, Yorke Dance Project.
A long-time admirer of Leonard Cohen, Christopher was inspired to create a work to his music when he heard a recording of a live performance at the O2 Arena in 2008.
He has set it to six iconic tracks – ‘Dance Me to the End of Love’, ‘The Future’, ‘A Thousand Kisses Deep’, ‘Suzanne’, ‘Boogie Street’ and ‘First We Take Manhattan.’
Troubadour explores Leonard Cohen’s art, poetry and charisma as a performer.
Christopher said, “Leonard Cohen was a Troubadour and having spent large parts of my own life touring as a dancer and choreographer, I could identify with both the positive and negative sides of this world.”
Celebrating his 80th birthday this year, Christopher has had one of the 20th century’s most successful and influential choreographic careers, including directing the Rambert Company for nine years from 1994 after dancing and choreographing for them for many years. His best-known contemporary dance works include Ghost Dances, Swansong, Cruel Garden and Rooster, a tour de force set to songs by the Rolling Stones and performed by over 20 dance companies worldwide.
Bruce and his artist wife, Marian – who has designed the costumes for Troubadour – moved to the Frome countryside in 1986, buying an old house as a refuge from the pressures of the professional world. They then moved into the town itself 11 years ago. Frome is home to many artists and Troubadour was created in the studio of the Mark Bruce Company, the dance company run by Christopher and Marian’s son, himself a choreographer.
Troubadour is part of Yorke Dance Project’s latest programme, Modern Milestones. The Yorke Dance Project dancers are Abigail Attard-Montalto, Elly Braund, Eleanor Ferguson, Carina Howard, Dominic Rocca, Pierre Tappon, Amy Thake and Harry Wilson. There will be guest appearances from Liam Francis, Jonathan Goddard and Eileih Muir. The company apprentices are Jasmine Daniels – also a Frome resident – and Francis Thomas.
Pictures of a variety of York Dance Project routines by Mark Bruce
