Dance Journeys Digital transforms extracts from the work Postcards to Alicia, directed and choreographed by Malgorzata Dzierzon and Renaud Wiser, to create three original dance films in collaboration with filmmaker Laurent Liotardo.
Dance Journeys is a longstanding English National Ballet education project that connects with young people in our local community to create an exciting original dance work.
In April 2020, Dance Journeys: Postcards to Alicia would have been performed by 70 young dancers from Bishop Challoner Catholic Federation of Schools, Copthall School, Friern Barnet School and ENBYouthCo at English National Ballet’s new studios on London City Island, to celebrate the Company’s 70th anniversary.
Due to Covid-19, the production was sadly cancelled, with only a few final weeks of rehearsals before the performance. We would like to thank the students for their commitment, energy and creative input throughout, and for being such enthusiastic members of the Dance Journeys 2020 Company.
Dance Journeys Digital 2021 is a new strand that has been developed in response to the pandemic, transforming extracts from the work Postcards to Alicia to create three original dance films. The films (Dance for the Arena, Living Picture and Legacy) feature a reduced cast of 32 dancers, and music performed by students from The Royal College of Music, in a journey that celebrates the Company’s 70-year history and explores the spaces within English National Ballet’s home on London City Island.
The three works that make up Dance Journeys Digital 2021 are co-directed by choreographers Malgorzata Dzierzon and Renaud Wiser, created in collaboration with filmmaker Laurent Liotardo. All three films feature extracts of the captivating original score composed by Szymon Brzóska, with costumes by Louie Whitemore.