Art on the dance floor

Art and dance have been intricately intertwined for decades and The Dance Workshop has taken on this essential link and brought it to life in its latest production, The Art of Dance.

The principal of The Dance Workshop, Theresa Lungaro-Mifsud, and resident teachers and choreographers have searched through museums and art books to find the source of their new work.

Undoubtedly, French painter Edgar Degas was the first choice for the teenage ballet students as his art presented the opportunity to introduce one of the greatest artists and also to study classical ballet in its early days, from the look, the style of costume and movement.

The world of ballet has always provided Degas with the perfect background for his art. In rehearsal rooms, performances and audiences, he could observe with a brilliant eye the development of modern life.

Degas's will to paint was fuelled by his experience of the world around him, specifically 19th century Paris. His paintings of ballerinas were purely a celebration of pretty girls in motion.

Similarly, it is a known fact that several choreographers visit art museums in order to discover a subject on which to base their new works, and The Dance Workshop has found its inspiration here. One of the dance teachers, Pamela Kerr, will be using Salvador Dalì's Paysage aux Papillons with its vibrant colours to inspire the Spanish dancers.

Claire Cassola's choice of Andy Warhol's study of Marilyn Monroe will certainly create a stir in the auditorium, while Francesca Abela will be experimenting with a study of Maltese artist Luciano Micallef's work.

Costumes have been left in the capable hands of four of the island's leading costumiers: Maria Pisani, Ernest Caruana, Doris Mercieca and Simona Mamo.

Regular theatre-goers can appreciate the glamour the wonderful costumes add to the performance to make it a complete theatre experience together with dramatic music, movement and lighting.

The Art of Dance will be held at St Agatha's Auditorium on April 11-12 at 8 p.m. Tickets, at Lm4 and Lm5, can be bought from The Dance Workshop, Gzira or The Dance Studio, Kappara. Ticket hotline is 9942 9233.