Three-country show to mark Day of Dance

Dance is perhaps the ultimate form of non-verbal communication; a form of expression so old that its roots and integration into human culture remain impossible to trace.

To mark the World Day of Dance on April 29, the Malta Dance Council, in collaboration with the Manoel Theatre and the Alliance Francaise, will be staging a dance show titled Triple Contact in an effort to celebrate dance and cultural diversity simultaneously.

Manoel Theatre chairman Peter Fenech told a press conference he was proud the theatre was hosting this show, noting that dance was constantly missing from their cultural calendar, with roughly just a single show scheduled for the entire year.

He hoped this event would generate more interest from other dance companies, because public calls had so far borne little fruit.

Dr Fenech once again appealed to the corporate social responsibility of large companies, individuals as well as government organisations, to support these cultural events, stressing he would not tire of making this appeal until the situation improved. He felt such events had not yet found the kind of support needed to ensure success.

The Triple Contact show, which will be held over two days at the end of the month, brings together choreographies from three European countries - France, England and Malta.

For the occasion, the Ballet d'Europe and the London Contemporary Dance School will be returning to Malta, having already performed at the Mediterranean Conference Centre, in Valletta, and the Malta Summer Arts Festival over the last two years.

The Ballet d'Europe will be performing works by Jean Charles Gil, excerpts from Sweet Gershwin, Schubert in Love and Histories d'Eux 2007 while the London Contemporary Dance School's repertoire includes top British choreographers Siobhan Davies and Richard Alston as well as original works by the students themselves.

On the Dance Council's invitation, professional dancer and choreographer Kevin Muscat will be performing three works and presenting his own work, Negative O, exploring the Oedipus Complex.

The Dance Council has scheduled a number of workshops to coincide with the arrival of their foreign guests. The first will be given by Mr Muscat from April 13-17 while the Ballet d'Europe and the London Contemporary Dance School will give another on May 1. The workshops will be held at the Central Academy, in Birkirkara.

Booking has opened and tickets are available from the theatre. Special reductions apply for Dance Council members and senior citizens.

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