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My Vision for Rambert

by Mark Baldwin

June, 2003

Image of Mark Baldwin by Hugo Glendinning

As I look around Rambert’s home here in West London, I’m constantly aware of Dame Marie Rambert’s extraordinary achievement in establishing this fine Company 77 years ago. To follow her, and all of the other illustrious artistic directors of Rambert, is an enormous responsibility, but one that I find inspiring.

Since my arrival in December 2002, I have been getting to know all of Rambert’s dancers and staff and planning the future artistic shape of the Company’s repertoire. This period of thinking time has led me to the conclusion that my ambitions for Rambert will be evolutionary rather than revolutionary. As a former dancer with the Company, I see my appointment as representing a continuation of the Rambert tradition.

My vision for Rambert is to build on the Company’s reputation and its Diaghilev roots – perhaps the Company’s most enduring role model. With this tradition in mind, I will be commissioning a body of new work for Rambert that draws on my own choreographic and performance experience and most particularly my interest in modern music makers and visual artists. This combination has stimulated me to initiate collaborations where dance, music and design can cohabit in a harmonious and meaningful way. I want to encourage choreographers, composers and designers to create works that will be physically powerful, emotionally engaging and above all entertaining. Integral in my decision making about the commissioning of new works will be our relationship with our associate orchestra, London Musici.

Collaborations are going to be key to the delivery of my vision for Rambert. They will provide an opportunity to develop our own distinctive voice and be our constant source of excellence, public interest and development. This collaboration extends to Rambert’s excellent dancers whose hunger for involvement in the creative process will not only stimulate and develop them as artists, but will help in the emergence of a unique repertoire for the Company.

It is my desire that Rambert Dance Company should be a leading force in shaping British modern dance and that it should direct from the front, rather than just pull in that which appears to be fashionable. Although Rambert Dance Company occupies a significant position in the dance world, it cannot rely on yesterday’s successes.

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Rambert’s Autumn Tour 2003 is the first to be programmed by Mark Baldwin and here is an outline of the pieces to be seen, with a selection at each venue :

21
Rambert dancer and choreographer Rafael Bonachela collaborates with Kylie Minogue's creative team to produce a work that explores pure physical expression.

Elsa Canasta
The second work to be created for Rambert by Javier De Frutos and is performed to music and songs by the ever-popular composer and lyricist Cole Porter, including a rare score Porter wrote in 1923.

Living Toys
Karole Armitage’s first creation for Rambert, Living Toys transports us into that precarious and surreal state where dreams and consciousness merge.

PreSentient
Another physically audacious spectacle by Wayne McGregor, with 12 dancers performing at breakneck speed to Steve Reich's kinetic Triple Quartet.

Visions Fugitives
Prokofiev’s score, Visions Fugitives, comprises 15 miniatures, each lasting between 20 and 60 seconds with choreography by Hans van Manen.

For more details of the Autumn Tour programme please go to the Rambert website

Please join the discussion in our forum.

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