David Jays piece in The Times Online, like so many technology pieces in the broad sheet press, reads like an infomercial for the vendors of the technology they are covering. In this case Mr Jay is rambling on about the virtues of 3D film technology and its relevance to the performing arts via the newly […]
by Neil Nisbet The arts world has been in a bit of panic over the last few days since it became clear that the Conservative Party had, apparently, won the general election in the UK and, in short order, the arts would be doomed. First of all let’s clear something up. The Conservatives didn’t win […]
In our piece ‘quoted’ we argued that dance companies should stop using pull quotes from critics because, to be blunt, critics are ridiculous and caring about what they think is like caring if a serial killer has easy access to really sharp knives! To prove us wrong (except, not really!) The Stage newspaper has published […]
A few days ago we received an email straight out of the “fact is stranger than fiction department” from Random Dance [Company] (yes, that Random Dance [Company]) (what’s with all the damn brackets? Ed!) It said this; “Hello, I am writing to you from Wayne McGregor | Random Dance as I have seen that you […]
Conventional wisdom goes that if your show is not very successful, in terms of audience numbers, then the reason must be that your show is either no good or the art form is not very popular. Conventional wisdom is of course almost always completely wrong. If people don’t come and see your show then how […]
Taking a page from the playbook of political activists in the United States (and closer to home) DanceUK has launched ‘Dance Vote 2010’ in an effort to make political candidates for the up and coming 2010 General Election in the UK state their position in support of dance. From a practical point of view it’s […]
Scottish Dance Theatre, which has nothing to do with reels or ceilidhs and that’s the last time we’re going to tell you that, is back on tour with a series of new works one of which we bring you, our dear readers, for your viewing pleasure. ‘The Life and Times of Girl A’ was created […]
Every so often, here in TheLab™, we get a press release that we throw in the trash, then we read it, take it out of the trash, then throw it back in again because, to be blunt, it’s a bit bloody stupid. One such email arrived today highlighting the above pictured waifs and strays who […]
by Neil Nisbet If you follow politics anywhere in the world, especially around election time, there is one subject that dominates almost all others that politicians will speak about and that subject is job creation. Take a long hard look at the US political scene at the moment and all of the current chatter (aside […]
We have been featuring Verve, the graduate dance company out of the Northern School of Contemporary Dance in Leeds, for four years now and Verve 10 is here for 2010 with 5 new works and 11 new dancers. Just in-case you don’t know what a graduate company is or does then allow us to explain. […]