Originally co-produced in 2012 by Mercat de les Flors (Barcelona), Teatro Abadia (Madrid) and Comunidad de Madrid, MOKO Dance is working with Spanish dance company Aracaladanza to present a UK première of their magical dance show Constellations made for children 4+ and their families.
Constellations, which is inspired by the world of abstract artist Joan Miró, sees five dancers bring an imaginary canvas to life using dance, props, puppetry and animation.
A successful opening year in 2013 with two acclaimed tours of new double bill MOKO Mix, commissioned and produced by MOKO Dance, and gobbledegook’s In A Deep Dark Wood is now followed by Constellations in year 2.
Multi award-winning Aracaladanza, led by choreographer Enrique Cabrera, specialises in making visually striking dance theatre for children and families and for nearly two decades has been touring Europe and beyond.
Enrique Cabrera said, “If a writer had to write with his eyes and a painter had to paint with his ears, how would a choreographer have to choreograph? We have never managed to find an answer but we are convinced that a smile can help us in the impossible dream of capturing the universe.
"We have been irresistibly drawn to a painter. Joan Miró has entered our dreams; he has tinted our imagination with an explosion of colour, guiding us through a long journey. The result is Constellations.”
Constellations is the final show in a trilogy of works that are inspired by different artists who create rich and vibrant visual art that compliment Aracaladanza’s aesthetic. In 2009 the company toured the UK with Clouds, a work inspired by Belgian surrealist painter René Magritte, and in 2008 with A Slice of Paradise, the first in the trilogy, inspired by Netherland artist Hieronymus Bosch who was known for his use of fantastic imagery to illustrate moral and religious concepts and narratives.
MOKO Dance also presents a range of front of house activities, workshops, online forums and educational resources available in addition to the live performances.
MOKO Dance is a national dance partnership led by DanceEast (Ipswich) with Dance City (Newcastle), Lakeside Arts Centre (Nottingham), Pavilion Dance South West (Bournemouth), Sadler’s Wells (London), South East Dance (Kent) and Theatre Bristol (Bristol).
With a running time of 55 mins (no interval), Constellations is on tour from 24 May to 28 June 2014.
- 24 May Mayfest Bristol Old Vic
- 28 May Buxton Opera House
- 30 May Curve, Leicester, as part of The Spark Festival
- 1 June Lakeside Arts Centre, Nottingham, as part of Wheee! Festival
- 4 June Lawrence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield
- 8 June Dance City, Newcastle
- 11 & 12 June Laban Theatre, London
- 15 June Pavilion Dance South West, Bournemouth
- 17 June Roses Theatre, Tewkesbury
- 20 June Key Theatre, Peterborough
- 22 June Gulbenkian, University of Kent, Canterbury
- 27 & 28 June DanceEast, Jerwood DanceHouse Ipswich