Henri Oguike Dance Company bring new show to the Liverpool Playhouse

Jan 27 2011 Chester Chronicle

HENRI Oguike Dance Company visit Liverpool Playhouse with Butterfly Dreaming, featuring three world premières.

Following Green in Blue and Little Red at the Playhouse in 2007 and their appearance at LEAP 2009, choreographer Henri Oguike brings his celebrated dance company back to the region with their latest tour.

Butterfly Dreaming, a programme of new dance featuring three world premières, can be seen at the Liverpool Playhouse on Tuesday, February 1.

Renowned for his vigorous, intricate and strong sense of musicality, multi-award winner Henri Oguike, and his company of five dancers, present three new, contrasting and musically diverse dance pieces in Butterfly Dreaming.

All three works reflect the company’s passion about the relationship between music and dance.

The triple bill includes the unusual and intense Freq, a solo performance which is sure to surprise and delight audiences, inspired by an inquisitive playfulness and incorporating a set with running water.

Point of Contact bears all the hallmarks of Oguike’s choreography; sensuality, beauty and sublime movement are laced together with Bach’s lyrical suites for solo cello.

And Butterfly Dreaming, a full company work, draws inspiration from the Far East, crafted on Chinese philosopher-poet Chuang-Tzu’s butterfly dream and set to the backdrop of Tan Dun’s dramatic Ghost Opera, recorded by the Kronos Quartet.

Henri Oguike Dance Company are led by award-winning Nigerian-Welsh choreographer Henri Oguike.

The company was established in 1999 and has since gone on to create two new works a year for the company and maintain a rotating repertory of multiple bills.

To add to this tally, he has amassed over 35 independent commissions, including Tread Softly for Rambert Dance Company and the duet Straw Dog, his first aerial dance work for Wired Aerial.

The company has performed at major festivals of both dance and music including the Sintra Festival (Portugal), Dance Europa (Israel), Holland Dance Festival (Netherlands), Monaco Dance Forum (Monte Carlo) and the 75th Anniversary Season of Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival (USA).

For booking information for Tuesday’s show, ring 0151 709 4776 or visit www.everymanplayhouse.com.