Cloud Dance Festival
Cloud Dance Festival: Firefly - Pleasance Theatre, Islington
22 – 24 July 2011
Cloud Dance Festival was created in 2007 to provide a regular platform for talented contemporary 
dance choreographers and dancers based in London and beyond. Cloud Dance Festival's goal is to make contemporary dance more accessible to non-dance audiences.
Included in this year's festival at the Pleasance are: Hip Hop sensation Tommy Franzén (familiar to viewers of "So You Think You Can Dance"), "indie ballet" from Royal Ballet soloist Kristen McNally, acclaimed dancer Devaraj Thimmaiah, and Deaf Men Dancing, led by Mark Smith who recently choreographed the box office successes - Shoes (Sadlers Wells) and Iolanthe (Union Theatre / Wilton's Music Hall).
With 21 companies performing over 3 evenings, an inviting bar and lots of comfy sofas, the Cloud Dance Festival promises a rich and diverse programme, with plenty to enjoy! To view the full programme visit the website: http://www.cloud-dance-festival.org.uk/
To purchase tickets, please visit the Pleasance Theatre box office.
Highlights include:
Kristen McNally - Don't Hate the Player, Hate The Game
Kristen McNally is a soloist at the Royal Ballet, who uses popular music and cultural references to make her choreography more accessible to the wider public. In March 2011, as part of Move It's 'Ballet Rocks' programme, she presented a Tarantino-influenced solo she had choreographed 'Don't Hate The Player, Hate The Game', and in April 2011 she created a new piece to Kanye West's latest album, at the Apple Store in Covent Garden, with interactive assistance from the audience.
'Don't Hate the Player, Hate The Game' was originally created for Royal Ballet's Draft Works 2010 programme with Thomas Whitehead in the lead role, and is Kristen's comment on celebrity and people's behaviour and willingness to follow, when presented with a perceived ideal.
The Ballet Bag described the piece as: "Dressed in a stylish black suit and skinny tie, Whitehead immediately transported me to Quentin Tarantino territory. He fidgets about like Mr. Pink, the self-doubting neurotic gangster in Reservoir Dogs and his stage persona also had a dash of Pulp Fiction's Vincent Vega..."
Deaf Men Dancing - Sense of Freedom
Mark Smith is a founder and artistic director of the dance company - Deaf Men Dancing. Mark uses a fusion of dance incorporated with sign-language to create an expressionist format for his company. Deaf Men Dancing was invited to perform at DanceEast's 1st Anniversary Gala, E4's 'Battlefront' and London 2012's Deaf Day. Mark also received a commission from WithoutWalls to create an outdoor performance of Alive! Recently DMD performed at the Brighton Festival and are due at the Greenwich + Docklands Festival's Dancing City.
Devaraj Thimmaiah - Arranged Marriage
After joining Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Company in 2003 Deveraj has performed in seven productions, touring bolth nationally and internationally. Recently he danced for the world premiere of Bruise Blood with SJDC as part of Dance Umbrella Festival. Devaraj also teaches and works with dancers in India and Italy, as part of dance development programme.
Tommy Franzén
Born in Sweden, Tommy began dancing at the age of 11 and after dancing professionally in Sweden, won a scholarship to The Urdang Academy, London. Recent performance credits include "Mamma Mia! – The Movie", The Olympics in Beijing, and numerous TV advertisements. Tommy was a finalist in the BBC's "So You Think You Can Dance" competition and was recently shortlisted for a National Dance Award Critic's Circle - for Outstanding Male Performance (Modern).
Tommy Franzén - with Lizzie, performing on the BBC's "So You Think You Can Dance" show
Dejarj Thimmaiah - excerpt from "Arranged Marriage", featured at the Cloud Dance Festival, 2011
Pleasance Theatre, Carpenters Mews, North Road, London, N7 9EF
Nearest Tube: Caledonian Road (Piccadilly Line)
Call: 020 7609 1800
