Dance Stars Shine at Edge Hill

Dance artists from all over the UK have been full of praise for Edge Hill University after taking part in a choreographic laboratory at its Centre for the Performing Arts.

Seven choreographers descended upon Edge Hill for Exploratorium 06 ? a bi-annual event run by Dance Northwest that provides studio space and time, technical equipment and support and access to three highly experienced facilitators in order to experiment and develop new work. And according to Exlpo 06 Co-ordinator Ruth Jones, the practitioners were really impressed by the facilities available to them.

"Many of these artists have performed all over the world yet they were keen to convey just how fabulous Edge Hill?s provision was," she said. "None of them had ever heard of Ormskirk and knew very little of Edge Hill but they now recognise it as having some of the best dance facilities of any university in the country.

"They were also very pleased with their on-campus accommodation over the seven days ? right down to the en-suite bathroom!"

The practitioners who took part in Explo 06 were Amy Voris, Eleanor Walker, Stephanie Schober, Paradigmz, Adesola Akinleye, Silke Wiegand and trio Anna Webb, Elizabeth Cross and Sam Musgrave, collectively known as Vandella Dance.

The ideas explored included developing choreography inspired by Ralph Ellison?s book 'Invisible Man?, the idea of the flow, property and characteristics of blood in the circulatory system of the human body, football and its unique atmosphere, and antiquated performance forms including magic shows, music hall, hypnosis, escapology and ventriloquism.