<img src="http://www2.britishcouncil.org/arts-dance-255x316-walker_dance.jpg" alt="" />
<small>Silence of the Soul
Photographer: Ravi Deepres</small>

PRESS RELEASE:


WALKER DANCE PARK MUSIC presents

The national tour and London premiere of

Silence of the Soul

(21 Jan to 19 March, 2004)



As part of a national sping 2004 tour, Walker Dance Park Music presents the London premiere of its biggest and most ambitious project to date, Silence of the Soul.

Performed in three movements by seven dancers and seven musicians, Silence of the Soul is an energy driven process which engages both performers and audience alike with the distinct marriage of music and dance that has become the hallmark of the company.

Walker Dance Park Music is the company created by Jerwood Choreography Award winner Fin Walker and composer Ben Park in 1998 in which there is a synergy of movement and live music. Walker and Park have evolved a highly individual performance style that is vivid and rigorous.

Walker Dance Park Music has very quickly earned an international reputation for fresh choreographic ideas, striking musical composition, exceptional performances, and innovative designs.

Played out to a fantastic live score with a seamless combination of music and dance Silence of the Soul leaves a lasting impression, a visceral memory and features lighting and costume design by long-time company collaborators Lucy Carter and Ben Maher respectively.

Opening at the Wilde Threatre, South Hill Park, Bracknell on January 21 (01344 484123), Silence of the Soul will tour the UK, with a London premiere at The Linbury Studio (020 7304 4000), Royal Opera House Covent Garden 25 - 27 February.

Walker Dance Park Music is an associate company of the Royal Opera House.

Silence of the Soul was co-commissioned by the British Council and the Nuffield Theatre, Lancaster. Walker Dance Park Music gratefully acknowledges financial support from the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, The PRS Foundation and The Linbury Trust.

UK Tour Schedule


21 Jan Wilde Theatre, South Hill Park, Bracknell 01344 484123

24 Feb Arts Theatre, University of Bath 01225 386777

27 Jan Lakeside Arts Centre, Nottingham 0115 846 7777

25 - 27 Feb Linbury Studio, Royal Opera House, London 020 7304 4000

16 Mar Gardner Arts Centre Brighton 01273 685861

19 Mar Bowen West Theatre, Bedford 01234 219333



Notes to Editors:

Fin Walker – Joint Artistic Director and Choreographer. Winner of a major Jerwood Choreography Award, Fin Walker is an independent choreographer, performer and teacher, working nationally and internationally. She joined Extemporary Dance Theatre as a performer in 1988. Since then she has worked with The Jonathan Burrows Group, The Rosemary Butcher Company and Laurie Booth amongst other British based companies.

Fin began making her own work professionally in 1989, and established Walker Dance in 1998. Over the thirteen years as a professional choreographer Fin has made a number of works both on her own company and other companies and individuals, in Britain and Europe. Her most recent commissions (all with music by Ben Park) include Shadow for CandoCo Dance Company, Me & You for Phoenix Dance Theatre and The Truth, a film with Ricochet Dance Productions directed by Katrina McPherson. Later this year Fin will choreograph a new piece for Rambert Dance Company, touring in 2004.

Ben Park – Joint Artistic Director and Composer. Ben first started producing music for Fin Walker’s choreography in 1993 and has composed all the company’s music to date. He has extensive experience as a composer and musician in various fields, including touring with bands, composing for film and television, and compositions and live performance for dance and theatre. His own music production company PARKMUSIC was established in 1996.

His work for television included music for a BBC2 documentary series, MTV and Channel 4 and Canterbury Tales, a BBC animated series, which received, amongst other awards, a BAFTA and an Oscar nomination. Ben’s work for theatre includes projects for the West Yorkshire Playhouse, The Traverse and for English Shakespeare Company and Improbable Theatre. Besides his work with Fin Walker he is currently completing his own Yeatsian saga Love Complete, for voices and quintet. He will also compose the music for the commission for Rambert Dance Company, to be choreographed by Fin Walker.

Review from the Times.

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