Leigh Warren + Dancers - Breathe/Impulse

• Kelly Apter
• 22 August 2012

This article is from 2012.

The choreographer bringing his 'group of individuals' to Edinburgh International Festival

In some dance companies you have soloists and principals, in others everybody is on the same level. But rarely are company members described as ‘a group of individual dance artists’, as they are on the Leigh Warren website.

When he started his company 20 years ago, the Australian choreographer made a conscious decision to publicly credit his dancers for their contribution. ‘Being a choreographer is a bit like being a magician,’ says Warren. ‘The dancers are the rabbits that come out of the hat, and without them, I don’t exist. They’re the assets of the company, and I want to ensure the dancers feel they are a valuable and valued part of this endeavour.’

Warren and his dancers are bringing two works to this year’s Edinburgh International Festival, Breathe and Impulse, both of which feature musicians performing on stage next to the dancers. ‘Music can often be like wallpaper,’ says Warren, ‘just in the background of what’s happening. But what I do, is bring the music into the landscape.’

Edinburgh Festival Theatre, 473 2000, Sat 25 Aug, 7.30pm; Sun 26 Aug, 2.30pm, £12–£30.