Woolf Works: live in the cinema

We (including Mother) gathered in our remote Cornish cinemas, and became part of the live audience watching Wayne McGregor’s Woolf Works last night.  It was interesting that, maybe because we were a group (although there were other dancers there independently) we  chatted extensively in the auditorium during the intervals – something that never happens in the cinema normally!

Linda emailed comments when she got back from the Falmouth viewing:
Hi All,   well I baulked at £15 at first but reckon we got our moneys worth tonight , and half the loveliness was in the score?   Came across Jilly Cathy and Jayne K when Frankie and I got to Falmouth Phoenix cinema . We all looked a bit dazed when we came out , totally engaging,  I thought,  all the way through . Had my doubts about ‘becomings’ — for maybe 1min – then was engrossed, who was the blond man with a body of soft bones ?? McRae?   Older dancers rock don’t they?   Lx

Anny, a Penzance viewer, responded:
Yes, I thought the whole thing was brilliant! I don’t know who the blond dancer was, Mc Crae is another redhead. If you look on Royal Ballet or Royal Opera house website you may be able to find out.
We were also a bit speechless after, pity the cinema was half empty, all those people who missed out…!
I was particularly struck by the last act, the way the whole ensemble moved together with the breath of the waves, something for us to think about I thought? Particularly for Paradise in a circle, if we do that…
I feel a bit shattered today, all that imaginary dancing!
Anny x

My first (Penzance) response was:
Yes – a very well spent £15!  I would also like the possibility of referencing the movement, the “words” used in the dance: I must watch the various surrounding videos from the Royal Ballet – but also see if someone used their phone and has put it on YouTube!!  – there is no official video available that I can see.
Ax

Linda:
At 1 point they seemed to be murmorizing in that piece, you’re right – that’s what we need,  and I think it may have come across like that in the circle on stage anyway.    It’s well worth Caroline continuing to bang on about dancing in unison, being aware of the movement next to you – keeping up but not anticipating a move just to show you know it ,  but I suppose that will come after its settled who’s dancing what .
Having looked on the web I think it must have been Watsons’ strange bendy body I was so taken with.  Now I realize they’re both light red rather than strawberry blonds,  but noticeable more for their maturity and stage presence than anything else .  20 odd years he’s been with the RB and I’ve not been watching !!
Lx

And then:
What do you mean by referencing the movement, the words used in the dance?   Confused – as we are using words [angry birds/Paradise] but RB didn’t did they?  Do you mean notation ‘words of the dance’  for Woolf works? I think I saw the notator [?] on youtube talking about it .  Or are you wanting to find out about specific moves we saw last night that looked strangely familiar to us at the moment. There must be constant ‘borrowing’ amongst choreographers  and animateurs – after all- nothing new under the sun?   Lx

My reply:
By “words” I do mean the movement vocabulary that the dancers were using – and, yes, because I would like to borrow, use, do some of those movements. Ricky (at Penzance) mentioned how much she liked the movement Alessandra Ferri used a couple of times in “I now, I then” where it looked as though she was putting something (a jumper, a scarf?) over her head; and there were so many phrases, words that I liked, but were gone too soon!