February 22, 2012
Valentine’s Day can be a daunting prospect at the best of times, but particularly if you are in the wedding industry and even more particularly if you are single. As both my sister and I agreed, there is only one thing worse than getting no Valentine’s Day cards or messages… and that’s getting one from your mum. Thanks mum.
But the looming spectre of over-priced chocolate, hideous teddy bears and that inevitable card from Mrs Chorley (signed “guess who?”, naturally) were all swept briskly away by bespoke wedding planner Mark Niemierko and the Niemierko Valentine’s Day Party on 12th February.
Taking place at Saville Row tailors Spencer Hart, the venue could not have been more perfect to house the most influential bloggers, planners and designers, all of whom enjoyed poking around the very same rooms where stars such as Orlando Bloom, Benedict Cumberbatch and Robbie Williams have been outfitted by the world famous designers.
Neighbours Claridges provided an array of delicious canapés whilst keeping champagne and cocktails flowed freely all evening. Charlotte and I had a wonderful night and were happy to suffer slightly fuzzy heads the next morning. Thank again, Mr. Niemierko, for saving Valentine’s Day… And thanks for the card Mum.
Take a look at the video below, hosted by Peta Hunt, Editor at large of You and Your Wedding, for all the gossip from the party.
http://vimeo.com/36658812
Alice
February 21, 2012
As part of our ongoing celebration of all things Dance in February, we've been speaking to a few of our favourite dance performers and asking their thoughts on Dance at Corporate Events. We've already shared our conversation with Tommy Franzen and today it's the turn of fellow So You Think You Can Dance contestant Katy Love who became a firm audience favourite thanks to her boundless energy, lively personality and ever changing hair colour.
Katy was kind enough to answer a few questions about her background in ballet, her time performing on cruise ships and dancing at corporate events. Read on for more...
Hi Katie, how are you?
Im very well thank you for asking.
How would you best describe what you do?
I'm a professional dancer and performer, who has a passion for choreography and production.
How did you get in to Dance and was there anyone in particular who inspired you to become a dancer?
I grew up learning ballet, tap and jazz and I used to compete in dance festivals around the country. I just always loved watching dance and going to the theatre. My mum took me to see Cats the musical when I was about eight years old, and I think I just got the bug!
I read that your parents sent you to dance classes at 2 years-old to cure your shyness... Firstly how exactly can you tell if a 2 year-old is shy? And more importantly, do you think Dance is a good way to get over your inhibitions?
I think my mum sent me to ballet to get me talking to people. Which she now regrets because thats all I do! I think Dance is a great way to get over inhibitions. You must learn how to overcome nerves, and strive to be better each time. Dance is a discipline, but its also just fun. Every time is different. Dance is unique, so everyone can enjoy it.
You worked on Cruise Ships for a while, how did you find that experience?
I must admit that I found dancing on a cruise ship quite challenging. I loved the travel and the culture, but the job wasn't right for me. I felt there was something else for me to do... on dry land! But the experience was fantastic and audiences are so enthusiastic on the ships. They really love the entertainment.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TapW4KCWKQM
How was the experience of appearing in ‘So You Think You Can Dance’? Has it boosted your profile in the Corporate Market?
'So You Think...' was the most incredible experience of my life. I just loved every minute. Working in TV and seeing how the production was put together was strange but fabulous! I was very grateful to be there. It has boosted my profile I guess. I have been asked to perform and appear at several events which is an honour. I've met some great people and done some lovely work. I have also been able to promote myself and my company with workshops and productions and the response has been amazing. I owe a lot to the show and the support people gave me throughout.
What’s the strangest ‘space’ you’ve had to work in?
I once did a Burlesque styled gig in a pub in Dartford. It was Death Metal-battle of the bands and there were some very interesting characters and costumes out that night. That was probably the strangest and loudest space i've been in!
If you were working with a corporate client; how would you use dance to embody the identity of a product or brand?
Dance is so versatile and can literally be moulded to create an idea or an image. Dance is a physical live art form; its emotive and universal so its a great platform for new ideas. Dance can be entertaining and enjoyable, likewise it can be abstract and provocative. I would bare this in mind when developing new ideas and images through dance.
The guests at a corporate event are likely to be less ‘dance-literate’ than an audience who has paid to come specifically to see one of your shows. Do you approach audiences differently depending on their knowledge of dance?
With my company, we aim to create unique, high standard work. Striving to be the best and making each performance better than the last is very important. I think performances are always unique to the specific event or audience, but they should always maintain their standard.
Where can people see you perform next?
I'm performing at various events and judging competitions etc so no big shows at this time, but I am currently developing a new production with my company and will hopefully be showcasing something later in the year. Details will be updated on the website so please support De:fault Theatre with our future ventures!
Anything else you’d like to plug?
I wouldn't dream of plugging myself! But if I were to sneak in a cheeky plug, I would mention my company website defaulttheatre.co.uk. If anybody might be interested in workshops or anything at all, please do get in touch. Also, if anyone might be interested in booking any dance or performance work from myself or members of my company, please get in touch with the lovely people at Sternberg Clarke and I'm sure they can help you out!
Thanks Katie!
February 20, 2012
The search for the next Great Corporate Event Act continued on Thursday Night with the third heat of this year's Next Big Thing Competition held at Alphabet City in association with Event Magazine, UBM, International Confex and our handsome entertainment-booking selves.
A packed house watched as a ferocious judging panel featuring our own Adam Sternberg tore into a selection of acts hoping to make it big in the events industry with Event Magazine's Jeremy King playing "A Low Rent Dermot O'Leary" for the evening (his words)
The standard was remarkably high with each of the performers giving the judges plenty to think about; but The Next Big Thing isn't your average talent show and a good performance alone isn't enough to make it past the four-headed criticism-hound that guards the gates of the semi-finals. Acts needed to prove that they have something new to offer to the corporate market.
Singer-pianist Kima kicked things off with a pair of soulful cover versions before making way for the powerful voice of Opera Singer Il Tenore. Vocalist Jonathan Graham earned comparisons to Will Young and Gareth Gates but seemed to suit the West End stage more than a corporate gig and though all female Bee Gees tribute 'The Bee Shes' were fun and frivolous, they failed to win the affection of the judging panel.
In the end, only 2 acts could go through to the last round, and though last minute entry Elysia Keep seemed to have the audience on her side after a performance of 'Valerie' she was pipped to the post by Folk-Rock songstress Poppy Jones and 'Beiber-Haired' Singer Songwriter Adam Duffield who had the audience eating out of his hands with his winning personality and heartfelt performance.
A big thank you to all of the acts who performed as well as the Judges partners International Confex, Event Magazine and of course everyone at Alphabet City who helped make the evening so successful.
Keep your eyes peeled for the next round of auditions which will be held at this Year's Confex which is being held at Exel London between the 6th to the 8th of March.
February 17, 2012
The Cajon (pronounced Ca-hon)is a percussion instrument which might be familiar to anyone who pays attention to buskers or street performers. This stool-sized wooden box has become a mainstay of the busking artist and in recent years has made its way into the Corporate Events Market with acts like The Cover Brothers and Fables and Friends using the seemingly innocuous box for all manner of knocking, tapping and rapping thereupon.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZ5cK418uW0&list=UUD-Hhla7vHw0JIds96HydoA&index=1&feature=plcp
Joining the Cajon rattling ranks of the above are this week's auditionees The Zion duo who popped in to share a few cover versions beneath the Sternberg Clarke Spotlight (no seriously, we have a spotlight now.)The pair's laid-back style and soaring vocals made for some genuinely pleasant listening, especially when combined with a handful of crowd pleasing classics like Jackie Wilson's "(Your Love Keeps Lifting me) Higher and Higher" and The Beatles "Help." We can imagine the Zion duo working brilliantly at outdoor events with an informal feel.
For more information on any of the acts we auditon, or to book an audition for yourself - get in touch through our contact page.
February 15, 2012
We spend a lot of time on our blog talking about international entertainment at events and we've been celebrating everything from Bhangra to Flamenco as part of Dance Month this February, but while it's true that there's a whole world of Dance out there - there's just as much variety right here in at home with plenty of opportunities to celebrate the diverse traditions of different regions of the UK and Ireland.
To make sure that no corner of the British Isles is left out when it comes to celebrating dance at corporate events; we're turning the spotlight on to our Top 5 Regional Dances from the UK and Ireland... read on for our picks.
Morris Dancing
Far from being the paragon of Englishness in Dance Form, Morris Dancing has taken a long and winding route to the one we all recognise today. The term Morris is, in fact derived from Moorish Dancing which was a dance used to celebrate Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile driving the Moors from Spain in 1492. The dance spread across Europe eventually finding its way to England where it became a central part of the Whitsun Ales and other festivities. The sticks used in the Dance are a holdover from when the Dance was performed with Swords - the bells on the other hand, are to scare away the ghost of Oliver Cromwell (may have made that last bit up.)
Highland Dancing
The Scotts have a knack for making things that would otherwise seem effeminate, kind of manly - see Kilts and Poetry - and dancing is no different. Highland Dancing was originally a ritualistic, combative dance performed with Swords that recreated heroic moments in previous battles. The British attempted to suppress Highland Dancing in the 18th Century along with a host of other Scottish traditions with the Act of Proscription but following the repeal of the Act, Highland Dancing saw a resurgence in popularity and became an integral part of the Highland Games.
Long Sword Dance
We've got a strong Yorkshire contingent in the Sternberg Clarke offices - and boy, do they let you know about it, getting all dewy eyed at the slightest mention of 'The Moors' or 'Ilkley' or the film 'Kes'. It wouldn’t be fair, then, to leave Yorkshire out when it comes to regional Dances especially when they have such a curious claim to one. The Long Sword Dance is a close relation of The Rapper Dance (no, not Krumping.) It's a slow militaristic offshoot of the Highland Dance performed with rigid wooden or metal swords. The dance traditionally ends with the swords locked into an intricate star formation that's held up to the audience.
Clog Dancing (Lancashire)
In the face of all this bleating about Yorkshire, it can often feel like their neighbors are being neglected (at least that's what it feels like sometimes... sob.) So let's give Lancashire it's dues in the form of clog dancing. Though many regions of the UK have a strong clog-dancing tradition (including Wales and the North East) Lancashire's pivotal role in the cotton industry lead to the popularity of clog dancing as the wooden soles of clogs were preferred over leather soled shoes for working in the mills. Workers would tap their shoes to the rhythms of the machinery in an effort to keep warm... even dancing's grim up North.
Irish Stepdancing
Probably the most famous regional dance from around the British Isles thanks to the once ubiquitous 'Riverdance' and its star Michael Flatley. The dance is characterised by its furious footwork and the dancers rigidly stiff upper torsos. There are many theories as to why dancers keep their arms by their sides during the dance; most entertaining of which is the suggestion that it was to deceive puritanical elders who would look in to a building, see the dancers from the waist up and assume they were just standing still. Probably nonsense, but pretty funny nonetheless.
If you're interested in booking any of the acts we've discussed in Dance Month, get in touch via our contact page.
