characters who they are.
‘In doing so, I feel like I’ve got to
‘I hope the audience connect to the
understand some of how Rosie
characters and can relate to them. It’s
choreographs characters which is
a representation of a gang culture in
new for me and she’s getting a better
Birmingham but it’s also a love story
understanding of classical Indian
and a tragedy and people will really feel
movements.
the emotion coming from us.’ ‘Rosie wanted to make sure that Romeo Mayowa has performed with a host of
was completely different to all the
companies including Phoenix Dance
other gang members so it was about
Theatre, Uchenna Dance and ACE
what makes him attractive to Juliet?
Dance and Music but Romeo + Juliet has
We brought Indian classical dance
been a new experience. ‘We all come
to differentiate me from the other
from different backgrounds in dance,
characters so we had a natural way of
mine is more contemporary, and we
making Romeo stand out.’
all have very different ways of moving but it’s been really inspiring. So, for
The Leicester-based dancer and
example there’s a really long duet with
choreographer has worked with many
Romeo and Juliet where marrying our
leading companies and choreographers
styles really works. We move differently
including Birmingham-based Sampad,
but we still move as one.’
Sonia Sabri, Akademi, Chitraleka Dance Academy and Aakash Odedra.
Subhash Viman Gorania, who plays
Currently artistic director of Morph
Romeo, was also attracted by the idea of
Dance Company and dance artist
a different kind of Romeo and Juliet.
in residence at Leicester’s Peepul
‘We grow up with Romeo and Juliet -
Centre, Subhash believes this new
there have been billions of adaptations
Romeo + Juliet will resonate with local
of the story and so many Bollywood
audiences.
movies are based on it but they’re always through the same lens,’ he says.
‘Rosie has managed to pick a team of
‘Rosie really wanted to do something
nine dancers who are so completely
different. She wanted to bring it
different and the diversity is shown in
from the view of young people in
the choreography so I really think it
Birmingham today and, especially with
brings the diversity of Birmingham to
Birmingham being so multicultural and
the stage. There will be characters in
with gang violence, it’s a perfect setting
there who audience members know,
for this story.
have met or have experienced and will connect .’
‘In rehearsals we were given the
Mayowa Ogunnaike as Juliet and Subhash Viman Gorania as Romeo. © Brian Slater.
freedom to explore our own experiences
Diane Parkes is a freelance journalist
and bring them to the characters and I
specialising in the arts. A reporter for
think that has helped shift both Romeo
more than 30 years, she has worked for
and Juliet. As it’s a modern day telling, it’s us, who we are, on stage.’ Working
newspapers, magazines, online and arts organisations locally and nationally.
with a range of styles has also been a learning process. ‘I come from a classical and contemporary South Asian dance background, Bharatanatyam and Khatak, and Rosie comes from a contemporary background so it was about us building a choreographic language together.
For biographies of the dancers visit www.RosieKay.co.uk/r+j
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