From February 2007 till July 2008 Martial Dance was established as company in residence at Macrobert. Supported by the Scottish Arts Council, this creative partnership enabled Martial Dance to function as a middle scale dance company and facilitated the creative development of Martial Dance at the same time as benefiting local and surrounding communities through education and outreach work. Further support from Falkirk and Stirling Councils enabled Martial Dance to carry out an extensive educational project s with local schools that lead up to a final performance by the students on the Macrobert main stage. Martin delivered a diverse range of workshops for both pupils and teachers inspiring young people to participate and have an interest in dance and giving teachers the confidence to explore this art form with a new and fresh approach.

As a result of this residency Martial Dance successfully toured ActionReaction in 2007 with its exciting and talented company of five. Independently Martial Dance has just completed the 2008 tour of The Other, an emotional graham based contemporary duet performed by the company’s core members.

Now back in London Martial Dance intends to continue its mission to create cutting edge choreography, incorporating new and exciting movement ideas, whilst championing the techniques that made contemporary dance great. Our commitment to education will continue and expand aiming to inspire a greater awareness and deeper understanding of the diversity in the worlds of dance and martial arts.

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Martial Dance is more than a dance company; it is a movement language that is born from the physical realities of the body rather than mentalities that divide society today. Integrating elements from formal dance techniques and social dance styles, with a variety of martial arts disciplines, Martial Dance is a movement democracy that embraces individuality and originality and the choreography never ceases to surprise and delight audiences.
Doesn’t just kick-ass, it boots pre-conceptions about what dance is off the radar (Mary Brennan, The Herald, 2007)
The disciplines of both Dance and Martial Arts are the key elements that have influenced artistic director Martin Robinson since childhood. Training in martial arts from the age of 12 and as a part of the street Breakdance and Body Popping scene, Martin began to develop his own unique movement quality derived from the amalgamation of the two art forms.

From dancing on the street to performing on the 6 o’clock show and for the premier opening of the film ‘Beat Street’ with the Brixton Academy Dancers, Martin went on to train professionally at Lewisham College and London Contemporary Dance School. Throughout this time he continued developing his martial arts repertoire, training in Wu Shu, Lur Gar Chun and Shaolin fist.

Beginning his professional career in 1991 with in Phoenix Dance Company, Martin went on to become a founding member of RJC Dance Theatre, playing a key role in developing their multi-cultural appeal through the fusion of different dance styles. During his time at RJC, Martin’s ever-present passion for Martial Arts gained him the 1996 Lisa Ullmann Scholarship for Capoeira research and development in Salvador Brazil. This research was the stimulus for his choreography for RJC in the production of the critically acclaimed ‘Passionelle’.

Martin created Martial Dance in 2002 in order to take his unique language of movement into the public domain as an art form in its own right. Since premiering his first piece Neither Here nor There at Resolution! 2003, he has created several works including his critically acclaimed solo Yin and Yang, Conflicts of the Cerebellum, ActionReaction and his latest work The Other

Martin’s journey back to his roots has provided the inspiration for choreography that is accessible and diverse, physically and emotionally honest and a vigorous and exhilarating experience that compels the audience to look more closely and challenges pre-conceptions of art and life.

Our core aims as a company is as follows:

• To create new work fusing the highest quality of dance with martial arts

• Establishing Martial Dance as a flourishing company offering a place for culturally diverse arts experience.

• Develop the profile of dance and the martial arts by building strong links and relationships with schools and venues through performance and educational residency work with particular emphasis on attracting boys to dance

• Champion, revive and maintain Graham technique for UK and international audiences

• Involve and inspire established and new audiences in the creative development of our work

For more information please download the company brochure

Productions

The Other

The Other is a touching insight into a women’s struggle for equality and empowerment in the aftermath of World War Two. Inspired by Simone De Beauvoir’s revolutionary feminist text: The Second Sex (1949) we examine how the female is defined as ‘the other’ for she is regarded only by her difference to man. Through exquisite contemporary dance and a beautiful original score two dancers embark on an emotional journey in the search for an accommodation of love, identity and respect.

Choreographed and performed by Martin Robinson and Cat Casbon

Music by Ross McCrae ©2008

Costume by Jessica Brettle

Lighting by Andrew Paul

ActionReaction

Set in a series of controlled spaces ActionReaction journeys from scientific factuality to social comment. In one moment, approaching the body as physical matter without out thought or feeling, the dancers are a literal physical manifestation of the Newtonian concept that every action has an equal and opposite reaction. In the next they enter into the world of human instinct, socially constructed behavioural analogies for laws of cause and effect and morals with terminology borrowed from science. Claustrophobia, fight or flight, love or indifference and disease? Chemicals, cells, ions and particles…what is the difference anyway?

Choreographed by Martin Robinson

Dancers Cat Casbon, Ruth Mills, Kirsty Pollock, Martin Robinsn, Ali Temple.

Yin+Yang

The critically acclaimed Yin+Yang is a physical illustration of the idea of two opposing yet complimentary images. Fusing Contemporary, body-popping and martial arts, this dynamic and explosive signature solo is the very essence of Martial Dance.

Choreographed and performed by Martin Robinson

Music by The Relicks © 2004

Lighting by David Shea

Conflicts of the Cerebellum

Fascinated by apparent inconsistencies in how people behave,  ‘Conflicts’ is a journey into the mind of an individual, exploring the idea of conflicting feelings and thoughts between the different parts of his mind. The personality on stage is split three ways, constantly accompanied by his shadowy counterparts who slip in and out of the darkness. Shifting from peaceful to sinister, these subversive influences that lurk in the background must somehow be reconciled. (2005/2006).

Choreographed by Martin Robinson

Dancers Cat Casbon, Martin Robinson, Maddy Wynne-Jones

Music by The Relicks ©2005

Neither Here Nor There

Neither Here Nor there is a medley of dance, martial arts, poetry and theatre, giving an insight into the world of martial arts training. Beginning in a class setting, students perform martial arts movements, which are interspersed and overlaid with a mixture of hip-hop and reggae. Striking images are created as the dancers move from reality to dream state, constantly watched over by the Sifu. Neither Here Nor There is a manifestation of the Martial Dance experience.

Choreographed by Martin Robinson

For more information please download the company brochure

Martial Dance has developed a unique and comprehensive workshop package that includes:

• practical taster sessions

• workshops

• curtain raisers and residency projects that lead to performance

• video and lecture demonstrations

• feedback talks pertaining to the performances and the company

Martial Dance workshop packages have been designed for schools, colleges, community projects, special needs groups, in-service and professional dance practitioners throughout the U.K. The company aims to promote its unique fusion of different dance styles with martial arts, thus providing an experience that is accessible to everyone.

Martial Dance uses education and outreach work to increase knowledge, understanding and enjoyment of our work and dance/martial arts in general.

• Contemporary techniques (especially Graham) will be introduced to new participant groups at an appropriate level.

• Martial Arts will be introduced to new participant groups at an appropriate level.

• Creative workshops will give participants an insider’s view of the choreographic process involved in the creation of new work and a greater understanding of the reparatory. The workshops will also provide an environment where participants can explore and understand the ideas involved in relation to themselves, which will support their personal development in terms of:

• Building skills – Self Awareness and Physicality, Self-Esteem and Individuality, Co-operation and Effective Contribution, Confidence and Communication

• Deepening their knowledge of the Craft of Dance - language of choreography, time, space, dynamics rhythm and musicality.

• Knowledge and Skills development will increase their enjoyment as participants and as audiences.

• Inspiring children and parents – creating a sense of achievement and awareness of possibilities in the arts.

Education projects 2007/2008

Martial Dance was based at macrobert for 18 months as part of a Partners project with macrobert, Falkirk Council and Stirling Council.  A range of work with young people has taken place including workshop and performance work. The project has enabled choreographic development of the company with ActionReaction in 2007 and The Other in 2008.  The empowerment project related to The Other explored issues of gender, to aid the development of our ideas pupils and teachers in Grangemouth High School studying English, science, religious studies, maths, history and visual art are currently involved in research and production of visual art and creative texts. This was a pilot project to support Curriculum for Excellence and will be the subject of a symposium in Autumn 2008

Independently, Martial Dance’s Autumn tour of The Other Includes a residency project in almost all of the venues culminating in a curtain raiser giving the participants the opportunity to perform as part of Martial Dance program in a professional space. This also assists in attracting a wider audience for our work. Alongside this we will also provide where required workshops in the Martial Arts and Dance fusion with particular emphasis in getting boys into dance. This is in-line with our long-term objectives for the company.

For more information please download the company brochure