John Kendall –2011 Dance Fellow with balletLORENT– has been working with the company on tours of two distinctly different shows. Over the duration of the Fellowship, John will be involved with the creation of new work and performing on tour while also delivering an education programme.



John tells us what life on the Fellowship has been like so far.



"My first involvement with balletLORENT was as a dancer in the reproduction of La Nuit intime which was toured in Newcastle and throughout Scotland. The show itself is set in nightclubs and music venues where the audience are invited to drink and relax and lose themselves in the dance. La Nuit was such a brilliant show to be involved in as a new dancer with the company as it was definitely a steep initiation and at times felt as if I had really been thrown in at the deep end. I think this was due to the nature of the work which demands a great deal of emotional and physical commitment from the performer as they bear all under the close scrutiny and proximity of a watching audience. The effect this creates is a beautiful sense of vulnerability that surrounds the performer. This sort of commitment is common in Liv’s (Liv Lorent – Artistic Director) work.



I was also involved in ‘Esmerine’, which was a section in La Nuit that contained some nudity. I had to approach a turn table, stand on it and undress. I was then met by another dancer who did the same; we then both lowered to our side and curled into a sort of Ying Yang position. Now, while I knew from the beginning of the rehearsal period that I would be involved in this scene, it was still something that I found fairly daunting even though I was fully committed to doing it. It was to be the first time I had been naked on stage so it was pretty big deal. In the end though I actually really enjoyed doing it and found it very liberating. I also had huge faith in Liv’s artistic vision and knew that it would be done in good taste and be totally in keeping with the intention of La Nuit.

Another interesting part of La Nuit that makes it so special is its live element. Each show is never exactly the same and you never really know what to expect before you begin. As a performer this is such an amazing experience as it makes it so real, true and uncontrived.



Following La Nuit I was an understudy for Underneath the Floorboards. Underneath the Floorboards is a children’s show for the under 5’s that tells the story of a young boy called John who, when moving house, finds himself lost in a magical world underneath his floorboards. While down there he meets his trusty companions Fawn, Guffy and Mimic who help and guide him back to his bedroom. The show is very similar to La Nuit in the sense that it is totally interactive. The children in the audience are allowed to wander the space amongst the performers and really immerse themselves in the story and the magical world created by Liv.



I worked as an understudy on this tour having to learn both the roles of John and Guffy – who I was fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to perform as in Bath. I realised when watching the show and then performing it that it’s so much more complicated and skilled than you’d first expect. The energy has to be maintained throughout and nothing can be faked as you quickly realise that if it drops then the illusion of a magical world drops with it and you quickly become people moving around in funny suits as opposed to embodying this mythical creature or being.



The children are also in the space throughout so you have to concentrate extra hard and be careful not to bump or bang into any of them. In the same vein, the size of the movement is important. If it becomes too big or sharp then there’s a danger that it could frighten the children and put them off coming into the space; it has to be more detailed and considered.



My experience with balletLORENT so far then has been one of two extremes starting with the emotional rollercoaster that is La Nuit to the charming magic of Underneath the Floorboards. I’ve learnt so much so far and hope to carry on with the company for as long as possible. It really is a special place to work and a special bunch of people to spend time with."