We think Musa sums himself up perfectly – “Musa Motha doesn’t believe in impossibilities. Instead, I break the word impossible into two. I am possible.”
Our Super Human company dancer Musa Motha made it to the final at this year’s Britain’s Got Talent, watch his brilliant performance here.
For Rambert’s Death Trap, Ben Duke took inspiration from watching footage of the onstage intensity of Nina Simone, who appeared to suffer and exult through every emotion of every song she sang.
To celebrate #BlackHistoryMonth, we’re sharing Death Trap’s tracklist so you’ll find some Nina Simone classics. Enjoy.
If you love a chilled hip-hop vibe, #PauseYourself with Conor’s playlist. Tom Misch and Bruno Mars in the same playlist? Yes, please.
If you love Conor’s playlist, we think you’ll love Jacob’s Playlist too.
In this episode of Super Humans, Rambert dancer Brenda Lee Grech chats with dancer turned actor, Will Kemp. As a principal dancer with AMP, Will danced The Swan in Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake, before transitioning to a successful career in Hollywood, acting alongside the likes of Hugh Jackman and Kate Beckinsale in Van Helsing, and Val Kilmer and Christian Slater in Mindhunters.
Here, Will and Brenda recount their journey into dance and dance training, which Will brilliantly describes as ‘the army in tights’. They talk about the confidence of youth (is it ignorance or arrogance, and why do we lose it?), the ‘Boys Dance Too’ movement, as well as the pressures of the professional dance world, particularly for women. It’s a conversation full of funny anecdotes, as well as vulnerability. How outside events impact the choices we make, the value of creativity during the adversity of adolescence, and finding inspiration in the day-to-day.
Notes for the listener:
Brenda mentions in the podcast the brilliant Helen McCrory, who she worked with on Peaky Blinders. This podcast was recorded before Helen’s sad passing, and our thoughts are with her family.
This podcast was recorded in one sitting, but you’ll notice Brenda’s microphone sound changes about ¾ of the way through due to her switching headphones.
Naya’s playlist is vibes upon vibes, filled with RnB, Funk, Jazz, and chilled Hip Hop tunes. If you’re needing music for a chilled workout or stretch, this is the playlist for you.
If you like Naya’s Playlist, try out Jacob’s Playlist too, we think you’ll love it.
Wow wow wow – you’re in for a treat with this playlist. Find your inner fiery side with these sassy but classy songs, exactly what you need to keep you motivated during your workout. We can all thank Max later!
If you love this playlist, we think you’ll also love Juan’s playlist.
In our Super Humans podcast series we talk to people who inspire us. In this episode songwriter and Radiohead Drummer Philip Selway and Rambert dancer Jacob Wye share stories of finding your own voice and holding your nerve to step outside what’s expected of you.
Philip is the drummer of Radiohead, who after forming as friends in secondary school in 1985, went on to become one of the world’s greatest bands.
Outside of Radiohead, Philip has also enjoyed a hugely successful career as a solo artist, as well as turning his talents to composing music for film and stage. Rambert has been lucky enough to work with Philip, as he composed the music for one of our productions The Rambert Event, which was performed at Sadler’s Wells theatre in London in 2019, and toured to theatres in Paris, Italy and Switzerland.
Philip recently collaborated on a music documentary called Long and Winding Road, that documents his journey on a road trip searching the country for the pubs and clubs that give artists their big breaks, and reflects on why these venues are so loved and very much needed. The film is due to be released in independent cinemas this summer.
Image credits:
Philip Selway by Colin Greenwood
Jacob Wye by Camilla Greenwell
In our Super Humans podcast series one of our dancers talks to someone who inspires them. Actor and writer Lolita Chakrabarti talks to Rambert dancer Daniel Davidson.
You may recognise Lolita from television and film dramas such as Riviera, Netflix’s Criminal and The Casual Vacancy on the BBC, but her talents expand far beyond acting. She is an acclaimed playwright and her most recent work, an adaptation of the Booker Prize winning Life of Pi, is currently set to premiere in London’s West End in 2021.
Lolita’s first prominent work as a playwright, Red Velvet, saw her win Most Promising Playwright at the Critics Circle Awards in 2012, and this work has been restaged over 40 times by both professional and amateur theatre companies across the UK and United States.
Lolita also collaborated with Rambert last year, where she adapted the novel Invisible Cities by Italian writer Italo Calvino for the stage. It was directed by Leo Warner from 59 Productions and choreographed by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and we had the exciting job of premiering at the Manchester International Festival.
Image credits:
Lolita Chakrabarti by Maruska Mason
Daniel Davidson by Camilla Greenwell
Super Humans podcast series: in each episode we invite someone who inspires us to exchange stories with our dancers.
Here actor, writer, director Simon Callow chats with Rambert Dancer Hannah Rudd.
You may know Simon from his roles in films like Four Weddings and a Funeral, A Room with a View and Shakespeare in Love. And his pursuits go far beyond his acting. He simultaneously pursues careers as actor, director and writer and his lifelong passion for classical music has seen him directing opera productions and appearing alongside major symphony orchestras including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and BBC Symphony Orchestra.
He’s currently working on the fourth and final volume of his multi-toned biography of Orson Wells and had lockdown not struck, would now be performing in a new stage production “I’m Sorry Prime Minister I Can’t Quite Remember” by BAFTA award-winning writer Jonathan Lynn.
Despite all these talents, we still can’t offer you a dance class with Simon – but we can oblige with Hannah who teaches beginners ballet here – or for advanced dancers there’s a class here.
Image credits: Hannah Rudd by Camilla Greenwell
We’re so proud to have an Olympic finalist on our podcast. And she even matched her new personal best in the final! We’re so inspired by you Jodie, today and everyday.
Did you know…
Jodie is the only athlete to be in the all-time fastest in British history lists for; 60m, 100m, 200m & 400m.
Have have you ever wondered what being a British Athlete and a contemporary dancer have in common? In this episode of the Super Humans podcast Rambert dancer Conor Kerrigan and Olympian Jodie Williams discover a surprising number of similarities in their disciplines and what inspires and drives them.
Jodie also shares what its like to compete in front of millions of people and how she mentally prepares for a race.
Jodie is a 200m British Olympian. After a hugely successful juniors career where she had a five-year-long unbeaten streak of 151 races, she made the transition into seniors and obtained her first senior medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games representing England. In 2019, Jodie became British champion for the second time after winning the 200 metres event at the 2019 British Athletics Championships and she is currently competing in the Tokyo Olympics (alongside her sister Hannah).
Always one to talk about the two sides of herself – the “athlete” and “me” – Jodie does not let her athletics career define who her is. In her own words “Track is what I do but it does not define me, I am #MoreThanJustAnAthlete.”
Image credits:
Conor Kerrigan by Camilla Greenwell
