Spice Lady Melanie Chisholm is about to take a profession swerve into modern dance, showing at Sadler’s Wells theatre in London in a brand new collaboration with choreographer Jules Cunningham and dancer Harry Alexander. The piece, titled How Did We Get Right here? will open the theatre’s spring season in January 2023.
Chisholm, AKA Melanie C, educated in ballet, faucet and jazz dance in childhood, however has by no means danced modern. “Up to date dance is a world I’ve all the time been scared of,” she mentioned on Tuesday. “I really feel like I don’t perceive it, it’s fairly intimidating, so I’m actually excited to be a part of it as a result of I feel I can open it up possibly to a brand new demographic of people who possibly really feel the identical manner.”
Cunningham, who danced for 10 years with the Merce Cunningham firm (no relation) in New York, is thought for looking, experimental work typically analyzing identification and gender. The Liverpool-born choreographer was an enormous Spice Ladies fan of their teenagers. When Chisholm was first emailed in regards to the undertaking, she thought it was a joke, however she was excited and intrigued sufficient to satisfy with Cunningham. “The respect I've for Sadler’s Wells, particularly rising up actually aspiring to bop on a stage like this, it’s simply … wow!” mentioned Chisholm.
Chisholm informed the Sadler’s Wells annual press convention that dancing had all the time been a strategy to categorical herself, typically when phrases failed. She and Cunningham had related early coaching – “we each love a step-ball-change” – and within the new work, the three performers will likely be telling their very own bodily tales by means of dance. Being within the studio with Cunningham and Alexander has been a really totally different course of to working within the pop world and the West Finish. “It feels fairly therapeutic, in a manner,” mentioned Chisholm. “We now have numerous shared experiences in the kind of coaching we did as children and that connection has allowed me to drop my guard and be very open. It’s very emotional, it’s very artistic, and it’s a really totally different tempo to what I’m used to. So for me it’s a manner of simply letting go.”
The previous Sporty Spice admits her dance method is rusty however loves a problem, and nonetheless has a few of lady energy’s can-do spirit. She’ll be 49 when the present opens. “Ought to I be dancing at my age? Fuck sure!” Nonetheless, Chisholm admits she’s nervous. “I’m petrified,” she says, “There’s plenty of strain.” Particularly since together with her public profile she will’t attempt new issues quietly. Will the opposite Spice Ladies come to help her? “I’m certain Mel B will likely be right here, she has a really sturdy dance background as nicely, so I’m certain she’ll be intrigued to come back and take a look.” Will there be any of Sporty Spice’s trademark karate kicks? That’s TBC. Will there be singing? “Maybe …”
How Did We Get Right here? is at Sadler’s Wells, London, 19-29 January
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