Important Change - We've just modified this posting to add in a vital paragraph that was missing from the section "New South Bank location for Rambert". It was the last one which states Rambert first need to raise £6 million before such a move is really possible - sadly it is not just a forgone conclusion. The introductory paragraph has been adjusted accordingly. Apologies to Rambert for our error on this.

Bruce Marriott (for speed and on behalf of Brendan)

Rambert's autumn season, the first to be planned by its new artistic director, Mark Baldwin, imcludes three new commissions. The company also has the opportunity to move to new headquarters on London's South Bank. Introducing the season, Mark Baldwin said he intended to build on the Company's reputation and to nourish its Diaghilev roots, in his words, " perhaps the Company's most enduring role model."

Autumn season press release

Rambert, Britain's flagship contemporary dance company, announces its autumn tour, the first to be programmed by Rambert's new Artistic Director Mark Baldwin. The tour includes a brand new work by Javier de Frutos, Elsa Canasta and following its success in Glasgow, Living Toys by Karole Armitage also enters the repertoire.

The tour opens at The Lowry, Salford (24-27 September) with the world premiere of Elsa Canasta by Javier de Frutos, performed to music and songs by Cole Porter, including a recently discovered ballet score. The ballet will be further enhanced by the live performance of the score by Rambert's Associate Orchestra, London Musici and a female vocalist. Rambert then visits Norwich, Bristol, Milton Keynes, High Wycombe, Edinburgh and Plymouth, returning to London for its Sadler's Wells season at the end of November.

The touring repertoire includes Mark Baldwin's first commission for Rambert, Living Toys by Karole Armitage. This is Armitage's first creation for Rambert, which transports us into that precarious and surreal state where dreams and consciousness merge. Inspired by Thomas Ades' dark and somewhat sinister score of the same title, this large-scale dance work, uses all of Rambert's 22 dancers. Other works include 21 by Rambert dancer and Associate Choreographer Rafael Bonachela, which unites Bonachela's distinctive style of choreography with his creative directors' concept that explores the meaning of celebrity and adoration. Incorporating a short projected film featuring Kylie Minogue, 21 is performed to a specially written score by young British composer Benjamin Wallfisch, which uses recorded music, including an electronically altered vocal performance from Ms Minogue. The touring repertoire is completed with Visions Fugitives by Dutch choreographer Hans Van Manen, inspired by and performed to Prokofiev's score of the same title and Wayne McGregor's award-winning pure dance spectacular PreSentient, which is performed to Steve Reich's kinetic score, Triple Quartet.

Rambert's Sadler's Wells season (25-29 November) showcases the London premieres of Karole Armitage's Living Toys and Elsa Canasta by Javier de Frutos. The season also welcomes the return of Wayne McGregor's PreSentient, created for Rambert in 2002.

Tour dates below

Mark Baldwin's vision for Rambert

"As I look around Rambert's home here in West London, I'm constantly aware of Dame Marie Rambert's extraordinary achievement in establishing this fine Company 77 years ago. To follow her, and all of the other illustrious artistic directors of Rambert, is an enormous responsibility, but one that I find inspiring.

Since my arrival in December 2002,1 have been getting to know all of Rambert's dancers and staff and planning the future artistic shape of the Company's repertoire. This period of tthinking time has led me to the conclusion that my ambitions for Rambert will be evolutionary rather than revolutionary. As a former dancer with the Company, I see my appointment as representing a continuation of the Rambert tradition. My vision for Rambert is to build on the Company's reputation and its Diaghilev roots - perhaps the Company's most enduring role model. With this tradition in mind, I will be commissioning a body of new work for Rambert that draws on my own choreographic and performance experience and most particularly my interest in modem music makers and visual artists. This combination has stimulated me to initiate collaborations where dance, music and design can cohabit in a harmonious and meaningful way. I want to encourage choreographers, composers and designers to create works that will be physically powerful, emotionally engaging and above all entertaining. Integral in my decision making about the commissioning of new works will be our relationship with our associate orchestra, London Musici.

Collaborations are going to be key to the delivery of my vision for Rambert. They will provide an opportunity to develop our own distinctive voice and be our constant source of excellence, public interest and development. This collaboration extends to Rambert's excellent dancers whose hunger for involvement in the creative process will not only stimulate and develop them as artists, but will help in the emergence of a unique repertoire for the Company.

It is my desire that Rambert Dance Company should be a leading force in shaping British modern dance and that it should direct from the front, rather than just pull in that which appears to be fashionable. Although Rambert Dance Company occupies a significant position in the dance world, it cannot rely on yesterday's successes".

Mark Baldwin - June 2003

New South Bank location for Rambert - press release

Rambert Dance Company has an outstanding opportunity to move to a new purpose-built home on the South Bank - a location in the cultural and economic heart of London. Coin Street Community Builders (CSCB), are planning a multi-use development on the Doon Street Car Park site (behind the National Theatre) and have invited Rambert to be part of it.

Iain Tuckett, Director of Coin Street Community Builders, says "We believe contemporary dance should have a much higher profile in popular culture and in our local community. Our DDoon Street development provides us with an opportunity to substantially change the balance of commercial and residential uses on London's South Bank and to introduce significant new uses including public swimming, indoor sports and contemporary dance. As the UK's leading contemporary dance company, Rambert would be able to join the National Theatre, Royal Festival Hall, Hayward Gallery, Tate Modem, the Design Museum and many other world standard arts organisations which have made their homes on London's South Bank. In return we ask only that Rambert inspire and support local community involvement in that most perfect expression of human creativity; contemporary dance."

Rambert Dance Company has occupied its current west London rehearsal and administration premises since 1971. Sue Wyatt, Executive Director of Rambert Dance Company says "To be presented with the option of having purpose-built studios, with full-disabled access, in such a prominent position is something that we must consider seriously."

A central London location and interaction with the community and other leading arts organisations nearby provides a unique opportunity for Rambert to establish physically, and thereby affirm, its long-term position at the centre of this country's cultural life. It also creates a platform from which the company's new Artistic Director, Mark Baldwin, can fulfil his ambition to make Rambert one of the world's most versatile, accessible and exciting dance companies.

Mark Baldwin, Rambert's Artistic Director, says: "As Britain's only large-scale touring contemporary dance company, Rambert performs on some of the largest stages this country has. The size of our studios, however, severely restricts the scale of productions that we can create, essentially stifling our artistic aspirations. In addition to fulfilling our artistic needs, the new premises would also provide the public with greater access to the Company, our education activities and our archive. We have in this proposal the opportunity to turn Rambert into a national resource centre."

The challenge now is for Rambert to raise the estimated £6 million necessary to finance the new building, which it hopes will come from a combination of private and public sources. If Rambert is to achieve its goals, it must work in partnership with those who share its vision for the future. The Company is heading for exciting times and these ambitious plans offer an opportunity to invest in the future of one of Britain's most distinguished and prodigious dance companies.

Unique Dance and Science Commission - press release

2005 marks the centenary of Einstein's publication of three of his most far-reaching ideas, which changed scientific thinking. As part of the year-long celebrations to mark 'Einstein Year', part of a 'World Year of Physics', the Institute of Physics has commissioned Rambert Dance Company to produce a new work, which will be choreographed by Rambert's Artistic Director, Mark Baldwin. This will be the first work created by Baldwin for Rambert as Artistic Director.

The creation of this work will be one of the most prominent events during the Einstein Year and it is hoped, through Rambert's touring activities, that it will help to increase public awareness of physics, and Einstein Year.

Jerry Cowhig, Managing Director of the Institute's publishing company, who commissioned the work said, "We are very excited about this collaboration. Dance is an expressive medium and it will be ideal for abstract concepts like the theories of Einstein on everything from tiny atoms to the dynamics of the whole cosmos. I love the work of Rambert which is always innovative and thrilling and I am confident this new work will trigger many peoples' curiosity about physics in Einstein Year".

A significant element of this project will be the programme of education work that will support it. Rambert's Education department will be working in close collaboration with the Institute in the development of practical dance workshops for schools, a specially devised Schools' Matinee Performance and resource materials which will have dual use for both
science and dance teaching.

"The aim of the project is to enthuse young people about dance and science and how Einstein shook up the world with his theories. We hope that this collaboration will encourage young people to develop creative responses to the commissioned work and will stimulate an understanding of the links between science and the arts" commented Fiona Ross, Head of Education at Rambert. The new work will receive its World Premiere at Sadler's Wells in May 2005.

Autumn tour schedule

The Lowry, Salford
24th-27th August

Visions Fugitives, 21, Elsa Canasta (world premiere)

Theatre Royal Norwich
2nd-4th October

Visions Fugitives, Elsa Canasta, PreSentient

Bristol Hippodrome
8th-11th October

Visions Fugitives, 21, Elsa Canasta

Milton Keynes Theatre
15th-18th October

Visions Fugitives, 21, Elsa Canasta

Wycombe Swan, High Wycomber
29th October-1st November

PreSentient, Living Toys, Elsa Canasta

Edinburgh Festival Theatre
5th-7th November

Visions Fugitives, 21, Elsa Canasta

Sadler's Wells London
25th-19th November

Living Toys, Elsa Canasta, PreSentient

Theatre Royal Plymouth

3rd-6th December

21, Living Toys, Elsa Canasta