LA LUTTE deals with the struggle to communicate to oneself, one another and the outside world in an aggressive and playful environment and is performed by Matthew Slater and Steven Martin.

LA LUTTE (French for The Wrestle) is set in a theatrical environment, with floodlights reminiscent of a boxing arena or sport stadium; an intense space for 2 men, wrestling with themselves, one another and the world around them. A physical and emotionally charged work that uses Filip’s signature complex movement style layered with psychological intensity.

The movement is generated from two sources – firstly, from a collaboration in a day centre for children with disabilities. Filip, Matt and Steven observed and inhabited the movement content as the children wrestle to communicate, move and express their emotions. And secondly, a return for Filip to the ancient martial art of Jiu-Jitsu, in which he gained his black belt at the age of 15. This fighting technique looks at neutralizing an enemy by using an attacker's energy against him, rather than directly opposing it. As a choreographic tool Jiu-Jitsu presents unusual material that is dramatic in its physicality.

LA LUTTE is a highly physical, extreme work, where the seemingly uncontrollable limbs are constructed into a tight framework. The setting is bold and bright with powerful, playful, and competitive movement content.

LA LUTTE will tour alongside a 40-minute version of Antipode from autumn 2010 with the UK premiere taking place at this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe from the 15th - 30th August at Zoo Roxy's The Sanctuary (a beautiful 200-seat venue).

Retina has two jobs available.

Part-time Company Manager on a temporary basis from August 2010 to April 2011. Depending on funding and suitability, post may continue full-time from April 2011.
The role will focus on tour booking, networking, education programme, company liaison, project management and UK profile. Candidates must have experience in company management and tour booking, have excellent communication skills, be able to work independently, be computer literate, and have a good knowledge of the UK touring network and contemporary dance circuit. Additional tasks including some fundraising and finance will be added to the full-time post.
Approximately £22,000 pro rata, dependent on experience. Salary will increase for full-time post.

Part-time marketing assistant
The role will focus on all marketing activities of the company, including website, facebook, twitter, flickr and YouTube updates, marketing packs, databases, statistics, press relations and venue liaison. Candidates should be able to work independently and have excellent computer literacy with a thorough understanding of facebook, twitter, YouTube and website updating, excellent communication skills, preferably apple mac experience, and a good understanding of the contemporary dance world.
Self employed contract at £8 per hour for approximately 12 hours per week.

Interviews for both jobs will be on Monday 21st June in Nottingham
Deadline for applications is 5pm on Friday 11th June

Download an information pack and application form here:
Company Manager information pack in pdf
Marketing Assistant information pack in pdf
Company Manager application form in word
Marketing Assistant application form in word

Or email admin@retinadance.com
or call 0115 947 6202 (225)

From the review:

an effective and impactful work with lots of interesting ideas to maintain its non-narrative flow

Head over to the ballet.co.uk site for the full review, which is well worth a read.

Retina Dance Company is searching for the 2010 Retina Youth Dance Company through a Christmas residency and audition led by Filip Van Huffel and Matthew Slater!

As everyone prepares for settling down for Christmas, Retina invites all 15 to 20 year old East Midlands dancers to come and get motivated and inspired instead. For 3 days Retina will lead the group through a dance residency that will culminate in the production of a new performance piece. Within the 3 days Retina will also be searching for the best dancers to be members of the new 2010 Retina Youth Dance Company.

Retina Youth meet in Nottingham on Saturdays and exists to contribute to improving the technical, performance and creative standards of dancers in the East Midlands. The group meet weekly for technique class and rehearsals and occasionally meet for weekend intensives with company members for the creation of new performance pieces. Retina also actively seek performance opportunities for the company as regularly as possible.

The residency is on December 21st and 22nd from 10 to 4pm and 23rd from 10 to 1pm. Cost is £30. The course will be based in College Street Centre, Nottingham. For registration email admin@retinadance.com or call Joanna Smuga-Lumatz on 0115 947 6202 (225)

Places are limited so book now!

29 November 2009
24 January 2010

Dans.art is an initiative by Passerelle vzw in partnership with Retina Dance Company, Cultuurcentrum Hasselt and Wisper Gent. Retina's next Dans.art is an intensive workshop opportunity for dancers and choreographers to work with Retina's Laban Bartenieff specialist Natalie Gordon.

Natalie will teach a workshop that utilises Bartenieff Fundamentals as a choreographic tool. Bartenieff Fundamentals are a set of concepts, principles and exercises that focus on internal body connectivity to enable efficiency in movement and finding pathways of flow through the body to aid functionality and attain full bodied, fluid and released movement. Natalie will use these theories for creative choreographic exploration.

Dancers new to Bartenieff and those that wish to deepen their understanding are both welcome.

The courses are for dancers that want to discover more in contemporary dance. Each day costs €29 and runs from 10.00 to 15.00 at ccbe, Antwerp-Berchem.

Dans.Art workshop in Antwerp with Filip Van Huffel

28 March 2010

Filip's workshop consists of an idiosyncratic warm-up focussed on fluidity, breath, continuity and stamina. The class will be followed by taught material, structured improvisation and learning of choreographic devises that can be useful during a choreographic process.

More information and booking contact natalie@retinadance.com

For your chance to catch Retina’s latest creation head over to our events calender to find a performance near you. Interested in finding out more about the new production and its collaborators? Click on our current productions page for further insight into the new work.

In other news, head over to our homepage to view a sneak preview of Antipode and links to follow Retina on Twitter, Facebook, Youtube and Flickr!

Retina is now in Hamburg, Germany for the premiere of our new production Antipode. 4 men dancing, 1 man accompanying them on double bass - energetic, athletic, contemporary and artistic, all in one performance! Antipode will be performed on Friday 17th July as part of DanceKiosk Hamburg and all the info can be found here

Last Friday Retina completed their part of Dance Beyond Borders. The trans-european choreographic training project for 10 dancers from Belgium, England, Germany and Portugal was a fantastic two week training and choreographic residency in Antwerp, ending in performances of each of the young choreographers work. These productions will also be performed as part of DanceKiosk Hamburg

Also as part of DanceKiosk, Filip will teach a choreography laboratory from July 20 to 24 from 1 to 4pm each day. Booking is essential, so if you are interested please follow the links

When we return from Hamburg, Filip is teaching 2 dance workshops for the community. Anyone can come and join him to learn a few new moves and have some summer dancing fun! On Thursday 30 July the workshop is for 12 to 18 year olds and is from 13:00 to 18:00, and on Friday 31 July the workshop is for anyone over age 18 and runs from 17:00 to 22:00. They take place in Provinciaal Recreatiedomein De Schorre, Boom, Belgium and the weblink is

Then the final summer workshop is a summer school for Kunsthumaniora Dans from 15 to 19 August at dé ! Kunsthumaniora - Campus Wilrijk (Parkschool Ieperman), Kerkelei 43 - 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium. Filip is teaching contemporary technique alongside other reknown teachers and classes are from 9:30 to 18:30 every day for dancers from age 15 to professional. More information through theweblink

So we hope that you can come and join us for a workshop or performance this summer. News about our autumn opportunities will be available soon.

Throughout the rehearsal process daily class will be open to professional dancers. With classes in both Antwerp and Nottingham, professional level dancers can join us each week day for company class, providing an insight into Retina’s style and movement vocabulary.

Classes are from 10 to 11.30 from Monday to Friday with just a few exceptions. The first block are in Antwerp with classes in Nottingham after Easter. Please look at the schedule below or check the calendar for details. Classes cost €4 and £3.

Monday 9th March – 10 to 11.30
Tuesday 10th March – 10 to 11.30
Wednesday 11th March – no class
Thursday 12th March – no class
Friday 13th March – 10 to 11.30

Monday16th March – no class
Tuesday 17th March to Friday 20th March – 10 to 11.30
Monday 23rd to Friday 27th March - 10 to 11.30
Monday 30th to Friday 3rd April – 10 to 11.30

April 20th to May 1st – Nottingham
May 4th to 22nd – Antwerp
May 25th to May 29th – Nottingham

The first set of classes are at ccbe, Driekoningenstraat 126, 2600 Antwerpen-Berchem. ccbe is a 5 minute walk from Antwerp Berchem station.

We look forward to seeing you soon.

Rehearsals begin on March 9th 2009 and will take place in Antwerp Belgium and Nottingham England. Touring will take place from autumn 2009 to spring 2010.

Audition dates are: Antwerp – January 5th with call back on 6th London – January 10th with call back on 11th

To apply please email your CV and a maximum of 2 photos to:

natalie@retinadance.com

Then it was time for the Retina Youth Dance Company to premiere their new work Co-equality. The company of 10 dancers came over on the Eurostar on the Friday evening and stayed in a youth hostel with other youth dance companies from Holland and Belgium for a project called Body Dynamics organised by Danspunt. They got to participate in several dance workshops as well as perform alongside the other groups on both the Saturday and Sunday. They truly rose to the occasion and performed like real professionals. We are hoping that the group can meet regularly now and find other performance opportunities, as they are a talented group that we don’t want to lose. So look out for their next performances in Nottingham in January 2009.

Just as the company were ready to drop we then started a new project last Monday morning. RAUW in Rataplan! Participants of all ages and experiences joined the company for one week to create a site specific performance event in the Rataplan theatre venue in Antwerp. Aching muscles and tired brains resulted in two fantastic performances on Friday night that really absorbed the atmosphere of the venue and challenged the participants. An excellent production for participants and audiences alike. RAUW is a format designed by Retina that can be located in any venue for any range of participants, so if you are interested then please get in touch for more details.

Now the company are back in the UK, touring until December, so check the events calendar for details or the tour schedule on the Relative Danger page to catch a performance.