Choreography by Mavin Khoo

Made in collaboration with British Council Malta for the EU Presidency (2017)

 

 

Duration: 30 minutes

 

Premiere: 14th January 2017, Mediterranean Conference Centre

Choreography by Iván Pérez Avilés

Re-staged for ŻfinMalta Dance Ensemble, Malta premiere as part of Tnejn(2), 

 

 

Duration: 20 minutes

 

ŻfinMalta Premiere: May 2017, Teatru Excelsior, Gharghur

Choreography by Niels Plotard

 

 

Duration: 30 minutes

 

Tlieta(3) is an evening of three works by female choreographers and composers. The evening is themed with the context of identity whereby the works collectively engage with notions of reflection, communication, construction, destruction and resistance. The role of the female choreographer against the tradition of male choreographers in dance is one of particular interest in contemporary discourse. A topic that has in some ways become a matter of urgency within the global dance industry, it highlights the ironically disproportionate visibility of women in dance when it comes to choreography. 

 

ŻfinMalta will be presenting the works of the emerging choreographer Rachel Calleja, established dance maker Francesca Tranter and internationally acclaimed dance artist Athanasia Kanellopoulou. This trio of strong female voices will be reflected through their individual questions on identity, space, gender and their inherently Mediterranean sensibilities. The evening will also include sound scores by Jess Rymer (UK), Veronique Vella (Malta) and composer and sound designer Konstantina Polychronopoulou (Greece). 

 

 

Choreography by Francesca Abela Tranter

Premiered as part of Tlieta(3) 

 

Tlieta(3) is an evening of three works by female choreographers and composers. The evening is themed with the context of identity whereby the works collectively engage with notions of reflection, communication, construction, destruction and resistance. The role of the female choreographer against the tradition of male choreographers in dance is one of particular interest in contemporary discourse. A topic that has in some ways become a matter of urgency within the global dance industry, it highlights the ironically disproportionate visibility of women in dance when it comes to choreography. 

 

ŻfinMalta will be presenting the works of the emerging choreographer Rachel Calleja, established dance maker Francesca Tranter and internationally acclaimed dance artist Athanasia Kanellopoulou. This trio of strong female voices will be reflected through their individual questions on identity, space, gender and their inherently Mediterranean sensibilities. The evening will also include sound scores by Jess Rymer (UK), Veronique Vella (Malta) and composer and sound designer Konstantina Polychronopoulou (Greece). 

 

 

Choreography by Mavin Khoo

Premiered as part of Malta International Arts Festival

 

 

In Je Tiens La Reine, a band of fauns are seduced by the allure and sensuality of Calypso and her nymph sisters, drawn to the border where the earth meets the sea impulsively giving in to their darkest longings and desires. The fauns behave recklessly and their actions cause chaos and disruption as the nymphs, recognising their destructive nature, resist their hold and courageously attempt to protect their land and rituals of old. Intervening to restore order, the goddess Venus appears. Representing love, creation and prosperity, Venus’s divine power forces everyone, especially Calypso and the protagonist faun, to honour their destiny no matter what price there is to pay. Can the fauns redeem favour with Venus? Can peace be restored to this troubled land? Will Calypso return to the solitude of her cave unsatisfied or will she embrace her divine nature too? What, in the end, will be sacrificed in order to satisfy Venus? Like all tales of this kind, Je Tiens La Reine transports us to a magical place whilst reminding us of the journeys we take in our own lives.

Duration: 1 hour

 

Premiere: 15th & 16th July 2015, Argotti Gardens

Choreography by Iván Pérez Avilés

Re-staged for ŻfinMalta Dance Ensemble, Malta premiere as part of Erbgħa(4), 

 

 

Malta’s national contemporary dance company, ŻfinMalta Dance Ensemble, will launch its first season with ERBGĦA(4) a premiere featuring four dances by four choreographers. The mixed bill will present distinctive works that demonstrate the versatility and diversity of the company within its Euro-Mediterranean context and sensibility. Newly commissioned works include ; ‘Selah’ by UK based Spanish choreographer Jose Agudo (new music by Vincenzo Lamagna), ‘Iż-Żmien’ by Maltese choreographer Francesca Tranter (music by Walter Micallef) and a company ensemble work by artistic director Mavin Khoo (performed to Stabat Mater by 18th century Maltese – Italian composer Girolamo Abos). The premiere concludes with a piece that is re-staged for the company, a duet, ‘Kick the Bucket’ by Dutch based Spanish choreographer Iván Pérez Avilés (music by Aaron Martin).

Duration: 20 minutes

 

ŻfinMalta Premiere: 11th March 2015, MITP, Valletta

‘Oozing passion, emotion: Malta’s national dance company launches its first season

Read the full article now from Times of Malta.

 

 

Choreography by Rachel Calleja

Premiered as part of Tlieta(3) 

 

 

Tlieta(3) is an evening of three works by female choreographers and composers. The evening is themed with the context of identity whereby the works collectively engage with notions of reflection, communication, construction, destruction and resistance. The role of the female choreographer against the tradition of male choreographers in dance is one of particular interest in contemporary discourse. A topic that has in some ways become a matter of urgency within the global dance industry, it highlights the ironically disproportionate visibility of women in dance when it comes to choreography. 

 

ŻfinMalta will be presenting the works of the emerging choreographer Rachel Calleja, established dance maker Francesca Tranter and internationally acclaimed dance artist Athanasia Kanellopoulou. This trio of strong female voices will be reflected through their individual questions on identity, space, gender and their inherently Mediterranean sensibilities. The evening will also include sound scores by Jess Rymer (UK), Veronique Vella (Malta) and composer and sound designer Konstantina Polychronopoulou (Greece). 

 

 

Choreography by Paolo Mangiola

Commissioned by Valletta2018 for V18 Opening ceremony

ŻfinMalta Dance Ensemble, Malta’s national dance company, is warming up for its first big show this year, which has been specifically created for the celebrations marking the start of Valletta’s reign as European Capital of Culture.

 

Qalbna, being held at St George’s Square on January 20 at 7pm, with repeat performances every hour thereafter (last performance starts at 11pm), is a work choreographed and directed by Paolo Mangiola the new Artistic Director of ŻfinMalta. It takes inspiration from the natural evolution that happened over the centuries in Malta, a land where historically, populations, languages and customs crossed paths.

 

Observing the natural elements present on the island, the composition created evolves continuously, communicating, through choreography, the heart of our European values.

This piece promises to be a spectacular work, in which the dancers interact with the stunning visual effects created by the Maltese Blaze Animation team. This creation pays tribute to the important role of Malta in this year of cultural events, and seals the presence of ŻfinMalta Dance Ensemble at the front line of dance.

 

Paolo believes the creative contribution of Blaze Animation is fundamental to the realisation of this project:

 

“Blaze is a Maltese company working with different mediums. For Qalbna they created a visual environment through video projection, which will come alive on a large pyramid standing at 30m by 10m” Paolo said.

 

“The team’s contribution was essential and their work has added a beautiful and poetic layer, providing a further narrative to the piece, in which the dancers enter into a dialogue with, and react to the visual elements.

 

“The challenge for Qalbna was to ‘choreograph’ all these elements, together with the fantastic dancers of the company, while finding a way in which each layer has its own balance but is interdependent of one another.”

 

 

Duration: 30 minutes

 

Choreography by Francesca Abela Tranter

Premiered as part of Erbgħa(4) 

A solo work based on the Maltese Folklore ballad written by Walter Micallef. Reflections of an old man’s life and his relationship with his son. 

 

Malta’s national contemporary dance company, ŻfinMalta Dance Ensemble, will launch its first season with ERBGĦA(4) a premiere featuring four dances by four choreographers. The mixed bill will present distinctive works that demonstrate the versatility and diversity of the company within its Euro-Mediterranean context and sensibility. Newly commissioned works include ; ‘Selah’ by UK based Spanish choreographer Jose Agudo (new music by Vincenzo Lamagna), ‘Iż-Żmien’ by Maltese choreographer Francesca Tranter (music by Walter Micallef) and a company ensemble work by artistic director Mavin Khoo (performed to Stabat Mater by 18th century Maltese – Italian composer Girolamo Abos). The premiere concludes with a piece that is re-staged for the company, a duet, ‘Kick the Bucket’ by Dutch based Spanish choreographer Iván Pérez Avilés (music by Aaron Martin).  

 

 

Duration: 30 minutes