PAST PROJECTS

SHADOW OF A QUIET SOCIETY 2016 

Shadow of a Quiet Society followed on from the success of the company's award winning dance theatre production My People. 

Inspired by the stories and people from Emberton’s hometown of Montgomery, Shadow of a Quiet Society explores what happens when the people of a small community all have big ideas about who they are.

An all-female cast of internationally renowned dancers, including Eddie Ladd, portray a host of archetypal characters that fight to fit into a world that's not really for them. Together with Emberton’s distinct choreographic style and sense of theatre make this is a “visually exquisite” work.

“Fascinating to behold throughout … superb and captivating piece of work … Quite a standard-setter for … Welsh dance”

 - Wales Arts Review

“A choreographer who is able to excite and stimulate but also entertain with flowing, aesthetically pleasing dance”

 - Arts Scene in Wales

Shadow of a Quiet Society toured Wales and England throughout 2016, supported by Arts Council of Wales, Arts Council England, Aberystwyth Arts Centre, Greenwich Dance, Swindon Dance, the  Riverfront and many individual sponsors. 

OF THE EARTH, FROM WHERE I CAME - 2014 - 2016

The poem Fern Hill by Wales’ most famous poet, Dylan Thomas, inspires this solo for a male dancer.

Time passes through the body but it is always connected to the earth.

Music - Benjamin Talbott
Dancer - Albert Garcia

Of the Earth, from where I came was made with the support of Coreo Cymru, Aberystwyth Arts Centre, Dance Shorts and Barry Memo. It was performed at British Dance Edition 2016 and Dance Roads Network Open Process tour 2016. 

MY PEOPLE 2013 - 2015

' Emberton's narrative impulse is compelling... My People is a mature work... that deserves to be widely seen.' Jann Parry, Dance Tabs 2015.

This award winning dance theatre production, inspired by author Caradoc Evans's controversial short stories of the same name sees Gwyn Emberton and his company of exceptional dancers delve into the dark, turbulent and at times mythical world of Manteg.

Combined with a cinematic score by composers Benjamin Talbot and Tic Ashfield (BBC Wales’ Hinterland), the haunting world of Evans's most memorable characters unravels, as sexual and gender politics collide with social and religious hierarchy.

Winner - Ann Sholem and Roy Campbell Moore award, Wales Dance Platform 2014                                                                                                         Nominee - Best Dance Productionat Wales Theatre Awards 2015

‘There was gorgeousness in movement, subtlety in space, shadows cast as silhouettes doubling and complicating a sense of momentum’ - New Welsh Review

My People was supported by Arts Council of Wales, Aberystwyth Arts Centre, Kevin Spacey Foundation and many individual supporters. It was also performed in Edinburgh Festival as part of the Arts Council of Wales funding programme Wales in Edinburgh 2015

Wedi’i ysbrydoli gan straeon byr Caradoc Evans o’r un enw, yn y cynhyrchiad theatr ddawns newydd hwn mae Gwyn Emberton a’i gwmni o ddawnswyr eithriadol yn cloddio i fyd Manteg, sy’n dywyll, cynhyrfus ac yn aml yn chwedlonol.

Ynghyd â sgôr sinematig newydd gan gyfansoddwyr Benjamin Talbot a Tic Ashfield (Hinterland BBC Cymru), mae byd hudol cymeriadau mwyaf cofiadwy Evans yn datod, wrth i wleidyddiaeth rhyw a rhywedd wrthdaro â hierarchaethau cymdeithasol a chrefyddol.

Mae My People yn gynhyrchiad ar y cyd gyda Chanolfan y Celfyddydau Aberystwyth, ac mae’r greadigaeth a’r daith wedi eu cefnogi gan Gyngor Celfyddydau Cymru, y Sefydliad Kevin Spacey (Kevin Spacey Foundation), Jerwood Space a rhoddwyr unigol.

“Roedd symudiadau ysblennydd,  ysgafnder o ran gofod, cysgodion ar ffurf silwetau a oedd yn dyblu ac yn cymhlethu teimlad o fomentwm” – New Welsh Review

“Roedd y gerddoriaeth, coreograffi a’r perfformiadau corfforol yn ardderchog, ac roedd ymateb eithriadol o gadarnhaol gan y gynulleidfa” – New Welsh Review

iCoDaCo

Gwyn joins International Contemporary Dance Collective, iCoDaCo, for performances and workshops at Aberystwyth, Cardiff, Gothenburg, Stockholm and Tel Aviv.

Initiated by Swedish company ilDance, this unique artist led and cross border project, brings together the work of four independent choreographers from four countries in a rare choreographic collaboration.

Welsh choreographer Gwyn Emberton has joined Lee Brummer from ilDance, Ido Batash who has performed with Alain Platel/Les Ballets C de la B and Israel Aloni, also from ilDance and with Sasha Waltz, in a collaborative project that features a brand new work, performances and workshops with local dance and performing artists in Wales, Sweden and Israel.

With the need to explore and experiment with their own making methods, each choreographer brought one element they use in making their own work to the studio and together they mixed them up.

They delved, discovered, ditched and danced.

The result is the creation of a wholly original and edgy new work Fyra and an exciting process for collaboration that the choreographers want to share with audiences and artists in each of their countries.

iCoDaCo has been made possible through the support of Coreo Cymru, Wales Arts International, Creu Cymru, The Israeli Embassy, Suzanne Dellal Centre (Tel Aviv), Balettakademien Gothenburg and Balettakademien Stockholm.

The Seamless Art of Being

Music by SWOD / video/design by Aurelien Farjon
Supported by South East Dance and Hackney Community College 

One
Music by Amon Tobin

PAST COLLABORATIONS

Johanna Devi – Dancer - Seamless Art of Being

Aurelien Farjon – Designer - Seamless Art of Being

SWOD – Composer - Seamless Art of Being

Estelle Rickleton – Lighting Designer - Seamless Art of Being