A unique evening celebrating the rich cultural diversity and creativity of UK jazz dance artists and creatives.
Award-winning artist and choreographer Dollie Henry MBE and jazz composer Paul Jenkins, bring an exciting programme of jazz theatre to The Place this Autumn with Jazz Arts ReWIRED Convention 2025.A thrilling evening of original and innovative jazz theatre, sharing a kaleidoscope of commissioned works from BOP Jazz Theatre UK, Griot Dance Collective, Lukas Hunt Creations, The Ovonlen-Jones Ensemble and Footnotes Dance, and introducing five emerging Jazz choreographers selected for the JAR25 Emerging Jazz Artist platform.
Discover the next generation of jazz dance artists! Be enlightened, be educated and most of all, be entertained through jazz expression.
Review by Richard Lambert, 4 Stars
The performance is made up of 10 separate dances – 5 are emerging or in training and 5 are established dance companies. It’s a strange mix and not starting with a group number to grab the audience is an unusual directorial decision. All the dancers are good and some are excellent. Act Two felt better put together than Act One and the blackout scene changes were shorter in Act Two.
The lighting rig was sophisticated with Angelo Sagnelli throwing some gorgeous shapes and colour combinations into the space. It’s always interesting on a show of this type, most choreographers tend to feel their creativity extends to costumes, props, sound and lighting when in fact they’d often have a better result if they stuck to the choreography and let others with more honed skills complete the product. Despite having 10 choreographic pieces and therefore 10 choreographers to deal with, Angelo has made magic within this performance. He’s taken undoubtedly weird and wonderful suggestions and managed to steer a course of wonderful. The 3 banks of 10 par cans aimed at the audience were a bit of a frightener in the 1st dance but judiciously used after that. Thankfully!
The sound system was at the right level however some of the choreographers added voice-overs to their music and here and there this was indistinct and muffled. The choice of music and many compositions by Paul Jenkins were glorious.
Every dance was performed with great passion, talent and commitment. There were two that stood out “Revolution in Motion” by Grioys Dance Collective and “Daughter of Eve” by the BOP Jazz Theatre Company.
Jazz Dance is for everyone and this was reflected on stage and by the audience that were attracted to attend this performance. A great night out to see a great mix of emerging and polished Jazz Dance. Roll on 2 years for their return performance!
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This performance followed a 2 day Jazz Arts Convention.
Dollie Henry MBE said today:
“At BOP, we believe in the transformative power of jazz and all it has to offer to those of us who practice it and those who get to witness it. Jazz Arts ReWIRED is a unique UK convention, that invites everyone to experience the creative synergy of jazz dance, music and theatre, through a curated programme of exciting workshops, talks and performances. Ever evolving and changing, JAZZ is the most contemporary of all artistic art forms. The immediacy of Jazz makes it the most exciting of all art forms. Its link to popular culture and music makes it the most accessible of art forms. We look forward to welcoming audiences new and old back to The Place to celebrate with us and share in this unique artform”
Interested in jazz dancing yourself?
Jazz Arts ReWIRED: A day of Practice and Participation will take place a week earlier on Saturday 13 September – an exciting array of masterclasses led by a stellar line up of international jazz dance artists and choreographers.
Following the sold-out inaugural JAR convention in 2023, BOP is delighted to curate the second Jazz Arts Rewired Convention at The Place in September.
JAR25 continues to cultivate a much-needed platform and artistic environment that champions jazz choreographers and jazz practitioners here in the UK. Over 2-days, JAR25 celebrates the diversity and creativity of the jazz dance art form, celebrating and amplifying the unique art form of UK Jazz Theatre.
As an often underrepresented and overlooked dance form, JAR25 continues to offer a unique opportunity and a platform that supports the next generation of jazz creatives. BOP have commissioned five UK based emerging jazz choreographers, to present their new works, alongside our international and established jazz practitioners on a London stage.
Jazz Arts ReWIRED shares a unique form of Jazz Dance Theatre in all its colourful nuances, bringing the art of the Jazz Expression from the past, the present and into the future.
https://www.jazztheatreartsuk.org
