Classes start back again this week beginning 9th January.

Excited to get started on the BBC PAF project.

For more info on our classes please email us.

The young people have also performed on many dance platforms and showcases here are a few highlights.

2011 Showcase Highlights

2009 Showcase Highlights

2008 Showcase Highlights

Well hasn’t Xmas 2011 come around fast!! CFA classes will finish Friday 9th December 2011. We will be open again Friday 13th January 2012.

Wishing all our Friends, Collegue’s, Students, Parents, Acquaintances & fans a fantastic Xmas and a prosperous New Year

CFA xx

’1′ is a unique dance experience where beautiful music and pure dance are combined together to create a skilfully crafted dance solo that is shared with ’1′ audience member at a time. Once the rules of engagement are laid out and boundaries are set, you will have a private dance for your eyes only.

The ’1′ Story….

’1′ was originally conceived out of a artist in residence, ‘AIR’  at Contact Theatre in 2009 with further funding from the Arts Council Northwest. After a movement research, 1 on 1 dances for staff at Contact Theatre, people hoodwinked and interviews with lapdancers ’1′ came into being.

Watch video below for more on the R&D

Out of this R&D came two performance experiences . The footage here is from our vouyer cam which filmed live performances.

‘Equestrian’ – A cheeky tongue in check boylesque performance with interesting use of a horse crop! Where the dancer represents both the rider and the horse.

‘Goodbye’ – Exploring the use of a portable ballet barre, as a means of support the performer falls, climbs and straddles the barre in this evocative dance performance.

With support from Royal Exchange Theatre, Darren and Stuart developed and refined both their previous solo’s ‘Goodbye’ and ‘Equestrian’ as well as creating new work.

’1′ was premiered 22nd & 23rd November 2011 at the Royal Exchange Theatre with 26, ’1′ on ’1′ experiences with a brand new experience entitle ‘A Beautiful thing’ . Inspired by the themes of Jonathan Harvey’s Beautiful Thing  love, fantasy, acceptance, struggle and sexuality.

Watch Stuart Bowden and Darren Pritchard  Performances below

AUDIENCE FEEDBACK – From  ’1′ A Beautiful Thing’ Experience

’1′ starts off as a gentle experience as you are led into a side room and the details explained in a calm and relaxed manner. No touching is made clear and this drops an air of mystique into what you are about to partake in. Introduction over you are led into an empty studio save for a chair and it is now that a nervous tension builds. You are sat in the room in a chair alone! You are aware of the presence before either the music starts or a dancer appears and once he does you feel first a sadness as this performer enters; a delicate arrival soon gives way to a powerful and intense performance that is tinged with a little humour as the performer interacts and reacts with the track. A little cover of the mouth whilst profanities exude adds an almost childlike quality which is rapidly overtaken as the performer strikes powerful poses and moves ever closer and almost touches the audience of ’1′. As he moves around the back of you the first time you can feel the heat which is an exploration of another sense, then as this happens a second time and the performer retreats from the room you are left wondering with a feeling that the presence is close by. Throughout the dance I felt the need to maintain eye contact but the performer makes that very difficult for you with a provocative and engaging piece.

I would recommend ’1′ to anyone as an exploration of your own thoughts and where they will take you whether that is somewhere uplifting; dark; peaceful or somewhere else entirely – Andrew Hamer

Performance photos- ‘A Beautiful Thing’

Please click here for Promoters Pack

CFA have just finished our run of ’1′ at the Royal Exchange Theatre.

Stuart and and Darren have done in total 28 ’1′ on ’1′ dance experiences

CFA have had a great time at the  Royal Exchange Theatre and the audience feedback was fantastic!

’1′ starts off as a gentle experience as you are led into a side room and the details explained in a calm and relaxed manner. No touching is made clear and this drops an air of mystique into what you are about to partake in. Introduction over you are led into an empty studio save for a chair and it is now that a nervous tension builds. You are sat in the room in a chair alone! You are aware of the presence before either the music starts or a dancer appears and once he does you feel first a sadness as this performer enters; a delicate arrival soon gives way to a powerful and intense performance that is tinged with a little humour as the performer interacts and reacts with the track. A little cover of the mouth whilst profanities exude adds an almost childlike quality which is rapidly overtaken as the performer strikes powerful poses and moves ever closer and almost touches the audience of 1. As he moves around the back of you the first time you can feel the heat which is an exploration of another sense, then as this happens a second time and the performer retreats from the room you are left wondering with a feeling that the presence is close by. Throughout the dance I felt the need to maintain eye contact but the performer makes that very difficult for you with a provocative and engaging piece.

I would recommend ’1′ to anyone as an exploration of your own thoughts and where they will take you whether that is somewhere uplifting; dark; peaceful or somewhere else entirely.

Welcome to our new blog that we will be updating regularly. checkout our facebook page

Donna

REVIEWS

“This is not so much a performance as a gift – one that comes straight from the heart.” LYN GARDNER, THE GUARDIAN

“One of the most original, intimate, warmly human and movingly open-hearted shows I’ve seen in a very long time.”  Manchester Evening News

“It’s the best night out I can remember” Miriam King, total Theatre

Susan & Darren was originally co-produced with Queer up North and Contact Theatre.

Credits

Performers: Susan Pritchard and Darren Pritchard
Directed by: Richard Gregory and Renny O’Shea
Design: Simon Banham
Written by: Sonia Hughes
Video artist: Ruth Cross
Choreography: Jane Mason
Lighting design: Mike Brookes
Sound design: Greg Akehurst

PREMIERE

Susan & Darren was co-produced by Quarantine and Company Fierce with Queer Up North. It was first performed at Contact Theatre in Manchester in May 2006 and supported by Arts Council England, North West through Grants for the Arts. Susan & Darren toured the UK in 2006 & 2007. Both tours were also supported by ACE through Grants for the Arts. Susan & Darren continues to tour internationally.

TOUR VENUES DATES

Credits

Dancers: Sia Kpakiwa ,Everaldo Pereira, Anta Draper and Rachel Mcdermott
Sound Design: Greg Akherst
Choreography: Darren Pritchard and the Dancers

My Better Half Commissioned by DVAS domestic violence awareness strategy deals with the issues of domestic violence. This piece uses interviews with women who have been targets of domestic violence. This harrowing piece uses evocative music and highly dramatized dance to hit home and really make a statement.

Credits

Dancers: Sia Kpakiwa ,Everaldo Pereira, Anta Draper and Rachel Mcdermott
Sound Design: Greg Akherst
Choreography: Darren Pritchard and the Dancers

Credits

Dancers: Darren Pritchard and Anta Draper
Sound Design: Greg Akehurst
Additional Direction: Renny O’shea