Jules Cunningham’s collaboration with Spice Girl Melanie C and Harry Alexander how did we get here? released on Sadler’s Wells Digital Stage for free.
Sadler’s Wells has released a filmed version of Julie Cunningham & Company’s how did we get here? – a collaboration between Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist Jules Cunningham, Spice Girl Melanie C and Harry Alexander.
The film is available to watch for free on Sadler’s Wells Digital Stage from today for a month, until Thursday 25 July.
how did we get here? received its world premiere at Sadler’s Wells Theatre in January 2023, and explores the unique physicality of these three performers, as they strip back familiarity and habit to reveal what’s written and held in the body.
Our reviewer, Matthew Paluch, wrote:
If you’re interested in dance – and new dance at that – then this show is a total must-see, but to be clear, it’s far more than just your average ‘dance’ show.
The intimate production, originally performed in the round with audiences sat on stage, has been captured from multiple angles to offer yet more perspectives on the work.
It was originally commissioned by Sadler’s Wells, developed over 10 months in 2022, and introduced a new audience to contemporary dance with Melanie C’s participation.
how did we get here? marked Melanie C’s professional contemporary dance debut. She says:
As a classically trained dancer, it was a dream come true for me to perform at Sadler’s Wells and even more so on an adventurous and groundbreaking project like this. My mind is blown when I think about starting my career with the Spice Girls, in the crazy glare of popular culture and then, 25 years later, I’m coming to perform with artists of the calibre of Jules, on the stage at Sadler’s Wells. It’s a full circle cultural moment for me and I’m pinching myself!
how did we get here? felt like a real journey for all of us and I’m extremely proud of what we achieved. It was also a real pleasure for me to be able to bring my fans on this journey and introduce many of them to the world of contemporary dance for the first time. I hope that this performance and film encourages more people to try something new, it’s been a revelation for me.
Harry Alexander, Jules Cunningham’s other collaborator, received a nomination for Outstanding Male Modern Performance at the 24th National Dance Awards for his performance.
It was an incredible experience to work with Melanie and Harry on how did we get here? – said Cunningham. The process was very intimate – getting to know each other’s strengths and weaknesses and growing trust enabled us to be connected in a way that we could show ourselves fully through the performance. This work is about what a person physically holds in their body through a lifetime of experience, and how that experience might be expressed in every moment. I’m excited that we are able to share it with a wider audience, from a different perspective, through this film.
Back to our critic Paluch:
And what a cast Cunningham has curated. Harry Alexander is an envoy of movement. He executes choreography in such a simple, neutral way. The lack of affectation allows the work to literally sing from his body. And how tall is he?!
Melanie Chisholm is a strong, emotive dancer. Her face shows a depth of feeling throughout, and there’s a real range of emotions there. It’s going to be amazing to see where her performance goes over this short run of shows. Chisholm also happens to be Sporty Spice, and you’re instantly aware she’s got the presence to fill stadiums, which she obviously did in her tenure with the Spice Girls. It felt very special to watch her have this extraordinary experience, and that’s really saying something considering what she’s inevitably experienced in her career to date. It also says a lot about Cunningham and what their work means to people, especially those who have the honour to partake.
And to Cunningham themselves. The kind of dancer that happens only once a generation. A creative with a truly original voice who’s brave enough to use it, regardless of those who may try to silence or manhandle it. I could watch them dance forever. The innate, internal sense of balance. The line as sharp as a knife, as eternal as the horizon. The notion of endless possibility when exploring through space. And – without sounding like a stalker – when Cunningham executes a développé à la seconde the stars align. A thing of true wonder.
Sadler’s Wells Digital Stage allows audiences to experience world-class dance in a range of formats from in depth conversations with choreographers to documentaries, podcasts to free activity and educational packs.
https://www.sadlerswells.com/digital-stage/how-did-we-get-here
Graham Spicer, aka ‘Gramilano’, is a writer, director and photographer based in Milan. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy. His articles have appeared in various publications from Woman’s Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the Danza in Italia column for Dancing Times magazine. Graham was the historical advisor on Codice Carla, the 2023 documentary on Carla Fracci.
Graham also works as a dance photographer, and his photos have appeared in many books, theatre programmes, and magazines, including Dancing Times, Dance Spirit and Ballet2000, as well as all the major Italian newspapers.
He is a member of the Dance Section of The Critics’ Circle.