30 years on, the idea of Phoenix Dance from the mind of a young man’s bedroom, has grown from a mere seed into a strong tree, its many branches withstanding the elemental forces brought about over time. With economic crisis and seven changes in artistic directors each bringing their own unique vision of what Phoenix Dance Theatre should be, it is down to the essence of Phoenix and the fact that they have stayed true to their home city that the company is still here 30 years on. It was an honoured privilege to watch for the first time together in over 20 years the very roots of the company, David Hamilton, Vilmore James, Donald Edwards, Merville Jones, Edward Lynch and Gary Simpson, performing together once again.

11/11/11 was momentous date in Phoenix Dance Theatre’s history, not just for marking their 30th anniversary, but as an occasion which saw dancers past and present participating in class together. The evening’s celebration began with the arrival of dancers and staff from the past 30 years meeting in the foyer for a drinks reception. Phoenix is often described as a family and this celebration was certainly like a family reunion of the company, with founding fathers and subsequent offspring produced by the fruits of their laboured vision, coming together in the brand new purpose built Phoenix Dance Theatre building.

 

As the show began, the energy of the unreserved audience was electric, matching that of the performers and showing support for the previous members, by whooping, cheering, clapping and stamping their feet. Moving to Leeds as ADAD North programme coordinator, I quickly became familiar with the legacy of the company like a mythical legend, with much affection for the company often reminisced to me, from those who grew up with many of the local members. I got the sense that there was a collective ownership of the company by the community where the founders were from. Watching the evening’s performance, I saw the legacy unfold before my eyes. 30 years on they still possessed the charismatic, cultural and captivating charm, that excited its audiences when they first began. This very essence set them aside from being another British contemporary dance company delivering staged technical work. Watching dancers, who are now seen in new roles, such as current Phoenix Artistic Director, Sharon Watson and Arts Council England’s Pam Johnson, who were part of Phoenix Plus, when women were first introduced to the company in1989, it was incredible to see them in a performance capacity once again. I was left with a feeling of excitement to witness this once in a lifetime performance. However, I also was left with regret, that the local community, who were such a big part of Phoenix’s early phase, were unable to share this experience and that the coming together of these dancers was so short lived.

Seeing the original members, juxtaposed with the present day company, highlighted how much the company has changed over the last 30 years. Reviving pieces that they once performed, it was as if these ex dancers had never left the stage. The delicate elegance of Godiva Apedo in Never Still (Sharon Donaldson (Watson) 1995), the fun fight scene of Heart of Chaos (Darshan Singh-Bhuller, 1993) with Stephen Derrick and Martin Hylton, to the flexibility that David Hughes displayed in Class (1997), showed why many people aspired to be part of the company.

Speaking to former dancers, seeing Phoenix Dance Company was an inspiration for why they became a dancer. Phoenix did not set out to be a “black” dance company, the agenda of their existence was purely that four young men from Leeds wanted to form their own dance company. Their contemporary movement style and musical choice was influenced by their cultural upbringing in Leeds which each of the founding members shared. However, they could not hide from their aesthetic identities and became role models for many people from the African Diaspora to train in contemporary dance, making the dance form accessible.

Seeing the former members perform with their personality driven pieces alongside current Artistic Director, Sharon Watsons piece, Melt, in costumier Heidi De Raad white lace costumes, was like a step into the future, into a new century and a new company. Looking back on the 30 year history, the company has morphed into many different manifestations depending on the vision of their artistic director. However, looking to the future, it will be interesting to see the direction that the current company will take. With their 2012 tour entitled Crossing Points, does Phoenix Dance Theatre continue to draw on their roots or do they cross over to a brand new beginning?