In all of the company’s creations the work has investigated a particular relationship between movement, space and light using spatial patterns of movement, images and a cinematic approach to develop choreographic structures and compositions.
All these ideas enable the creative process to play with timeline, points of view and lighting in order to frame the events of the choreography as a camera frames the events of a film.
Some of the work has been purposefully created in order to perform it in a variety of public spaces.
+ LOOP (2009)
Work in Progress presented on 29th of September in Touch Wood 2009, at the Robin Howard Dance Theatre at The Place.
"...this moving mass is understood as an object. The over posed frozen frames are sculptures which seem to organically mutate, generating a new statement, varying from a war-battle scene, to a picnic, to a religious adoration. The beauty of it laid on the transition from this characterised and individualistic staged scenes,to this homogeneous merged organic mass. A living organism that breaths, pants, sweats, and dare I say, smells..." Alvaro Moreira
Choreographed by Jose Vidal.
Performers: Giuliana Majo, Cristóbal Muhr, Montse Ventura, Nick Lawson, Renata Gaspar, Alberto Ruiz, Andrew Hardwidge, Pepa Ubera, Loreto Leonvendagar.
"The second half of this programme was much more lyrical in style. Both Jose Vidal & Company and Ffin Dance’s work seemed further along the choreographic development process than other elements of Touch Wood. Loop by Jose Vidal & Company brought Brazilian poet, Alvaro Moreira’s words to life with a swirling mass of movement. Staged as a photo shoot the dancers bega in costumes resembling Charles Dickens street urchins meet Gap! But as the choreography drew to a close, and the clothes were removed, a lingerie shoot bordered on risqué. Individual dancers could be detected but on the whole the group, rather than the individual, stood out. Many solos, duets and trios appeared in such close proximity that a sense of harmony was created within the group. The overall effect of this choreography was very sophisticated, showing how repetitive movement can be enhanced, distorted and appear new with the revealing of skin."
Review in Londondance, by Libby Costello
+ THE KISS (2008)
Commissioned by The Place Prize 2008, sponsored by Bloomberg, further developed for Spring Loaded 2009.
The Kiss is a technicolor visual treat using a cinematic approach with extreme physical choreography. Glimpses of relationships emerge from the dark creating ephemeral, fleeting images that are gone in the blink of an eye.
Choreographed by Jose Vidal.
Performers: Julieta Figueroa, Renata Gaspar, Giuliana Majo, Cristóbal Muhr, Montse Ventura, Nick Lawson, Thom Rackett, Seke Chimutengwende.
Music Composer: Mike Picknet
Light: Jose Vidal and Gareth Green
Set and Costume Designer: Tony Hornecker
“a beautifully constructed piece of art; visually appealing and mysterious and beguiling and something to be experienced more than once”
Rihanon Brace, Londondance.
+ INVENTARIO (2007)
Made at The Place with the support of Choreodrome 2007 and developed for Spring Loaded in 2009.
Inventario is a game played between the performers in which the audience is charged with discovering the rules. The work unfolds with a set of structured patterns and intricate pathways, revealing intimate relationships and flowing narratives.
Choreographed by Jose Vidal.
Performers: Julieta Figueroa, Renata Gaspar, Giuliana Majo, Luis Corvalán, Cristóbal Muhr, Montse Ventura, Nick Lawson, Thom Rackett, Seke Chimutengwende, Jose Vidal.
Light: Gareth Green
Costume Designer: Tony Hornecker
“clever and witty….Fascinating” Anna Leach
+ PROGRESSIONS (2007)
Created in 2007 with the intention to drastically blur the boundaries between the audience and the performers. This led the audience to question: where is the art work? Where do I have to look? Who are the performers?
Progression is a choreographic installation devised for a gallery space in St. John Street, London. It was also performed as an urban intervention at the Tate Modern Gallery.
Choreographed by Jose Vidal
Performers: Renata Gaspar, Melissa Cosseta, Natasha Falter, Taraneh jahanpour, Mito Jobbé Duval, Giuliana Majo, Ann Pidcock, Michael Picknett, Alberto Ruiz, Nashira Santanatalia, Vera Tussing, Montse Ventura, Lewis Wilkins, Jess Williams, James Wilton, Carolina Yagüe
Music: André Castro
Light: Gareth Green
+81 FRAMES 21 MINUTES (2006)
Created in 2006 as part of Jose Vidal’s MA final piece. Performed at the Robin Howard Dance Theatre as part of Resolution 20067
Choreographed by Jose Vidal.
Performers: Renata Gaspar, Montse Ventura, Maito Jobbé Duval, Mike Picknet, Aurea Romero, Alicia Rodríguez Campi, Alvaro Moreira, Jose Vidal, Javiera Peón Veiga.
Light: Jose Vidal in collaboration with Gareth Green
Music: André Castro
“work of a very high standard” Prarthana Purkayastha
”Vidal’s edits left evocative impressions." Martin Hargreaves
