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ANDREA MUIR checks out the work of Dance Artist LOUISE MARSHALL |
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| LOUISE MARSHALL is the Dance Artist for
‘No, of course I don’t have an ‘average’ day – which is why I love this job!’ She sits on the bright red sofa in the |
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| There are similarities though between each day, in
that nearly every day she visits at least one school, usually primary, she has
to do the ‘boring, office stuff’, then she works on future dance programmes for
the theatre and outreach work, organises workshops and finally, takes a dance
class, ‘probably’ for adults. |
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| ‘I start sometime mid-morning and collapse at home at
about nine.’
After expending all that energy, it’s no surprise that she collapses, but she remains emphatic that it’s all about hard work. ‘Talent will out,’ she says inventing a new catchphrase for a fridge magnet,
‘IF you work hard. If you don’t – it won’t!’ |
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| Her enthusiasm spreads across everything she does but
it seems she is especially delighted with the fact that ‘We are the only theatre in
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| She goes on to describe the forthcoming Youth Dance
Week which this year runs from 9 – 13th of August.
‘Intense is not the word. It’s mad. We spend the whole week
working towards a performance at the end. But it’s brilliant.
Everyone’s so enthusiastic. Last year, the show was on an African theme
and there was one move where 70 kids were all jumping at the same time – they
nearly bounced the drummers right off the stage!’ |
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| Louise is as vocal about ‘size’ issues as she is about
having to work hard.
‘It’s a complete myth that you’ve got to be some sort of waif to be a good dancer. And the media perpetrate the myth. Believe me - size doesn’t matter!’ She bounces a bit on the sofa and reaches for her half-full cup of hot chocolate. Sitting still for Louise appears to be very testing. ‘I can’t stand it when I think about all these young people starving
themselves and doing themselves harm to try and achieve the impossible.’
She takes another swig from the cup. |
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| ‘Very often the tiny dancers can’t cut it anyway –
they have no stage presence and they’re not strong enough. Thank goodness
that Top of the Pops now uses dancers who are more ‘real’.’
‘I want young people to be inspired by dance – I was. I didn’t study dance at
college. I came back to it when I was 25, but by then I knew what it was
all about. Okay, I think I probably did miss the boat in some ways - I’m
never going to be a performer – but I don’t care, I get too nervous
anyway. But I’m confident as a teacher and that’s what I
love’. |
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| You can get involved with dance at © Andrea Muir, 2004
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