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Trinity Laban dance student joins New Adventures

Mon 11 June 2018

Third year undergraduate Jack William Parry has joined Trinity Laban alumnus Sir Matthew Bourne OBE’s award-winning dance company for the legendary reimagining of Swan Lake.

Following two ‘Swan School’ training intensives during the last academic year, current student Jack William Parry will become one of the iconic menacing swans in a revamped staging of Bourne’s Swan Lake when it returns this autumn for a UK tour and two-month residency at Sadler’s Wells.

Collecting over 30 international accolades including an Olivier and three Tony Awards, Bourne’s powerful interpretation of Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece shattered convention and took the dance world by storm by replacing the female corps-de-ballet with an intimidating male ensemble.

Trinity Laban student Jack first worked with New Adventures five years ago when he was a student at DanceEast, a Centre for Advanced Training in Ipswich –

“I had the opportunity to re-imagine both Lord of the Flies and Highland Fling. These shows were the first time I was really encouraged to work on characterisation. I learnt that the story you tell is the most important part of performance.”

Jack continued to work with Bourne’s company through workshops held at Trinity Laban during his first two years of undergraduate training contemporary dance –

“It’s been a rollercoaster when I think about it,” reflects Jack. “I’ve loved the journey. I’m a completely different dancer and person to when I started training. Coming to Trinity Laban I learnt to be independent. And I’ve shared the experience with some tremendous people who I know I will have lasting connections with.

“The continued opportunities at Trinity Laban to work so closely with New Adventures allowed me to keep a connection and show my ever-growing interest in the company, and get to know members of the team more personally.”

The young dancer was encouraged to take part in their summer intensive in 2017. This led to an invitation to ‘Swan School’, two separate weeks of specialised training where dancers not only learned repertoire from the show, but also got an insight into life as a touring company, and had the privilege to work personally with Sir Matthew Bourne OBE.

On joining New Adventures Jack comments –

“It has been a learning curve. This is something I’ve been working towards for months on end, adamant that this was the path I wanted to take. I’m over the moon with the result and it has proved to me that no challenge is ever out of reach.”

 

To find out more about Swan Lake, visit the New Adventures website.

To find out more about studying at Trinity Laban, visit our dance pages.

 

Image credit: Peter Branch