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Harlequin floors for Merce Cunningham’s London premiere of OCEAN

London’s 28th International Festival of Contemporary Dance opened in spectacular fashion when Dance Umbrella presented Merce Cunningham Dance Company in the London premiere of OCEAN at the recently re-opened Roundhouse. And since MCDC dance on Harlequin Liberty sprung floors in their New York studios, it is not surprising they insisted on the same floor for their London performances.

Originally co-conceived by Merce Cunningham and John Cage, OCEAN is a 90-minute piece with no front, back or sides that set 14 dancers in the centre of the legendary Roundhouse surrounded by 150 musicians from the Guildhall School of Music & Drama. It has been described as ‘Merce Cunningham's most monumental work, with 128 distinct movement phrases and over 2,500 pages of score - the result is 360 degrees of genius.’ According to organisers, Dance Umbrella, ‘it has taken 12 years to bring this masterpiece to London but we are sure you will agree it was worth the wait.’ It is ‘one of Merce Cunningham’s few full-length pieces, conceived on a grand scale and is considered by many to be the most impressive and audacious piece in his company’s repertoire.’

MCDC are accustomed to Harlequin’s Liberty sprung panels in their Bethune Street studios in New York and previously insisted on Liberty for their 2003 performance at the Tate Modern. Since then the company has itself developed additional components to allow an otherwise rectangular floor to be configured into a circular format. For the London performances, in order to save on freight, just the special shaped floor elements were shipped from New York. British Harlequin hired 36 full size Liberty panels to the Roundhouse and staff were on site to ensure the two elements of the system were successfully brought together, with a Harlequin Studio vinyl dance floor completing the stage. The use of a round floor and a performance in-the-round was particularly pertinent in respect to the Roundhouse venue.

Harlequin’s Liberty floor is a floating system composed of sprung floor panels and available for either permanent dance studio installation or as stage panels for touring. Designed for safety and suitable for a range of dance disciplines, when combined with a Harlequin dance surface Liberty provides the ultimate floor, allowing performers to concentrate on their art without fear of falling or injury.

Dance Umbrella was founded in 1978 with the aim of reflecting and encouraging the burgeoning interest in contemporary dance in Britain. From modest beginnings as a showcase for emerging choreographers, Dance Umbrella’s annual London festival now ranks highly among Europe’s leading international dance festivals. The organisation is recognised as one of Britain’s most adventurous dance promoters, presenting a year-round programme of work in London and across the UK. Dance Umbrella’s Technical Director, Simon Byford, who has worked with Harlequin for many years said, ‘once again, it was a great pleasure to work with Harlequin. The Liberty panels were easy to install and provided the quality of dance floor that a company of such international renown as MCDC is entitled to expect.’

The Roundhouse has an interesting and varied history. Built in 1846 as a locomotive shed in the days of steam its innovative use of cast and wrought iron to support the circular slate roof is one reason why it is today a Grade II listed building. It first became a performing arts centre in 1964 and during the ‘60s and ‘70s hosted acts such as Pink Floyd and Jimi Hendrix. Its recent £29.7 million redevelopment started in 2004 and MCDC are amongst the first performances at the revamped venue that re-opened in 2006.

Email: rebecca.conway@harlequinfloors.com

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