Shobana Jeyasingh’s Counterpoint performed in the Somerset House fountains this August

Award-winning choreographer Shobana Jeyasingh created the captivating Counterpoint specially for the 55 fountains of the Somerset House courtyard in 2010. A huge critical and audience hit, the ten-minute dance work now returns for eight performances as part of Somerset House’s Summer in the Courtyard and Westminster City Council’s Inside Out festival on the weekend of 19 & 20 August.
 
Jeyasingh contrasts the powerful curves and thrilling physicality of her 22 dancers with the formal lines of the neo-classical courtyard and modernist fountains. The fluid choreography moves in, around and through the ever-changing rises and falls of the water in this compelling London dance story.
 
Jeyasingh has worked with two frequent collaborators. Ursula Bombshell has created the vivid costumes which stand out against the white of the water. The pulsating score is by sound artist Cassiel.
 
Counterpoint was created as a mutually invigorating meeting place for experienced professional dancers and new graduates. For this revival, Emily Thompson-Smith, Meghan Stevens, Nafisah Baba and Shelley Eva Haden are joined by 18 talented young dancers.
 
Shobana Jeyasingh Dance’s Counterpoint is part of Westminster City Council’s Inside Out outdoor arts festival, a free and accessible festival bringing extraordinary walking tours, art installations, outdoor cinema, family activities and theatre, music and dance performances out into the streets and outdoor public spaces of Westminster for the whole of August.

As the home of cultural innovators, Somerset House is a site of origination, with a cultural programme offering alternative perspectives on the biggest issues of our time. From their historic site in the heart of London, they work globally across art, creativity, business, and non-profit, nurturing new talent, methods and technologies. Their resident community of creative enterprises, arts organisations, artists and makers, makes them a centre of ideas, with most of their programme home-grown. Somerset House’s spirit of constant curiosity and counter perspective is integral to our history and key to our future.

Counterpoint will run on 19 August at 11 am, 12 pm, 3 pm and 4 pm, and on 20 August at 3 pm, 4 pm, 6 pm, and 7 pm at the Edmond J. Safra Fountain Court. Run time is 10 minutes and the performances are free.

To learn more about Shobana Jeyasingh Dance, click here.