This week is the first week in the studio for Dan and Mirjam creating a new duet with Javier de Frutos. It is so exciting to be in the creative space of new work, teamed with the nervous energy – as Javier put it; it always feels like the first day at school!

But really, it is not the first day at school for Javier working with Candoco. This is his third work for us, having made the intense and slightly mad ‘I Hastened Through my Death scene to catch your last Act’ in 2000, and the stunningly beautiful Sour Milk in 2003. My very first creative experience when working with Candoco was with Javier, and I will never forget how he initiated my interest in reading Tenessee Williams, how he made us watch ‘A Streetcar named Desire’ and gasp at the handsome young Marlon Brando. The research that we were asked to do, as well as the detailed intricacy that we had to manipulate movement with, was a new way of working for me back then, and one, which gave so much food for thought throughout the remaining tour.

Observing rehearsals today I see the same search for details, the push and challenge for the dancers to maintain and develop intricate and speedy movements, the excitement of finding a pattern, the beauty of the music and the movement slotting in together.

In less than 3 weeks we will have this new work ready, in less than 3 weeks we will be graduating from school already – oh, how time flies when we are having fun! But that’s also when the fun begins, when we can take the work out to an audience. This duet has been especially commissioned to be both specific and flexible enough to work for a variety of spaces and audiences, and to be effective both inside and outside. This is a new brief for us, to have a piece in the repertoire that is versatile and portable. Catch us in Oxford for the first public showing on the 20th September.