They started working together in 1995, formed the company in 2001 and have since produced a wealth of characteristically clever and funny dance shows. They have toured nationally and internationally and won many awards. Their The Short Still Show reached the final of The Place Prize for choreography in 2004.
New Art Club’s breakthrough show was the hilarious spoof on contemporary dance, This Is Modern, which went down a storm with audiences and critics and has been touring solidly since its creation in 2001. Their follow up show, The Electric Tales, toured for three years after its debut. Christmas Show, The Notcracker, premiered in 2005 and, following three successful years, had its biggest and best tour in 2008. New Art Club latest show New Art Club’s Extra Ordinary World was performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August 2008.
New Art Club’s shows include: This Is Modern (2001); The Electric Tales (2003); Long Range Effort (2004); The Short Still Show (2004); Dance, Jokes and Dance Jokes (2005); The Notcracker (2005) and The Visible Men (2007).
Before setting up New Art Club with Pete, Tom was choreographer and artistic director of the all-male Air Dance Company which toured extensively throughout the UK. His opera and theatre credits include The Magic Flute for Opera North and Babette’s Feast at The Royal Opera House (directed by Tim Supple), Edward II at Bolton Octagon (director Lawrence Till) and Elixir Of Love for Grange Park Opera (director Martin Constantine).
Pre-New Art Club, Pete created numerous pieces for his company, livebait. He was commissioned by dance 4 to create a version of Thomas Lehmann’s Schreibstuck, appeared on TV in Tim Supple’s film Twelfth Night, performed and movement directed for theatre company Metro Boulot Dodo and made a solo called the impolite. He created a performance installation for Sensitive Skin.
But mostly, nowadays, Tom and Pete are New Art Club.
Website
newartclub.org
Influences
Reeves and Mortimer, Phil Kaye, Guy Dartnell, Graeme Miller, Jonathan Burrows, The Glee Club, Lea Anderson
About me: New Art Club was formed in 2001 by Tom Roden and Pete Shenton and is fuelled by their shared sprit of adventure. Their shows are a mixture of philosophical comedy, live art and dance.
Serious and silly in just about equal measure, Tom and Pete have been described as ‘the Gilbert and George of dance’ and likened to musician/comedian Tim Minchin and performance poet Tim Key, but they prefer to see themselves as ‘the Metaphysical Dance Adventurers of the World’.
More recently Tom and Pete branched out and found themselves the stand-up comedy world with their new show 'New Art Club's Extra Ordinary World' which was a huge success at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2008 (see clip below and scroll forward to about 5 mins and 30 secs), subsequently ran at the Soho Theatre, London and has been touring throughout the UK ever since.
New Art Club is currently in the studio creating a brand new comedy show called This Is Now for this year's Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The show will be on at Assembly @ George from 6th - 31st August (excluding 11th and 18th) at 6pm each day. For tickets please visit www.assemblyfestival.com.
New Art Club is also taking The Visible Men to Edinburgh as part of the British Council Showcase and will be shown at Pleasance Courtyard - Over The Road One from 19th - 30th August at 2.30pm each day. For tickets please visit www.pleasance.co.uk/edinburgh
"If Flight of the Conchords danced rather than sang they would be a lot like comedy dance duo New Art Club" - Hugh Reilly, The London Paper
In April 2009, New Art Club was back at The Place, London with the brand new version of The Visible Men which was ingeniously titled The Visible People because guess what? It had more people in it! Pete and Tom are currently developing this project further. To discuss how your organisation could host a similar project please email info@newartclub.org
Here is a short promo of the project to get you in the mood...
Hi Pete and Tom. As well as being in Aurora Strings, I also work at Dance City so am a bit of a fan. Loving the look of the new show. Which one of you is Sue Pollard? Gayle, Aurora Strings x
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Hi Guys, Thanks for the message and the kind words! Would love to see the Not Cracker...sounds fun! Have a f.a.b. time and detonate! Best, Tiago & Maggi f.a.b. - The Detonators
Hey Guys, Thanks for the comment. i am actually in Paris at the moment doing more study with Gaulier, but will be back in Australia for a few months Nov - April. Pitch to the Adelaide Festival of Arts, its a biannual curated festival, next one in 2010, the artistic director is Paul Grabovsky (one of australia's best contemporary jazz pianists, www. adelaidefestival. com. au) but also each city has an arts festival, Perth, Melbourne, Sydney, etc. Then there's New Zealand too. anyhoo, looking forward to seeing more of your work. cheers, with love,
Hi, will definately check out the new show sounds interesting! I will never forget the workshop i did with you which had my collegaues and me shuffling around on our bums in straight lines to warm up! Truly a rewarding experience and the funnest dance class ive ever being to. Many thanks, enjoy the sunshine.
