National Dance Company Wales Ludo Production Info 30 minutes A darkly funny and high-energy dance about of the importance of play. Ludo by Caroline Finn. A darkly funny and high-energy dance about of the importance of play. As adults we rarely make time to play, Ludo invites you to rediscover the spontaneous delights of childhood and the thrill of twisted mind games. Swap your day job for the dressing up box and escape into a world of fantastical playgrounds and wild, unbridled imagination. Creative Team Choreographer: Caroline Finn Length: 30 minutes Dancers: 7 Sound design and Composer: Charlie Knight Music: ‘Glemmer Du’ by Agnes Obel,‘Piano Trio No. 2 in E-Flat Major’ by Op. 100,‘D. 929: II. Andante con Moto’ by Franz Schubert. ‘Circular Translation’ by Christophe Zurfluh, ‘Chaplin Nonsense Song’ by Vagabond Opera, ‘Tovaritch Waltz’ by Piotr Moss, ‘Masks’ by Meredith Monk, ‘Ludo’ by Charlie Knight, ‘Agua De Beber’ by Antônio Carlos Jobim Set and Lighting Design: Joseff Fletcher Costume Design: Rike Zöllner Costume Maker: Elizabeth Catherine Chiu Rehearsal Director for Creation: Charlotte Pook First Performed: Germany, December 2021 “Ludo invites audiences into a nostalgic universe where the characters only goal is play! We touch on manipulative adult mind and power games, we re-visit the more spontaneous, fantastical, imaginary play and we dive into the animalistic physicality of playground games and sports…I hope that in watching Ludo you're inspired to think about what role play had in your childhoods and perhaps how that’s changed as you’ve moved into adulthood. Have you found a way to hold onto 'play' as you've grown up?!” Caroline Finn Choreographer Caroline Finn Caroline Finn Born in England, Caroline Finn attended the Arts Educational School, Tring and then the Juilliard School, New York. As a dancer, Caroline was a member of Ballett Theatre Munich, Ballet Preljocaj and Compagnie Carolyn Carlson. As a choreographer, Caroline has presented her works worldwide and choreographed for companies such as the National Ballet of Chile, Bayerisches Junior Ballet München, Ballettheater München, Tanz Luzerner Theater and VERVE. She was awarded the Matthew Bourne New Adventures Choreographer Award 2014, and was then commissioned to create Bloom for Phoenix Dance Theatre. Caroline was Artistic Director of NDCWales from 2015-2017 and during that time created 4 new pieces for the company including Folk, which won her the title of Best Female Artist. In 2018 she became Resident Choreographer to continue her work with the Company. Caroline was choreographer and co-director on NDCWales’ co-production, Passion, with Music Theatre Wales, which was named in the Top 10 Classical performances of 2018 (The Guardian). Caroline has also collaborated with Welsh National Opera and Drottningholm Palace Theatre, Stockholm and she teaches and choreographs at conservatories and universities worldwide. A founding member of Cie La Ronde (CH), she lives in Zurich and is a member of Tanztendenz München e.V. Reviews "a fabulously playful piece" Get The Chance - Gwyneth Stroud "fascinating and completely mad" Get The Chance - Simon Kensdale "The dancers really come into their own, facial expressions also being of the utmost importance in this fun filled, child like spectacle" Get The Chance - James Ellis Gallery