to a simple, rock 'n' roll...song

A triple bill by dance icon Michael Clark. A blend of ballet and contemporary dance to music by Satie, Patti Smith and David Bowie. A BBC commission.

To a simple, rock 'n' roll . . . song is the latest work by critically acclaimed choreographer Michael Clark. A triple bill of dynamic, abstract choreography set to music by Erik Satie, Patti Smith and David Bowie.

Clark, an icon in the British cultural landscape, seamlessly blends together classical ballet with contemporary dance. The production features a backdrop adapted from Charles Atlas' psychedelic multichannel video installation, Painting By Numbers, to complement the commanding performances by the eight dancers.

The triptych opens with a coolly refined reflection to the music of Erik Satie, before exploding into a propulsive piece set to the punk rock of Patti Smith. Lastly comes a moving and elegiac tribute to Bowie which includes his swansong Blackstar. The performance blurs the boundaries between the worlds of dance, fashion, music and the visual arts to create a hypnotic whole.

Nominated for a National Dance Award for Best Modern Choreography.

“stunning and sensational... dances that look fantastic, sound terrific and knocked me sideways."
★★★★★
The Times

“The purity of this piece dazzles.”
★★★★★
Culture Whisper

"mixing the sacred and the profane, the classical and the raw, to sophisticated and often hypnotic effect."
★★★★
The Guardian

“Michael Clark has perhaps the most useful attribute that any artist of any kind can have: he is incapable of being boring."
★★★★
The Telegraph

"an adrenaline shot that sends you away buzzing"
★★★★
Evening Standard

Original title to a simple, rock 'n' roll . . . song
Genre Contemporary Dance
Recording location Barbican Theatre, London
Recording date October 2017
Duration 60'
Video format HD
Production Company 3 minutes West
Producer Adrienne Liron
Director Jeff Tudor
Dance Company Michael Clark Company
Musical style Classical / Rock / Pop
Composer Erik Satie / Patti Smith / David Bowie