A breath of fresh air is coming to the local dancing scene – a new and innovative dance event by the Anglo – Maltese dance company called three-forty-one dances.

The dance has been specifically choreographed for the theatre-in-the-round at St James Cavalier, and can be seen from every angle.

“What I really like about St James is the intimacy of the place. You can see the detail of the choreography rather than the grand scale effect, which is something which appeals to the commercial market,” said Kathrina Farrugia founder and artistic director of the dance company.

“The smaller the audience and the theatre, the more diverse and less mainstream it becomes – in this way the audience is involved in the dance and is part of the physicality of theatre, compared to the conventional proscenium arch setting,” she explained.

Founded in 2003 by this Maltese dancer and choreographer, the three-fortyone dances is the resident company at London’s Royal Academy of Dance. The company aims to create collaborative performances – a fusion of dance, music and design. Critics have described heir style as: “eclectic – a cross between ballet, yoga and breakdance”.

The show is a mixture of live and recorded dance. The original choreography of the dance will be shown on screen behind the dancers while they perform the same moves but each with her own personal touch.

“It is an interaction of physical theatre rather than dance, and an innovative way of using the round theatre and multimedia,” she explained.

Katrina started taking lessons in classical ballet in Malta and contemporary dance lessons later. She has studied with various Maltese and foreign teachers. Alongside her vocational training at the RAD, Katrina furthered her dance education by attending classes at the evening school at The Place, as well as summer schools held by the Rambert Dance Company. She is currently completing a Masters degree in dance studies at the University of Surrey.

Other members of three-fortyone dances include English dancers Lucinda Hakes, Lauren Holmes, Claire Thurman, Rachel Walsh and Lorraine Razzell and Maltese-born Amanda Vella Laurenti.

The company has performed all over the UK and last year they appeared at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The performance at St James entitled Lights Far Out North, is a triple bill, and was specially composed by Maltese composer Jan Micallef and English composer and musician Matthew Mills.

Three-fortyone dances will be appearing in the theatre-in-the-round at The St James Centre for Creativity on 3 June and 4 at 8pm. Tickets are available from St James and cost Lm7.50 and Lm5.50.