Inside the Olympic Opening Ceremony

Dance development artist Robert Gentle was one of the dance captains in the Olympic Opening Ceremony. Artistic Director, Tamara Ashley, caught up with him to find out what the ceremony was like from the inside.

TA: How did you get involved in the Olympic Opening Ceremony?

RG: I was recommended by one of the choreographers, Kendrick Sandy, and we began learning material in rehearsals in April 2012.

TA: The ceremony was beautifully complex featuring thousands of artists.  How did you prepare for performing alongside so many other people?

RG: There were 10 rehearsals at the stadium, where 1500 volunteer dancers were brought together to perform dances from the 1960s to the 2000s. There was a gradual process of learning formations, integrating the lighting and dealing with the props. The scale of the organisation and the attention to detail made the whole rehearsal process very smooth.

TA: Which part of the ceremony were you involved in?

RG:  I led a section of the ‘thanks Tim’, which celebrated the founder of the Internet, Tim Berners Lee, and the excitement of social media.

TA: What was it like on the night?

RG: The atmosphere on the night was immense and I was very proud to represent my nation.  I thought that the Opening Ceremony was representative of our culture, being inclusive, varied and diverse.

TA: Do you have any favourite moments?

RG: The end of the Industrial Revolution section was breathtaking. Seeing the rings of steel rise in synthesis with the guttaral industrial sounds was very impressive.  I was very moved by the section choreographed by Akram Khan and I was proud that contemporary dance could create such a poignant moment in the ceremony.