Dénia

Dénia (Valencian: [ˈdenia], locally: [ˈdenjɐ]; Spanish: Denia [ˈdenja]) is a city in the province of Alicante, Spain, on the Costa Blanca halfway between Alicante and Valencia, the judicial seat of the comarca of Marina Alta. As of 2014, it had a population of 41,672.

The popular resort town of Xàbia (Jávea) is nearby.

History

There is evidence of human habitation in the area since prehistoric times and there are significant Iberian ruins on the hillsides nearby. In the 4th century BC it was a Greek colony of Marseille or Empúries, being mentioned by Strabo as Hemeroscòpion. It was an ally of Rome during the Punic Wars, and later was absorbed into the Roman Empire under the name of Dianum. In the 1st century BC Quintus Sertorius established a Roman naval base here.

In 636-696 AD, during the Visigothic Kingdom of Iberia, it was the seat of a bishop from Toledo. After the Muslim conquest of Iberia and the dissolution of the Caliphate of Córdoba, Dénia (known as Dāniyah or دانية in Arabic which means lowland) became the capital of a taifa kingdom that reigned over part of the Valencian coast and Ibiza. The Slavic Muslim slaves, saqālibah, led by Muyahid ibn Yusuf ibn Ali their leader, who could take profit from the progressive crumbling of the Caliphate's superstructure to gain control over the province of Dénia. The Saqaliba managed to free themselves and run the Taifa of Dénia which extended its reach as far as the islands of Majorca and its capital Madinah Mayurqah. The Saqaliba Taifa lost its independence in 1076, when it was captured by Ahmad al-Muqtadir, lord of Zaragoza, under which it remained until the Almoravid invasion in 1091. The Muslim Arabs originally built the castle fortress, and the French, who occupied the city for four years during the Peninsular War, re-built it in the early 19th century.

Costa Blanca

Costa Blanca (Valencian: [ˈkɔsta ˈβlaŋka], Spanish: [ˈkosta ˈβlaŋka], literally in English "White Coast") refers to over 200 kilometres (120 mi) of Mediterranean coastline in the Alicante province of Spain. It describes the shoreline on the southeastern coast of Spain. The name "Costa Blanca" was devised as a promotional name used by BEA when they launched their air service (for £38.16s.-) between London and Valencia in 1957. It has a well-developed tourism industry and is a popular destination for British and German tourists. It extends from the town of Dénia in the north, beyond which lies the Costa del Azahar (or Costa dels Tarongers), to Pilar de la Horadada in the south, beyond which lies the Costa Cálida.

The localities along the Costa Blanca are Alicante (Alicante/Alacant), Altea, Benidorm, Benissa (Benisa), Calp (Calpe), Dénia (Denia), Elche (Elche/Elx), El Campello (Campello), Finestrat, Guardamar del Segura, L'Alfàs del Pi (Alfaz del Pi), Orihuela Costa, Pilar de la Horadada, Santa Pola, Teulada–Moraira, Torrevieja, Villajoyosa (Villajoyosa/La Vila Joiosa) and Xàbia (Xàbia/Jávea). Benidorm and Alicante cities are the major tourist centres. Costa Blanca North and Costa Blanca South are totally different.

The Place

Coordinates: 51°31′38″N 0°7′43″W / 51.52722°N 0.12861°W / 51.52722; -0.12861

The Place is a dance and performance centre in Duke's Road near Euston in the London Borough of Camden. Originally the home base of the London Contemporary Dance Theatre from the 1970s, it is now the location of the London Contemporary Dance School, the Richard Alston Dance Company and the Robin Howard Dance Theatre.

History

Converted from a Grade-II listed Victorian drill hall built in 1888/9 for the Artists Rifles, The Place became the permanent home of the Contemporary Dance Trust in 1969. Since then, under the auspices of its founder Robin Howard, its first artistic director Robert Cohan, and subsequent directors Richard Alston, John Ashford, Nigel Hinds and Veronica Lewis, it has led the way in the development of contemporary dance in the UK. Virtually all of the major British contemporary dance artists to have emerged in the past 40 years have been associated with The Place at some stage in their careers, and its contribution to the popularity of contemporary dance in Britain today is hard to overstate.