Bold and disarming Exeunt Magazine

Transcription

1 Bold and disarming Exeunt Magazine Following the critically acclaimed London premiere of Artificial Things at Sadler's Wells in May 2014, Stopgap Dance Company continues touring to small to mid-scale theatres with the latest work Artificial Things is a full-evening's work available for Spring & Autumn 2015 Slowly suffocating in each other s company, a group of individuals seek escape in a bash of riotous rock-n-roll. However, their wild disorder descends into playground politics and reveals some uncomfortable truths. In this cinematic and evocative production Stopgap Dance Company creates a compact world of riddles that question our notions about unity and coexistence. Trailer film Audience feedback Behind the scenes videos: Full video of technical rehearsal (passcode: opening) More information about the production is available on stopgapdance.com Contact: Sho Shibata, Producer sho@stopgapdance.com, +44 (0) (UK) Stopgap Dance Company Promoter s Pack: Artificial Things 1

2 Technical and practical information Minimum requirements from venues: Minimum of 10 metres by 10 metres of performance space Non-raked, sprung dance floor Wheelchair accessible dressing room and step-free route to the stage. For any questions on accessibility, please contact the company Performance duration: 3 movements totalling to 90 minutes including a 20-minute interval Stopgap can perform for one or two nights, or one night with a matinee the following day Each performance can be followed or preceded by a show-talk or a participation programme Get-in & Get-out: 9am start for a 7.30/8.00pm performance Pre-rig required Lighting plan can be adapted to suit each venue Requires venues to provide two technical staff (one LX and one sound) Technical specification is available as a separate document 2 hour get-out required Size of the company: Total of eight people, comprising of five performers, an access worker, a company stage manager and a technical staff member. We require two additional staff members to travel for performances outside UK. Stopgap has 1 Downs Syndrome dancer and 2 wheelchair dancers. More detailed Technical Rider and Specification are available on our website. Example of tour destinations Centro Del Carmen, Valencia Déda, Derby Lilian Baylis Studio, Sadlers Wells, London Micadanses, Paris Neues Schauspielhaus, Bremen Pavilion Dance, Bournemouth Salisbury Arts Centre Theatre Fontenay Le Fleury, France Theatre Montansier, Versailles, France The Point, Eastleigh Feedback on previous work Alongside this flurry of movement, there was an emotional depth that pervaded the work. ThePublicReviews.Com **** (for SPUN Productions, 2012) Brave, edgy, and really trusting the dance language to tell the story. Loved it. Angus McKechnie Outdoor Programmer, National Theatre (For SPUN Productions, 2012) Everything about the immensely watchable work speaks of channeling individual traits needs, as well as strengths into a performing unity that has humour, risk, invention and interesting movement. Glasgow Herald (For Trespass, 2010) What estimable performers! The security and daring with which they move, and the emotional honesty they bring seems second nature. The Times **** (For Portfolio Collection, 2008) Stopgap Dance Company Promoter s Pack: Artificial Things 2

3 About Stopgap Dance Company / Stopgap Dance Company seamlessly integrates dancers with and without disabilities. Our work is fuelled by the new and exciting possibilities that arise from the dialogue between distinctive dancers. Stopgap Dance Company s productions are devised by our dancers and collaborators, working as an ensemble under the artistic direction of Lucy Bennett: Our work offers a window into a parallel world where human interdependence, strength and vulnerability play out with poetic realism. Stopgap Dance Company works in partnership with Arts Council England as a National Portfolio Organisation. We are a resident company of Farnham Maltings and an associate artist of Zinc Arts. About the production Artificial Things features dancers David Toole from DV8 s award winning film Cost of Living, with Laura Jones, Chris Pavia, David Willdridge and Amy Butler. The theatre design was inspired by a series of strange and intense paintings by a Serbian artist Goran Djurović re-imagined by Anna Jones from Curious Space. Chahine Yavrovan s stunning but disquieting lighting enhances the interplay between light and shadow, with strong highlights sitting next to deep colours. Artificial Things is accompanied by unnerving and simmering scores by Christopher Benstead, Jim Pinchen and Andy Higgs. Yoshifumi Inao, former Artistic Director of Batsheva Dance Company, is the guest choreographer for the opening scene. Biographies: Choreographer of Movement One: Yoshifumi Inao Inao had his dance training at Mitsuko Inao Ballet School in Kyoto and then moved to The Rudra Bejart School in Lausanne, Switzerland. Inao began his dancing career at Nye Carte Blanche in Stopgap Dance Company Promoter s Pack: Artificial Things 3

4 Norway, where he performed works of Jo Strømgren, Ina Christel Johannessen, and Jorma Uotinen for two years. In 1997 Inao joined the acclaimed Batsheva Dance Company, and after dancing for three years became its rehearsal director whilst continuing to perform. He was also appointed as The Artistic Director of Batsheva in its 2003/04 season. While performing with Batsheva, Inao began choreographing and has created works for Carte Blanche, The Norwegian National Ballet, Noism in Japan, and Operaestate Festival Veneto. He has also created many works with Kristin Hjort Inao. Based in Oslo since 2007, Inao continues to create and perform in his own work. Choreographer of Movements Two and Three: Lucy Bennett The Company Artistic Director Lucy Bennett will choreograph Movement Two and Three. Immersed in Stopgap s work for nine years, Lucy has learnt to blend and expand the dynamic interaction of distinctly different dancers. Working as a choreographer within a company of markedly diverse dancers has allowed Lucy to develop, define and encapsulate her love for expressing human stories through dance. In recent years she has choreographed: Tracking (2009) commissioned by Without Walls consortium, Shape Arts and Liberty Festival, Extra Ordinary (2010) Guest Choreographer for Dave Toole and Lucy Hind (winner of the Standard Ovation Award, 2010) and SPUN Productions (2012) commissioned for the Cultural Olympiad. Lucy is the UK s leading expert of integrated choreography. Dancers: Amy Butler, Laura Jones, Chris Pavia, David Toole and David Willdridge Theatre and Costume Design: Anna Jones Lighting Design: Chahine Yavrovan Composers: Movement One Christopher Benstead Movement Two Jim Pinchen Movement Three Andy Higgs Thank you also to the following artists for their input and support in developing our ideas: Company Chameleon, Charlie Morrissey, Thomas Noone, Joop Oonk and Rootless Root Project supporters: Stopgap Dance Company Promoter s Pack: Artificial Things 4

5 Participation and Audience Development Schemes Stopgap Dance Company has extensive experience in developing new audiences for its productions and venues. We work in partnership with venues together with their local authorities and dance agencies to deliver community dance projects that reach out to the local people. We make a point of developing quality relationships with our participants, helping the venues to increase their appeal locally and attract return visitors for a wide range of dance activities. Our particular skill lies in integrating disabled and non-disabled members of the community, and we are keen to work closely with each venue to develop projects that meet their particular needs and objectives. In the past, we have delivered: Residencies with youth companies, education establishments, or adult groups, culminating with a curtain-raiser performance at the venue. This can be an inter-generational project including disabled and non-disabled participants. Inclusive outreach workshops to bring together local mainstream and special schools. CPD training sessions on inclusive dance classes or integrated choreography. These training sessions can be tailored to professional dance practitioners or to students to generate their interest in integrated dance. These sessions are supported by resource packs and publications, which can be purchased from our website stopgapdance.com/creativelearning Videos of example projects please visit: vimeo.com/stopgapdanceco/albums and click on Creative Learning All Stopgap performances are supported by a comprehensive marketing pack Contact: Sho Shibata, Producer: sho@stopgapdance.com, +44 (0) (UK) Stopgap Dance Company Promoter s Pack: Artificial Things 5

6 Production images All photography by Christopher Parkes (christophotographic) Stopgap Dance Company Promoter s Pack: Artificial Things 6