Ana Dance

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Organised by Miranda Laurence, this dance conference was entitled Space to Dance: Exploring Movement, Site and Surroundings and included a practical workshop and talks by architect, landscape architect, choreographers and geographer.*  I found this an inspiring and thought provoking day.  Really great to have different disciplines coming together and hearing from such variety of perspectives.  Really good that it included a practical movement session (with plenty of spoken insights , observations and reflections), that the talks allowed opportunity for questions and discussion and that we were also treated to a walk around Oxford sites (in the sun!) to consider with bodies as well as minds the impact of site and design.  Great. The day rounded off with a visit to the castle where Compagnie retourament were performing ‘Danse des Cariatides.’ A wonderful opportunity to see in practice the use of space/site in dance.  This was the latest in ODF’s programming of professional dance development opportunities.  Well attended, and with plenty to think about and take away it was a great success. Thank you.

What a treat to have this inspiring company performing in Oxford.  The combination of aerial/athletic technique and daring,  the quietly moving and full human presence of the dancers and a choreography (Fabrice Guillot)  that employs the use of light, shadow and projection combined with rhythm and space makes for a performance that is stunning, profound and truly accessible.  Quite an achievement.

Neil Smith, Naomi Morris and Kate Willis created installations at the 03 gallery and in the punishment cells of the castle below.  In the gallery a projection accompanied by sound changed its visual patterning and aural rhythms in response to the movement of vistors and dancers.   In a box upstairs three aged looking miniature photos nestled in a box of earth. Peering closely at them your face is captured by a camera which sends your image into a projected barred  window.  Drawing on facets of life lived in the prison the interactive projection downstairs used filming of sewing hessian manipulated through technology and interaction.  The miniature photos were actually cleverly fused onto the faces of thin slices of potato.

The potato theme continued in one of the cells where microphones picked up the sounds of potatos being peeled and these were additionally manipuated live through loops and delays.  A single light revealed 2 bowls of water and a hessian sack of potatoes.  The water connected with a further projection in a different cell of a riverside walk -the possible imaginings/dreamings of the pleasure of the outside natural world contrasting the reality of confinement.  Entering between these two the movement of the visitor triggered projections on the back wall of disembodied heads of the creators, themselves like ghosts of the past turning to look over their shoulder at you.  As their faces turn back away they disappear and you are left with the fabric of cold stone and the traces of lives past.

I joined Kate Willis, Naomi Morris, Sarah Bishop and Sarah Whately on Friday to dance in response to these installations and as it also turned out the site itself -making use of the grass, paths and walls.  With no preparation but a score we had the opportunity through 4 separate performances to work with each other and the installations.  I felt that we were somewhere between installation and ‘performance’ which was a bit difficult -raised plenty of questions for me.  Fortunately the team (minus me but plus Sue Amey) had another opportunity to develop responses the next day Saturday and by all accounts these were more successful.

Tomorrow I will be joining Sarah Bishop, Sarah Whatley, Naomi Morris & Kate Willis to respond to new digital installations at 2 sites: the O3 gallery and punishment cells in the castle.   The  installation team is Neil C Smith, Kate Willis and Naomi  Morris.  Performances at 4,5,6 and 9pm.

Between 7.30 -8.10 we will be treated to the aerial and projection dance of French Compagnie Retourament on the castle walls.  Looking forward to seeing this company again.

After the last months of explorations with Paulette Mae and Anja Meinhardt we will be showing A Suitcase for all Occasions  by Paulette Mae at The Old Firestation, Oxford.  Tomorrow, Saturday 17th 8pm.  A really interesting process and journey.  I’m looking forward to the final coming together with lights and audience!

On Sunday 18th at 4.30pm  is the Dance on screen at the  Ultimate Picture Palace where my latest collaboration and work in progress with Dariusz Dziala, Puppet, will get its first airing.  Music by Malcolm Atkins.  Looking forward to seeing it on the big screen.

The first version of Puppet  is finally complete with soundtrack -thanks to Malcolm Atkins and editing wizadry of Dariusz Dziala,  ready for the screening at The Ultimate Picture Palace at 4.30 on Sunday18th March.

Another DEC session this Thursday.  In preparation for project at The Story Museum we worked on the idea of messages.  Experimenting with the artists’ drawn/painted communications and relaying message through both movement and music.

Last week of rehearsals for Saturday’s performance at The Old Firestation, Oxford.  Tomorrow’s rehearsal is open to view at the Pegasus 4-5pm.  The show is a triptych of duet, solo and trio and explores the idea of attachment using movement, dance, text, music and props.  Paulette Mae’s choreography is evocative and sensitive offering glimpses of self contained and confusing worlds.

Performing tomorrow for the Tim Perkins Ensmble at St. Mary’s Church.  Forming the physical dance backdrop to the group’s music concert.  The excellent musicians are Tim Perkins -Bazouki, guitar,violin; Keith Fairbairn -percussion; Melissa Holding -accordion; Helen Cope -saxophones, recorder.

Looking forward to seeing two of my previous films and also ‘Puppet’ currently in production with Dariusz Dziala screened as part of the dance festival in Dance on screen at The Ultimate Picture Palace on 18th March at 4.30.