An extremely rainy and chilly day at Footprint Dance Festival yesterday. Alice King's Pilates session began the day at 10 am in Monte Hall, followed by a Centre for Dance Research Seminar on Romanian Sword Dancing in Lulham at lunch time.
A brief pop-up dance performance, Imprint, choreographed by BA Dance third year students Eszter Szalma and Maya Pindar was performed to an intimate audience in Digby Chapel at 13:30.
Barefoot's evening of performances began with beautiful dissertation choreography by BA Dance third year student Courtney Draddy in Lulham studio. The Footprint Team led the audience round campus to the Student Union, where Shelley Owen presented the charming Are We Dancing?
Next, in Davies Studio, Maëva Lamolière performed Momentum, inspired by the sculptures of French artist Camille Claudel. In Michaelis Studio, Megan Curet presented her exploration of the Israel/Palestine conflict in The Undoing.
Ending in Michaelis Theatre, Eleni Papaioannou presented So What?, a seemingly improvised, surprising and delightful comment on the contemporary world. Finally, the evening closed with choreography by Feet Off The Ground Dance. Using Contact Improvisation, Tracing Spaces investigates the strength within femininity.
Another wonderful, if not drizzly day at University of Roehampton, and another excellent range of performances by students and guest artists at Footprint Dance Festival.
Sunday, 17 May 2015
Thursday, 14 May 2015
REVIEW: FOOTPRINT DANCE FESTIVAL: Alicia Kidman's 'Omni Commeo'
Dance Worldwide
Footprint Dance Festival
Michaelis Theatre
University of Roehampton
Tuesday 12th May 2015
University of Roehampton alumni Alicia Kidman presented Omni Commeo at Footprint Dance Festival's second night of evening performances. Having recently graduated from University of Roehampton, Kidman has been teaching dance in London and Austria, as well as performing and presenting choreography in London, Birmingham and Italy with Martin Prosse and Cie. Willi Dorner.
Interestingly, as well as having shown an interest in phonology and phonetics (the study of sounds) through teaching English, both Kidman's parents are English teachers by trade. Perhaps this familial interest in language and sound inspired Kidman's quirky insight into language and communication.
Omni Commeo opens with a large paper bound Cambridge dictionary under a bright spot light. The lights dim and come back up to reveal dancer Emilie Barton standing on top of the dictionary, dressed in mismatching, clashing patterned tights, skirt and layered t-shirts. On the opposite side, sits dancer Sophie Stokes, also dressed eccentrically in bright golfing socks, grey leggings and bright layered shirts.
Barton begins in silence, furiously trying to speak. She crinkles her nose and furrows her brows as she concentrates on making sounds. She experiments with language using different sounds and tones, allowing her facial expressions to affect the sounds she produces. Later, Barton and Stokes are seen interacting together, using extremely intricate and complex hand gestures. They seem to construct, deconstruct, test, grab and argue over inanimate objects. Barton and Stokes are hugely animated, setting a playful tone that persists throughout the work.
All of a sudden, the dictionary becomes the focus of Barton's attention. After breaking free from Stoke's hold, Barton begins reading the dictionary. However, with their bare feet flicking the pages, it appears that the duo read the words using their feet. Another interesting and surprising detail that Kidman carefully uses to enhance her choreography.
The strength of the work likes in Barton's and Stoke's complete conviction in the vision of the work. There is not a single moment where either dancer questions their actions (or indeed their sounds). Kidman creates an exceptionally clever work that both draws the audience in from the outset and amuses.
The work ends with both dancers sitting upstage right at the back of the stage. After a brief fracas, Stokes tears a page out of the dictionary and thrusts it into her mouth. Barton watches her with an expression of astonishment, as Stokes opens her mouth, letting the chewed up ball of paper hit the floor.
Maya Pindar
Footprint Dance Festival
Michaelis Theatre
University of Roehampton
Tuesday 12th May 2015
University of Roehampton alumni Alicia Kidman presented Omni Commeo at Footprint Dance Festival's second night of evening performances. Having recently graduated from University of Roehampton, Kidman has been teaching dance in London and Austria, as well as performing and presenting choreography in London, Birmingham and Italy with Martin Prosse and Cie. Willi Dorner.
Interestingly, as well as having shown an interest in phonology and phonetics (the study of sounds) through teaching English, both Kidman's parents are English teachers by trade. Perhaps this familial interest in language and sound inspired Kidman's quirky insight into language and communication.
Omni Commeo opens with a large paper bound Cambridge dictionary under a bright spot light. The lights dim and come back up to reveal dancer Emilie Barton standing on top of the dictionary, dressed in mismatching, clashing patterned tights, skirt and layered t-shirts. On the opposite side, sits dancer Sophie Stokes, also dressed eccentrically in bright golfing socks, grey leggings and bright layered shirts.
Barton begins in silence, furiously trying to speak. She crinkles her nose and furrows her brows as she concentrates on making sounds. She experiments with language using different sounds and tones, allowing her facial expressions to affect the sounds she produces. Later, Barton and Stokes are seen interacting together, using extremely intricate and complex hand gestures. They seem to construct, deconstruct, test, grab and argue over inanimate objects. Barton and Stokes are hugely animated, setting a playful tone that persists throughout the work.
All of a sudden, the dictionary becomes the focus of Barton's attention. After breaking free from Stoke's hold, Barton begins reading the dictionary. However, with their bare feet flicking the pages, it appears that the duo read the words using their feet. Another interesting and surprising detail that Kidman carefully uses to enhance her choreography.
The strength of the work likes in Barton's and Stoke's complete conviction in the vision of the work. There is not a single moment where either dancer questions their actions (or indeed their sounds). Kidman creates an exceptionally clever work that both draws the audience in from the outset and amuses.
The work ends with both dancers sitting upstage right at the back of the stage. After a brief fracas, Stokes tears a page out of the dictionary and thrusts it into her mouth. Barton watches her with an expression of astonishment, as Stokes opens her mouth, letting the chewed up ball of paper hit the floor.
Maya Pindar
FOOTPRINT DANCE FESTIVAL: So What Happened on Wednesday?
Hump Day kicked off with an intense Pilates class led by Alice King in Monte Hall at 10am, with a great student turn out! Later, contemporary dance artist Shelley Owen led an exciting open improvisation workshop in Michaelis Studio. Again, another fantastic class with a great student turn out!
In the afternoon, a series of short dance films was shown in the RSU Bar. Student films included Ben Witcomb's exploration of the body; Hari Crook's interesting insight into the comparisons of fruit and veg with the body; and Sophie Cooper's exploration of hair. Professional dance films included work from Mami Kawabata, Ceyda Tanc's distinctive ReRosas and Harry Koushos' Weavers. The dance films were followed by a screening of the 80s dance classic Footloose (1984).
After a busy day, the evening's RAM performances kicked off at 7pm with Samantha Pardes' Asparas, Stephanie Peña's THE URGENCY OF letting, Dorit Schwartz's Cut The Cord and finally, Jana Prager's Little Broken Boxes. Peña's dancers' made an exceptional effort to keep dancing, despite the wrong score being played. Nevertheless it was wonderful to see such outstanding performances by both dancers and musicians. Special guests at the performance included Dame Jacqueline Wilson, who was extremely delighted by the performances.
Following the evening's performances was Footprint's 80s themed Fez night in Putney. The 80s themed photo competition with the Footprint mascot in Fez was a real success- the winner will be announced by the end of the week!
In the afternoon, a series of short dance films was shown in the RSU Bar. Student films included Ben Witcomb's exploration of the body; Hari Crook's interesting insight into the comparisons of fruit and veg with the body; and Sophie Cooper's exploration of hair. Professional dance films included work from Mami Kawabata, Ceyda Tanc's distinctive ReRosas and Harry Koushos' Weavers. The dance films were followed by a screening of the 80s dance classic Footloose (1984).
After a busy day, the evening's RAM performances kicked off at 7pm with Samantha Pardes' Asparas, Stephanie Peña's THE URGENCY OF letting, Dorit Schwartz's Cut The Cord and finally, Jana Prager's Little Broken Boxes. Peña's dancers' made an exceptional effort to keep dancing, despite the wrong score being played. Nevertheless it was wonderful to see such outstanding performances by both dancers and musicians. Special guests at the performance included Dame Jacqueline Wilson, who was extremely delighted by the performances.
Following the evening's performances was Footprint's 80s themed Fez night in Putney. The 80s themed photo competition with the Footprint mascot in Fez was a real success- the winner will be announced by the end of the week!
REVIEW: FOOTPRINT DANCE FESTIVAL: Eden Wiseman's 'The Manipulative Mind'
Dance Worldwide
Footprint Dance Festival
Michaelis Theatre
University of Roehampton
Tuesday 12th May 2015
Eden Wiseman's The Manipulative Mind opened the second half of Footprint's second night of performances. Coming from Israel, Wiseman has investigated the body interacting with raw materials greatly in recent years. The Manipulative Mind divulges into memory and experience, while exposing 'layers of humanness', through interaction with wire.
The stage is dark and bare, apart from a mysterious large dangling light bulb wrapped in silver wires. Wiseman lies on the floor, wearing a nude unitard and an intricately built wire bodice, which later becomes a kind of helmet and then later a backpack. Movement content includes a great deal of awkward self-touching: in fact to begin, Wiseman stands slowly, drawing her hands to her face, to forcefully pull her eyelids open. The tone is moody, focused and dark.
Spinning the wire covered lamp, Wiseman manages to transform the dark stage space into a new shadowy realm. She reluctantly wiggles off her wire bodice, revealing the upper half of her nude unitard, reminding us of her individual 'layers of humanness'. Wiseman gyrates, tremors and contracts, before sprawling on the floor. She pushes her face into her wire bodice, dragging her body towards the audience. The image of the wire wrapped around her head is evocative of a "busy mind", like a physical storm of thoughts. Or indeed, could be interpreted as a reference to the complex connections of neurons in our brain.
As Wiseman takes off the wire bodice, a French electro-pop track is introduced, consequently bringing about a change in movement style. She suddenly becomes more released and almost girly, as she shakes her now loose hair and bounces about the stage. The tone is now strikingly spirited, driven by the upbeat music. It is as if by discarding the wire bodice, she has revealed another very different layer of the human psyche- one of vitality and energy.
At last, she begins to peel away the final layer- her unitard. She carefully tugs at the sleeves and pulls the unitard down over her shoulder. As the lights dim, she turns away from the audience, wandering upstage. The vulnerability of her pale bare skin on her back is just noticeable as the stage darkens.
Overall, Wiseman gives an extremely unique performance. Her discussion of the human psyche, with references to thoughts and memories, as well as the physical structure of the brain is well devised. The use of wires, as cold and rigid objects create a clever juxtaposition of disconnection and connection all at once. Wiseman is definitely an artist to keep watching.
Footprint Dance Festival
Michaelis Theatre
University of Roehampton
Tuesday 12th May 2015
Eden Wiseman's The Manipulative Mind opened the second half of Footprint's second night of performances. Coming from Israel, Wiseman has investigated the body interacting with raw materials greatly in recent years. The Manipulative Mind divulges into memory and experience, while exposing 'layers of humanness', through interaction with wire.
The stage is dark and bare, apart from a mysterious large dangling light bulb wrapped in silver wires. Wiseman lies on the floor, wearing a nude unitard and an intricately built wire bodice, which later becomes a kind of helmet and then later a backpack. Movement content includes a great deal of awkward self-touching: in fact to begin, Wiseman stands slowly, drawing her hands to her face, to forcefully pull her eyelids open. The tone is moody, focused and dark.
Spinning the wire covered lamp, Wiseman manages to transform the dark stage space into a new shadowy realm. She reluctantly wiggles off her wire bodice, revealing the upper half of her nude unitard, reminding us of her individual 'layers of humanness'. Wiseman gyrates, tremors and contracts, before sprawling on the floor. She pushes her face into her wire bodice, dragging her body towards the audience. The image of the wire wrapped around her head is evocative of a "busy mind", like a physical storm of thoughts. Or indeed, could be interpreted as a reference to the complex connections of neurons in our brain.
As Wiseman takes off the wire bodice, a French electro-pop track is introduced, consequently bringing about a change in movement style. She suddenly becomes more released and almost girly, as she shakes her now loose hair and bounces about the stage. The tone is now strikingly spirited, driven by the upbeat music. It is as if by discarding the wire bodice, she has revealed another very different layer of the human psyche- one of vitality and energy.
At last, she begins to peel away the final layer- her unitard. She carefully tugs at the sleeves and pulls the unitard down over her shoulder. As the lights dim, she turns away from the audience, wandering upstage. The vulnerability of her pale bare skin on her back is just noticeable as the stage darkens.
Overall, Wiseman gives an extremely unique performance. Her discussion of the human psyche, with references to thoughts and memories, as well as the physical structure of the brain is well devised. The use of wires, as cold and rigid objects create a clever juxtaposition of disconnection and connection all at once. Wiseman is definitely an artist to keep watching.
Wednesday, 13 May 2015
FOOTPRINT DANCE FESTIVAL: Tuesday!
The second day of Footprint Dance Festival began with Kimberley Collin's Dancefit class in Monte Hall. Next was an exciting Eastern Classical Dance Workshop with Sugata Das. Teaching Bharatanatyam, Das's workshop focused on learning eight basic 'steps' and several intricate hand gestures. Overall, a very revealing and enjoyable workshop, which allowed participants to engage with Gujarati and South Indian culture.
During the afternoon, dance specialist Gill Harvey led a Dance Careers Talk on Froebel lawn. Harvey gave outstanding advice on CVs, cover letters, dance auditions and portfolios to Roehampton dance students. Later, Kurt Nagy's fabulous and high energy Jazz Workshop kicked off the afternoon's events at 14:30 in Michaelis Studio.
The evening's Dance Worldwide performances saw moving work by Shaun Dillon, a memorable and highly physical performance by French dancer Jann Gallois. Coming from Israel, Eden Wiseman's The Manipulative Mind divulged into the human mind. Roehampton alumni Alicia Kidman's Omni Commeo was a lighthearted and fun exploration of human language, which helped round off the evening's performances.
Another fantastic day on campus for Footprint Dance Festival! Looking forward to seeing you all again during the rest of the week. Only three days left of the festival!! Get dancing!!!
During the afternoon, dance specialist Gill Harvey led a Dance Careers Talk on Froebel lawn. Harvey gave outstanding advice on CVs, cover letters, dance auditions and portfolios to Roehampton dance students. Later, Kurt Nagy's fabulous and high energy Jazz Workshop kicked off the afternoon's events at 14:30 in Michaelis Studio.
The evening's Dance Worldwide performances saw moving work by Shaun Dillon, a memorable and highly physical performance by French dancer Jann Gallois. Coming from Israel, Eden Wiseman's The Manipulative Mind divulged into the human mind. Roehampton alumni Alicia Kidman's Omni Commeo was a lighthearted and fun exploration of human language, which helped round off the evening's performances.
Another fantastic day on campus for Footprint Dance Festival! Looking forward to seeing you all again during the rest of the week. Only three days left of the festival!! Get dancing!!!
Tuesday, 12 May 2015
REVIEW: FOOTPRINT DANCE FESTIVAL: Crystal Zillwood's Évolutio
Stampede
Footprint Dance Festival
Michaelis Theatre
University of Roehampton
Monday 11th May 2015
After graduating from the Northern School of Contemporary Dance and touring the UK and Switzerland with postgraduate dance company Verve'13, Crystal Zillwood has developed her unique choreographic, improvisation and teaching techniques.
At University of Roehampton's Footprint Dance Festival opening performance night, Zillwood performed Évolutio, an exploration of human evolution. Set to Goran Bregovic's moving score, Zillwood begins standing in front of a bright floor light. References to primate movement is evident from the outset. Zillwood walks, poised, gradually slouching further into her hips, before inverting onto all fours.
She shifts around with ease, padding her hands and feet into the floor. The work begins slowly, Zillwood moves carefully and deliberately. She slips smoothly from being stood tall and poised, to suddenly breaking, becoming inverted and grounded. Overall, Zillwood stays well connected to the floor, her weight surrendered to gravity. She rolls, slides and twists across the space with a sense of indulgence. But most notably, Zillwood's strength is the fluidity and seamlessness of her movement phrases, which exude a quality of soft, melted butter.
Well observed gestural details, like scratching, wiping, grooming, cycling legs and brushing appear throughout Évolutio. Towards the conclusion of the work, Zillwood is seen rotating on the floor repeating a series of discernible gestures. She mimes cooking, playing archery, conducting music, before holding out her hands as finger guns. She rebounds, bouncing slightly, as her rotation seems to get stuck, with her hands held out rigidly. Suddenly, the child-like familiarity of the finger gun gesture becomes bittersweet, as if Zillwood alluding to the brutal and callous capacity of humans.
Overall, Évolutio is an exceptionally honest and frank exploration of human evolution and of human nature. Intensified by Zillwood's effortlessly unbroken movement quality, her communication of themes and ideas is admirable. Finally as the lights dim, Zillwood crawls back to end in the fetal position, reminding us that we are indeed "only human".
Footprint Dance Festival
Michaelis Theatre
University of Roehampton
Monday 11th May 2015
After graduating from the Northern School of Contemporary Dance and touring the UK and Switzerland with postgraduate dance company Verve'13, Crystal Zillwood has developed her unique choreographic, improvisation and teaching techniques.
At University of Roehampton's Footprint Dance Festival opening performance night, Zillwood performed Évolutio, an exploration of human evolution. Set to Goran Bregovic's moving score, Zillwood begins standing in front of a bright floor light. References to primate movement is evident from the outset. Zillwood walks, poised, gradually slouching further into her hips, before inverting onto all fours.
She shifts around with ease, padding her hands and feet into the floor. The work begins slowly, Zillwood moves carefully and deliberately. She slips smoothly from being stood tall and poised, to suddenly breaking, becoming inverted and grounded. Overall, Zillwood stays well connected to the floor, her weight surrendered to gravity. She rolls, slides and twists across the space with a sense of indulgence. But most notably, Zillwood's strength is the fluidity and seamlessness of her movement phrases, which exude a quality of soft, melted butter.
Well observed gestural details, like scratching, wiping, grooming, cycling legs and brushing appear throughout Évolutio. Towards the conclusion of the work, Zillwood is seen rotating on the floor repeating a series of discernible gestures. She mimes cooking, playing archery, conducting music, before holding out her hands as finger guns. She rebounds, bouncing slightly, as her rotation seems to get stuck, with her hands held out rigidly. Suddenly, the child-like familiarity of the finger gun gesture becomes bittersweet, as if Zillwood alluding to the brutal and callous capacity of humans.
Overall, Évolutio is an exceptionally honest and frank exploration of human evolution and of human nature. Intensified by Zillwood's effortlessly unbroken movement quality, her communication of themes and ideas is admirable. Finally as the lights dim, Zillwood crawls back to end in the fetal position, reminding us that we are indeed "only human".
FOOTPRINT DANCE FESTIVAL: Opening Day!!!
Yesterday marked the first day of our wonderful Footprint Dance
Festival! The opening day kicked off with an extremely successful turn
out at our intense HIIT Bootcamp in Monte Hall with Kimberly Collins
mid-morning. Following Bootcamp, we welcomed Shaun Dillon's outstanding
Contemporary workshop at 12.30. Closing the afternoon, renowned British
choreographer, performer and director, Rosemary Lee presented several of her dance films and led an uplifting choreography seminar to students and Dance Department faculty.
Concluding the day was our opening night of dance performance, Stampede. Artistic Director, Hannah Brown gave a speech giving thanks to volunteers and faculty, before inviting Rosemary Lee to speak. During an inspirational speech about the value of the arts, Lee urged 'not to put a pound sign in front of the arts' and that 'we would be poor without the arts'.
Finally, the evening included extremely strong performances from Ceyda Tanc Dance, Crystal Zillwood and Alyssandra Katherine Wu, as well as a very amusing and humorous performance by Botis Seva. Other artists included: Loughlin Dance, Hannah K. Vincent, Moving Cities, and Peace. Positivity. Love.
Concluding the day was our opening night of dance performance, Stampede. Artistic Director, Hannah Brown gave a speech giving thanks to volunteers and faculty, before inviting Rosemary Lee to speak. During an inspirational speech about the value of the arts, Lee urged 'not to put a pound sign in front of the arts' and that 'we would be poor without the arts'.
Finally, the evening included extremely strong performances from Ceyda Tanc Dance, Crystal Zillwood and Alyssandra Katherine Wu, as well as a very amusing and humorous performance by Botis Seva. Other artists included: Loughlin Dance, Hannah K. Vincent, Moving Cities, and Peace. Positivity. Love.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)