13 December 2012

Lumiere Digiitale Auditions



Not too long ago Lumiere Digitale had the pleasure of holding auditions for interdisciplinary physical performers for it's new show at the old crown courts in Bristol, UK.

An exciting production combining digital arts with live performance in an unusual building.

We were absolutely innundated with applications for potential collaborators for this project with over 100 applications from talented circus artists and dancers from accross the UK and Europe.

I was faced with the difficult task of whittling these applications down to a select 25, to be invited to attend the audition day with us, at The Island Dancespace.

We then had to half this group again at lunchtime to continue working with around 14 performers into the afternoon. we still haven't finalised casting for this production but we have managed to shortlist to a final 12, with approximately 8 slots available in the production for extreemly talented dancer/ circus artists.

We had a simply fabulous day with everyone and were literally blown away by the talent. It has and is a very difficult process for us to select the final company for our 2013 production but we are very excited about it.

I have added a selection of images from the day, photography by Tilly May

For more information on the Lumiere Digitale project please visit our website at

www.ldigitale.com


















Thanks for reading x

2 December 2012

Sight: Unseen - work in progress

Testing Ground

Experiments in Dance

 



Full Tilt were excited to perform at Circomedia’s beautiful church building on portland square as part of the Testing Ground.

Testing Ground is a platform for work in progress or newly developed experiments in dance. Testing Ground is supported by Theatre Bristol and Circomedia and creates an opportunity for artists to show new work as well as receive valuable feedback from industry peers and professionals.

As part of their research for the Lumiere Digitale at the Old Courts project, Full Tilt presented an experimental aerial dance work, using a human counterweight system that exploited a substantial size difference between two performers to dramatic effect. An experiment in physics, it combined the technical challenges this presented with the improvisational and narrative possibilities that it offered. A duet of opposites, dichotomies, and contradictions that explored what happens when two poles meet in the middle (or not): the hybrid, liminal spaces between equilibrium or collision in the vulnerability of vertical space.

Using stimulus from Dante's paradiso Dr Jess Allen and I created a ten minuite duet for the platform. To create the work we used stimulus from Dante's Paradiso,  contact improvisation, and explored the possibilities presented by our unusual equipment.
Here are some Images of the piece by  Tilly May



Full Tilt are currently experimenting with new vocabulary, concepts and possibilities as part of the creative process for Lumiere Digitale's new show at the old courts

FLOW


  Multi Story Water

 




This September I had the pleasure of working with my good friend and long time dance partner Dr Jess Allen on a site specific project in Eastville both underneath the M32 motorway and next to the river Frome.


Multi story Water was an interactive project involving local people in a creative conversation about the river and our relationship with it – using storytelling, games, site based performance, and walking tours.


A series of weekend events took place in and around the M32 Motorway during September 2012, these events culminated in a Site -Based performance extravaganza.

The audience were led in promenade style from the Eastville roundabout underneath the roaring motorway and to where the underpass meets the River Frome. Along the way they watched 9 site specific performances from local community groups that had been created on site using narrative  drawn from true stories, gathered from local residents.




the show, named FLOW involved over 180 performers, including two groups of little one's 'the rainbows' and 'the beavers', two contemporary youth dance companies, 'Rise' and 'Kinesis', star Sweedish circus artist, Linn Broden, a choir, and the students from Bristol's Fda in Dance Theatre and Performance.



The River Frome has many stories to tell. As it flows through Eastville, it runs past homes and businesses, a school, under the motorway, and finally through sluice gates – where it disappears underground on its way to the city centre. The river connects different parts of the community, but do you feel connected to it?

Full Tilt were comissioned to produce a site based piece of aerial dance for the project. We worked closely with a group of local aerialists, teaching them new skills in harness based aerial dance. With them we then  devised a 20 minute vertical performance for the supporting pillars that hold up the motorway. We had to create this in a studio, so chose a nice wall at Circomedia for our pretend pillar experience.


Creating choreography for the pillars under M32


Hannah working on the wall at Circomedia


We also worked closely with a group of students from Bristol's Fda in Dance Theatre Performace, The course is led by dance artist Julia Thorneycroft, is based at the Bristol Dance Centre, and is a University of Plymouth and City of Bristol College collaboration.


Dancers Rehearsing onsite before the show.


The day came together really well. We started at 6am, myself and the riggers, Max Morely and Ben Osbourne, rigged the truss and equipment for the show, whist Dr Jess took the rest of the team for a quick run and warm up before rehearsing all the ground based material. We then united and rehearsed the show a few times before it was time to perform it. Then derig and packing away of everything, just as night time fell. Not bad at all for a days work!


The show was well attended, the audience behaved themselves, and we all had a good time. Jess and I were thrilled as it was the first time that many of the performers involved in the show had met or been in the space at together. And everything ran fairly smoothly :)



Rigging with the boys

A place to dangle


Counterweight Duet



The End





BoomTown Games

BoomTown Games A bit about behind the scenes at the BoomTown Games! Welcome to a bit about behind the scenes at the BoomTown Game...