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Past programme

Showcases an eclectic range of fresh and interesting contemporary work, largely by emerging artistslondondance.com
Theatre

A Thousand Pieces

presented with Unscripted Theatre Company

Date
Saturday 14 October 2017

Unscripted Theatre Company and Blue Elephant Theatre present a night showcasing London’s emerging actors and musicians.

From monologues to melodies, watch up-and-coming acts share bitesize performances…with the option to take to the stage yourself in the Open Mic section.

Unscripted Theatre Company are a new company who aim to support performers to take the next step in their careers, whether it be auditioning for drama school or jumping into professional work for the first time.

Join us on October 14th to discover the talent of tomorrow taking that next step.

Tickets are FREE (although donations on the door are greatly appreciated), but should be booked in advance to avoid disappointment. Tickets can be booked here.


Dance

Blue Cloud Scratch

Date
Wednesday 4 October 2017

Blue Cloud Scratch is an exciting new dance scratch night, showcasing works in progress from a diverse range of choreographers, and is curated by Blue Elephant Theatre and Cloud Dance Festival. Blue Cloud Scratch aims to encourage and provide emerging dance artists with opportunities to present their works in progress and receive feedback from audiences and peers.

For more about the Blue Cloud Scratch and Cloud Dance Festival, click here.

Ruby Embley & Yanaëlle Thiran - Et si Cécile …

Et si Cécile … imagines Chaminade’s early days as a composer, with a playful take on her struggle to establish herself in this male-dominated field. The duet draws from our experiences of creative processes and gender politics and explores two sides of the 19th Century woman’s personality – powerless but passionate, determined to pursue an artistic career, regardless of societal expectations.

Ruby Embley and Yanaëlle Thiran are London-based freelance dance artists who have been working together since 2014. They graduated from London Contemporary Dance School in 2015 and subsequently took a one-year choreography course at Siobhan Davies Dance. Yanaëlle joined MoveMe Dance in March 2017. Since June, MoveMe and Elizabeth House have been supporting them in the creation of this new duet.

Supported by Bert Roman/MoveMe Dance and Elizabeth House Community Centre.

Dancers: Ruby Embley & Yanaëlle Thiran

Kuan-Yu Chen & Marie Chabert - The Clapping Piece

The piece invites the audience to be aware of the impact of their presence in the theatrical context.
A funny and light dance theatre duet challenges the roles ‘performers/observers’ in an unusual way.
Questioning who is being watched and who's giving inspiration? Can the performance exist without the audience and vice versa?

Kuan-Yu Chen (Taiwan) and Marie Chabert (France) are independent dance artists with international collaborating experiences who recently started sharing artistic ideas together.
They are interested in audience interaction and reaction, improvisation score, site-specific, challenging conventions and provoking some laughter.

Performers: Kuan-Yu Chen and Marie Chabert
Image Credit: Ollie Smallwood

Natalia Iwaniec - Birdland

Stabilization and the lack of stabilization. My life to a certain degree became nomadic. It is hard for me to stay in one place and difficult for me to settle. I am constantly looking for something: for home, for love, for work, for friends, for dance, for freedom. Life is a journey and you get to decide how you will travel. You can travel alone or with others, you can travel to find answers, to find home or to escape home. I am constantly searching for my promised land.

Natalia Iwaniec was born in Poland and is now a freelance dancer and teacher. She finished her Master’s in Theatre in Cracov and completed her degree in Dance at the Dance College in Wrocław in Poland. As a dancer she has collaborated with such choreographers as Yasmeen Godder, Iwona Olszowska, Ella Ben-Aharon, Rhiannon Faith and others. Natalia became a qualified teacher of Gaga in August 2012. Since then she has travelled all over Europe and Israel to teach Gaga. She also choreographs, recently creating the piece The Link for dance students in STW in Poznan, Poland and FORMal in residency in Scenario Pubblico in Sicily. Natalia is a co-founder and member of NaNa Collective, based in London. Natalia premiered her solo work Birdland in July during Budapest’s International Dance Week.

Briar Adams/Hack Ballet - Grace

Grace is part of a new work by Hack Ballet, choreographed by Briar Adams.

Dancers: Briar Adams, Marie Seehy & Mikulas Urbanek


Dance

They Live Next Door

Date
Tuesday 26 September 2017

Set in a home, on a street not too far from your own, They Live Next Door explores the light and the dark of a relationship between two men. Against a background of domestic rituals, the multiple relationships between them unfold, weaving memories, struggles and dreams.

They Live Next Door is a touching, tender and gritty show, intertwining theatre with intricate choreography and nostalgic melodies as it explores preconceptions around masculinity and communication.

Ieva (pronounced: Yeah-va) Kuniskis is a Lithuanian choreographer based in London. She combines dance and theatre to share stories about everyday life, creating an unique movement language and distinct authentic characters. Ieva interweaves universally relevant themes with affecting, personal stories, inviting audiences to relate to them and follow their own emotional journey in parallel to that of the characters.

They Live Next Door is now sold out. If you would like to see it, please contact us on 02077010100 to be put on the waiting list.

Commissioned by Swindon Dance

Supported by Pavilion Dance South West, The Point, Bradford Theatre In The Mill, Laban Theatre, The Mill Arts Centre Banbury

Funded by Arts Council England using public funding through the National Lottery.

They Live Next Door. Choreographer ieva Kuniskis. Trailer 2 NQ from Ieva Kuniskis on Vimeo.


Reviews

★★★★ "Kuniskis has a fine-tuned directorial skill, maintaining an arresting momentum across these brief vignettes, without any loss of her audience’s palpable fascination."

DanceTabs

Choreographer/Director
Ieva Kuniskis
Composer
Dougie Evans
Costume Designer
Ryan Dawson Laight
Lighting Designer
Barnaby Booth
Dramaturg
Lou Cope
Producer
Sarah Shead / Spin Arts
Research Producer
Jih-Wen Yeh / StepOutArts
Cast
Mark Boldin and Nicholas Minns

Supported by

  • Arts Council England and other sponsors part a
  • Arts Council England and other sponsors part b
  • Arts Council England and other sponsors part c
  • Arts Council England and other sponsors part d
Family

Storytelling at Elephant Park

 

Dates
Thursday 24 August 2017 - Wednesday 20 September 2017

Join Blue Elephant Theatre for interactive storytelling at the newly opened Elephant Park! Inspired by nature and aimed especially at early years, the Blue Elephant storytellers have a treat in store for local families!

Tickets are FREE - booking is advised but not essential. Book your tickets here

Find out more about Elephant Park.

Performance dates and times:
Wednesday 20th September at 10.00

Please note these performances are in Elephant Park only, and NOT at Blue Elephant Theatre.


Dance

Here Comes Trouble

Date
Thursday 27 July 2017

Through a series of robust episodes drawing on social and cultural influences from Yorkshire, Ireland and Jamaica, Keira rhythmically weaves together traditional music, authentic song and gutsy dance.

Best described as Irish dance deep in thought, she shares hard hitting and heart-warming chapters of her life to courageously address stereotypes and challenge labels. Witness her build bridges and burn them again, each time revealing a deeper layer of herself and her heritage.

This feisty yet vulnerable performance is entertaining and demonstrates the power and elegance of women in a very real and honest way.


Reviews

★★★★½ “Here Comes Trouble should be at top of your list of things to see.”

The Reviews Hub

★★★★ “Overall, an exciting and personal performance with expressive movement that showed her struggle as well as accomplishments.”

Female Arts

Choreographer:
Keira Martin
Director:
Charlotte Vincent
Composer:
Jamie Roberts
Costume and Set Design:
Ryan Laight
Photography by:
Joe Armitage Bone Shaker Photography
Lighting Design:
Huw Williams
Manager:
Sarah Shead Spin-Arts Management

Supported by

  • Arts Council England
  • Spin-Arts
Dance

Blue Cloud Scratch

Date
Friday 21 July 2017

Blue Cloud Scratch is an exciting new dance scratch night, showcasing works in progress from a diverse range of choreographers, and is curated by Blue Elephant Theatre and Cloud Dance Festival. Blue Cloud Scratch aims to encourage and provide emerging dance artists with opportunities to present their works in progress and receive feedback from audiences and peers.

For more about the Blue Cloud Scratch and Cloud Dance Festival, click here.

Inconnu (Unknown)

Choreographer- David Murley
Dancer - Briar Adams
Photography - Jane Hobson

In its Research and Development phase, Inconnu (Unknown) embarks on the journey of an individual’s mental breakdown. Often, the task of getting out of bed can be a triumph. The piece toys with the struggle of mental collapse and the ongoing thread of a deep-rooted sense of internal self-preservation and survival.

Former dancer of The Royal Opera, English National Opera, Grange Park Opera, The Dallas Opera and Glyndebourne Festival, and Touring Operas. David also worked in film, children’s theatre and was Artistic Director Of his own dance company, MurleyDance, for four years. He has also previously choreographed for London Studio Centre.

Bridie Gane - One Hit Wonder

One Hit Wonder is a solo show that delves into the history of women in entertainment. Bridie intends to channel the lives and personas of unconventional women that entertained the masses, reflecting on current views of females on and off stage. One Hit Wonder, which has already been shared as a draft at Dance Base's Spring Showcase and Buzzcut (2017), will be a nostalgic, riotous and retro-subversive solo that celebrates that unique wonder of women who perform.

Bridie Gane is a British choreographer and performer, creating independent solo and group work of a unique, retro theatricality. After training at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance, Bridie moved to Berlin to pursue her interest in choreography. Her first solo choreography, BIM BAM BUM (2013) won several awards including the Audience Prize and the title of the Best German Dance Solo at the Euro Scene Leipzig Competition. Bridie recently moved to Glasgow, where she is now based.

Konstantina Skalionta - Land(e)scape

Choreography/ Performance: Konstantina Skalionta

‘How long we have to go I am not sure...what I am sure is...that we need to keep on walking..’ A journey through accumulated memories and emotions unlocked through the act of walking.

Konstantina Skalionta has been making performances in an attempt to explore the human condition. She has collaborated with various fine artists such as Laura Elias and Bea Bonafini in bringing visual arts and dance together.Her work has been presented in various festivals in UK and Cyprus, amongst them Resolution 2016,2015,2014, Fiver Fridays (Chisenhale Dance Space), Women of Mass Destructon 2 (Rich Mix), 15th Cyprus Contemporary Dance Platform (Rialto).

Thank you to Alice Laidler (dancer) who was part of the creative process for the duet version of this performance

Shivaangee Agrawal - This Junction

Mentoring by Choreographers Mayuri Boonham and Yachao Zhu.
Music by Ben Pearson.

I encountered life on those streets as an outsider. As I walked, I was sensitive to both the overwhelming visceral experience and the theft of my personal agency. I began to yield to the streets, and they unfolded for me. It became more difficult to distinguish the ugly from the beautiful, my reality from theirs. This is about fighting for space and finding my place amongst the native inhabitants of this urban chaos.

Shivaangee Agrawal is a Bharatanatyam dancer by training, currently studying contemporary technique, choreography and choreology at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. Drawing on various artistic experiences from Tokyo to Bangalore, she aspires to exploit the nascent potential of Bharatanatyam to be a contemporary movement practice.

Lucidez Dance - Grief

Choreography, performance and costume: Lucia Schweigert
Music: Richard Wagner

Grief is a natural response to the death of a loved one or a loved life. It is a human ritual and this work is a dance about how it’s necessary and helpful to grieve when you have to deal with a seemingly unbearable situation.

Lucia Schweigert is a German-Chilean dance artist intrigued by female, cultural and national identity. She works as a dancer and choreographer and she is the co-founder of Kaleidoscopic Arts. Her work has been presented at Chisenhale Dance, Cityscapes, Dance Film Festival UK and CrisisArt Festival among others.

Tora Hed - Between Horses

Choreography/ Performance: Tora Hed

Between Horses is an ongoing solo project that Tora started in 2016. The work explores the physical memory that’s left after an action. In this piece Tora has been acknowledging what happens to the space where repetitions and echoings accrue.

Tora Hed is an independent choreographer and dancer, based in Leeds. She graduated from Northern School of Contemporary Dance 2015 and received the Carolyn Woolridge Outstanding Performance Award. Tora was successfully chosen to take part in Exit Visa 2016 at The Place. Over the past two years Tora has made works from solo to extended pieces and collaborated with other dance, music and film makers.

Kane John Mills - Remnants (a Triple Bill)

Choreography/ Performance: Kane John Mills

The individual works’ titles are The Mask You Wear, It keeps me up at night. & Divulge.

The Mask You Wear is heavily influenced by Kane’s long-term health conditions, delving into the façade that people create in order to maintain a false but more idealistic perception of themselves. What happens once you no longer have it in you to sustain this front?

It keeps me up at night. examines an imagined thought process that could occur if someone you knew went missing.

Divulge shares honest & dishonest things that no longer have to stay unsaid.

Recent NSCD graduate Kane John Mills is a Plymouth-born emerging choreographer and dance, theatre and installation artist. He has twice been the recipient of PDSW’s Young Choreographer’s Award, enabling him to create two works with mentorship and funding. He is also passionate about psychology, writing and proofreading/editing and aims to have his own inclusive company in the future.

Promotional Image for ‘The Mask You Wear’ taken by Matt Austin Photography.


Theatre

The Break-Up Monologues

 

Date
Wednesday 19 July 2017

Award-winning comedian and Radio 4 regular Rosie Wilby hosts this themed comedy, storytelling and spoken word night. Rosie is joined onstage by fellow performers Sophia Blackwell, VG Lee and Paula Varjack to look back at their best and worst relationship breakup stories. Tragedy plus time equals comedy, right?

Rosie Wilby's nonfiction book Is Monogamy Dead? is out in 2017 (Accent Press) following a trilogy of shows investigating love and relationships. The Conscious Uncoupling was the final part of this trilogy and was programmed for Southbank Centre Festival of Love 2016 and shortlisted for Funny Women Best Show 2016.

Sophia Blackwell's acclaimed new poetry collection The Fire Eater's Lover is available via Burning Eye Books. She has been described as 'dirty, juicy, knowing and open' by Stella Duffy.

VG Lee's fifth novel Mr Oliver's Object Of Desire is out now. She started performing comedy in her sixties and is a regular favourite at Paul Burston's Polari salon.

Paula Varjack's Letters I Never Sent To You, also published by Burning Eye, has been described as a 'stunning collection of snapshots, memoir and poetry, deeply personal, vulnerable and frank' by Salena Godden.

This event is supported by Southwark LGBT network and will be recorded for a highlights broadcast on Resonance FM.

The Breakup Monologues was first commissioned by Bradford Literature Festival.


Reviews

★★★★ "From the audience reaction, there was definitely the impression that The Break-Up Monologues could become a regular strand at the Blue Elephant."

The Reviews Hub

Devised, hosted and curated by
Rosie Wilby

Supported by

  • Metro
  • Southwark LGBT Network
  • Southwark Council
Dance

J7s Dance Company: An Evening with Giulia

Dates
Thursday 13 July 2017 - Friday 14 July 2017

J7s Dance Company is a professional dance company based in London. Founded by Italian choreographer Giulia Iurza, the company is particularly interested in the connection between mind and body. Striving to create pieces that psychologically push both dancers and audience, they begin by taking aspects from everyday life and use them as the stimulus to generate movement.

Join J7s at the Blue Elephant to share the journey the company takes in the studio to create their work. The night will feature pieces at different stages of their development, including Shikishin Funi, which premiered at The Place as part of Resolution, and their new work experimenting and collaborating with the composer Mau Loseto again. It will finish off with a Q&A session with Giulia Iurza.

“Iurza has a talent…and I cannot wait to see her next show. Truly one to watch.”
Sunday Express (Shikishin Funi)


Reviews

“As a performance, it was immensely moving.”

The Spy in the Stalls

Dance

Escape 2

by LCP Dance Theatre

Dates
Friday 7 July 2017 - Sunday 9 July 2017

LCP Dance Theatre invites their audiences on a journey of awareness of what’s going on in the world.

Escape 2 follows on from 2016’s Escape, recreating and re-telling the emotional journey of a refugee using innovative aerial dance and multimedia, against a stirring soundscape by Stefano Guzzetti. Fusing pole and silks performance with dance theatre, Escape 2 explores the impact of a new environment on a refugee, who must face social, political and psychological challenges in order to integrate with a new society.

Award winning LCP Dance Theatre draws awareness to human rights violations through dance and has been nominated twice at the Edinburgh Fringe for the Amnesty International Freedom of Expression Award.`

Praise for LCP Dance Theatre's previous work:

“Modern, moving, muscular & magnificent” The Mumble Dance (Escape)

“A compelling dance performance dealing with highly relevant issues” UK Theatre Network (Escape)

“LCP Dance Theatre offered something extraordinary” ★★★★ Female Art (I Am)

LCP Dance Theatre are raising money to bring Escape2 to Edinburgh this year. You can support them here.


Reviews

★★★★ "A powerful and demanding story about the social, political and psychological challenges that refugees face in order to begin a new life on new shores.”

The Spy in the Stalls

Theatre

Tit for Tat

Dates
Thursday 29 June 2017 - Friday 30 June 2017

Following the success of Female Intuition, Original Impact returns to the Blue Elephant to showcase more works of new writing.

Original Impact proves what is possible with a strong cast and some directorial creativity” Culturised on Original Impact’s Twelfth Night

Online bookings seem to be experiencing intermittent problems. Please note neither night is sold out yet and tickets can be booked by calling 02077010100 or bought on the door from 7pm.

The Watch

written by Will Langley
directed by Amelia O'Loughlin

'The Watch' is a symbol of the beginning of the end. You are going to see the beginning of a full-length play. Set in one room in a council flat on an estate in West London, 'The Watch' is a post-Brexit, post-Trump apocalyptic, not-so-far-stretched imagining of the future. The play tells the story of a group of people stuck in a very bad situation.
Having broken the law in several ways, and started a riot on rival estate, Queensmead; how will the Wyndham crew cope with the pressure? Will they stay true to The Watch?

The Empty Space

written by Alexandria Turner
directed by Joshua Jewkes

Is it worth it worth it? Being an actor? The gruelling audition process. The hours of unpaid work. The emotional strain. The inconsistency of work. The pretending. How do we really feel when we enter The Empty Space?

Shark

written by Kieron Tufft
directed by Alexandria Anfield

Shark examines trauma and fears within the confines of love. Spanning several years the play invites you to examine how the characters change with the tide of the modern world, and the people they become while trying to make their love work.

Dorian Grey

written by Niamh Headley-Vaugh
directed by Louis Labovitch

An adaptation of Oscar Wilde's "The Picture of Dorian Gray" we start in 90's London and end in modern day following Dorian's journey from a vulnerable and damaged sweet boy into what some would describe as a monster through the means of extreme romanticism, manipulation and hedonism.

Two of a Kind

written by Elizabeth Bryant
directed by Sean Hollands

'Why does there have to be two of everything?'
Society has conditioned us to need someone or something else to make us whole.
A Pair.
But what happens when we lose the other half?

Any and All

written by Louis Labovitch
directed by Elizabeth Bryant

These Four Walls

written by Amelia O'Loughlin
directed by Samuel Dunstan

These Four Walls is a timely and provocative tale of a young woman, Jess, living on the streets of London. As we follow in Jess' footsteps, touching on themes of loss, memory and security, it seems that Jess has lost everything, but in doing so, she may just have stumbled upon something out of the ordinary.


Comedy

Edinburgh Preview: Bilal Zafar & Jarlath Regan

Presented by Avalon Promotions Ltd.

Date
Wednesday 21 June 2017

Join us in June for Edinburgh Fringe previews at Blue Elephant Theatre!

Bilal Zafar: Biscuit

Join 2016 Best Newcomer nominee and Hackney Empire New Act of the Year winner of the same year as he explores the fascinating world of online dating and finding love on social media in increasingly confusing times. Bilal has appeared on Channel 4, BBC Three, BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio 4, BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Asian Network, and has written for the Independent.

'Catch him before he hits the mainstream' (Guardian)

'Fascinating and hilarious in equal measure' (i-D)

'Endearing, relaxed and naturally funny... hilarious ★★★★ (EdFestMag.com)

★★★★ (Skinny)

Jarlath Regan: Organ Freeman

A selfish man (“A very funny man at the peak of his powers” - Irish Post) is forced to reassess his entire life when his best friend needs a kidney. A standup show from the creator of multi-million downloaded Irishman Abroad podcast, about life and death, give and take, Ant and Dec, youth and young manhood, getting it wrong while getting it right and never worrying about anything ever again.

Organ Freeman is Jarlath’s ninth solo show and by far his biggest to date. You may know Jarlath Regan from such television shows as Tonight At The Palladium (ITV), Russell Howard’s Good News (BBC), Standup Central (Comedy Central), Last Comic Standing (NBC) and Goggle Box (Channel 4). As recommended by Ardal O’Hanlon, Marc Maron, Jack Whitehall, Jason Byrne, The Times, The Telegragh, The Guardian and Tripadvisor.

'Side-splitting stuff’ ★★★★ (Metro)

‘More laughs in the first 15 minutes than most comedians can muster in an hour’ ★★★★ (Herald)


Family

Dr Zeiffal, Dr Zeigal, and The Hippo That Can Never Be Caught!

by Mouth of Lions

Date
Sunday 18 June 2017

Calling all hippo expert enthusiasts!

Award-winning family comedy that will have kids storming the stage.

Dr. Zeiffal and Dr. Zeigal and The Hippo That Can Never Be Caught invites the audience to help the forgetful Dr. Zeiffal catch the crafty Hippo with her patented Hippo Instruments: the Invisible Hippo Blanket, the Hippo Google Googles and a blizzard of Hippo packaging.

Expect belly laughs, belly flops, surreal slapstick and fantastical falling over in this interactive family comedy created by Mouths of Lions.Bring your hippo catchers and your hippo google goggles, because Dr Zeiffal has most likely lost hers…

Age guideline: 4+

Praise for Dr. Zeiffal and Dr. Zeigal and The Hippo That Can Never Be Caught:

"Take your kids to see this and let their imaginations run wild." LondonTheatre1

"The audience are gleefully whipped into a hippo-hunting frenzy." Children’s Theatre Review

“Succeeding in every way” Curious Mum


Supported by

Comedy

Edinburgh Preview: Annie McGrath & Gareth Richards

Presented by Avalon Promotions Ltd.

Date
Friday 16 June 2017

Join us in June for Edinburgh Fringe previews at Blue Elephant Theatre!

Annie McGrath: Ambivert

After last year’s joke did so well (Dave’s Top Ten Funniest Jokes of the Fringe 2016), Annie returns to Edinburgh with another one. Annie has written and performed on ITV2, Channel 4, BBC Radio 4 Extra and BBC Radio Wales.

‘A real master of deadpan… delightfully dry’ (Skinny)

‘A flair for perfectly cutting short silliness with deadpan punchlines… Hilarious’ ★★★★★ (EdFringeReview.com)

‘Beautiful timing and spot-on delivery’ ★★★★ (TheTab.com)

‘McGrath’s dry sense of humour together with cool deliveries works a treat… Ridiculously funny’ ★★★★ (TheEdinburghReporter.co.uk)

Gareth Richards

Gareth Richards’ hilarious stand-up, silly jokes and gorgeously low-key comedy songs have made him an instant favourite on the comedy circuit. In 2010 he was nominated for Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Newcomer.

Gareth has appeared on Russell Howard’s Good News, Live at the Electric (BBC3) and live on Radio 1. Gareth co-hosted Frank Skinner’s Sony award-winning Absolute Radio show for two years and supported Frank on his 2014 tour.

Don’t miss the chance to see Gareth try out new material for his next Edinburgh Fringe show.

‘A delightful hour of comedy’ The Guardian

‘A quietly-clever craftsman with a big future’ Bruce Dessau, Evening Standard

‘His material has a delicious otherworldly quality’ ★★★★ Chortle.co.uk


Community arts

So U Think I'm CraZy?

Date
Sunday 11 June 2017

“Who would have thought I would end up like this?”

This hard-hitting emotive production explores the issues surrounding the mental health system in Britain today told through the eyes of a young black man.

Using dance, poetry and music this multi-sensory experience will take you from the streets of London to the secure wing of a psychiatric hospital.

Know My Mind (KMM) is a community theatre group in Croydon, London shining a spotlight on mental health issues from the perspective of service users and carers. So U Think I’m CraZy? is written and directed by KMM co-founder Ekanem Hines, a retired Social Worker with over 30 years experience specialising in mental health.

So U Think I’m CraZy? has sold out previous performances and been endorsed by the Mayor of Croydon and professionals from the Royal College of Psychiatry.

Age Guidance: 16+


Dance

Blue Cloud Scratch

Date
Tuesday 30 May 2017

Blue Cloud Scratch is an exciting new dance scratch night, showcasing works in progress from a diverse range of choreographers, and is curated by Blue Elephant Theatre and Cloud Dance Festival. Blue Cloud Scratch aims to encourage and provide emerging dance artists with opportunities to present their works in progress and receive feedback from audiences and peers.

For more about the Blue Cloud Scratch and Cloud Dance Festival, click here.

The Left Hand Path - Lucy Palmer Dance

Walking through life with socially acceptable masks, pulling the veil across each urge we choose to suppress. The Left Hand Path will explore the dark side of the psyche through an intrinsically woven male trio. Three bodies in space discovering their shadow side, unable and unwilling to accept the animalistic nature, envy and rage.

Lucy Palmer's choreographic work includes: 140BPM, The Latest Pair of Jimmy Choo’s, To See, Scratch Mark and How am I not myself? These have been presented at: The Crypt Gallery, The Place, and Woking Dance Umbrella. Lucy achieved her MA in Choreography from Middlesex University mentored by Christopher Bannerman, Emilyn Claid and Angela Woodhouse.

Choreographer: Lucy Palmer
Performers: Joey Barton, Harry Parr and Riley Wolf
Photo credit: Yulia Antonov

Wom(b)an – Mητ(έ)ρα - Despina Mavrou

Woman – mother – creator.

In the UK, 1 in 5 women are likely to have a hysterectomy by the age of 60. What does it mean to have/not have a womb and how is one's identity affected by it? Exploring the ways a body can create, the loss of the ability to create life enables the creation of this piece.

Choreographer & Performer: Despina Mavrou

Despina Mavrou is artistic director and co-founder of Piece by Piece dance company. She trained in classical, modern and contemporary techniques and choreography in Cyprus and London. Despina's choreography is concerned with issues that affect her personally, as well as societal matters that affect women widely, and tries (and occasionally succeeds) to inject some light-heartedness and humour into her work.

This solo was created through a one year residency at Space@Clarence Mews, with mentoring and support from Caroline Salem.

Photo credit: Despina Mavrou

Living is Dancing - Justine Reeve and Company

Living is dancing explores the desire that dancers have for finding performance work, voyeuristically watching four dancers trapped in the audition process. It embodies a time when you are at your most optimistic, naive, venerable, self-conscious but determined to spend a lifetime in dance, before you grasp that nettle. Performed by dancers from companies apprentice programme and aimed at KS3/KS4.

Choreographer: Justine Reeve
Performers: Xanthe Wilson, Hester Gill, Ella Fleetwood, Vicky Mead & Katherine Voget
Music composed by: Paul Sandrone
Voice: Justine Reeve
Film/photos: Jeremy Reeves

Justine Reeve and Company make work that reveals the diverse state of existence exploring the unhinged aspects of the human condition. There is an on-going exploration of the relationship between movement, text, music and comedy and how these forms can be used to reveal a mischievous and poignant expression. This has been revealed more recently in her irrepressible web series Smacks of Naff.

aLove Story - MCDC

Are we more devoted to gadgets than our loved ones, seeking positive reinforcement and emotional attachment from our phones in place of other human beings? aLove Story takes you on a journey we can all relate to. In a digital age, this piece explores the attachment love can bring.

Choreographer & performer: Michaela Cisarikova
Spoken word artist: Malin Smedhagen
Photo credit: Imoje Aikhoje

MCDC was founded by Artistic Director and Choreographer Michaela Cisarikova in 2014 in London. Commissions and other Performances include: Breaking Convention 2017 at Sadler’s Wells, Emerge Festival 2016, Resolution 2017, The Living Advent Calendar at Folkestone, East London Dance, Junction Dance, The Space Theatre, The Broadway Theatre, The Longfield Hall, Stara Arena (Czeck Republic), Dom Kultury Cadca (Slovakia), Nakuru Players Theatre (Kenya), Footprint Festival and others. MDCD’s mission is to challenge creativity; explore diversity and broaden audiences within dance.

Return to Troy - Sarah Louise Kristiansen

Return to Troy is inspired by Homer’s Odessey. In an abstract dreamlike state Ulyssus returns to a destroyed Troy, aware that in any war that is won, a loser also exists. The piece is inspired by current global political affairs which relates to Homer’s Odessey by sharing stories of belonging, displaced bodies and desolate memories.

Choreographer: Sarah Louise Kristiansen
Image credit: Muhannad Shono

Danish-born choreographer Sarah Louise Kristiansen has worked internationally in prestigious venues including The Royal Albert Hall, The Kremlin Theatre, The Gwangju Biennale, The ICA and has completed further training at Millennium Dance Studios and EDGE Pac in Los Angeles. Additionally she has spent time in the Shaolin Temple in China, researching Shaolin Wushu martial arts. Sarah Louise has travelled the world dancing and running successful projects globally, including with her company Making Dance Happen, which she decided to establish to promote community development through international research excursions for young artists.