R&D Insights week 4: The Deluge
Photo credit: Jamie Morgans. Dancers: Carrie Whitaker & Aya Kobayashi
Day 1 & 2
Our end of 2014 has been so productive, we have created the map of The Deluge with Nick, we earned peace of mind over Christmas break, all what we need to do is making the map fuller and richer, with our detailed physicality and individual attachments to The Deluge.
It's 6.30am, I got up early to write this. Why not! I hear many seagulls crying, we are right front of the sea, beautiful Bournemouth. Lila has worked in Pavilion Dance South west many times and I have a lot of great memories here. I think one of this project's spark is when the touring period becomes a weeklong residency at the venues and focusing on stronger and longer connection with local people. I really think this is a wonderful way to develop the community and each performer to find meaning of touring in the individual level.
I enjoyed Sarah's class, she puts 100% into everything and provides us with such a positive energy. I have danced with Sarah most of the day today, working on what i would call the 'on the edge of cliff duet'; if one thing goes wrong it's over, you are falling into deep, deep loss! Does this duet become natural at some point? I can't imagine that at moment. Abi said something interesting, apparently, it's nice to watch us moving together as we have similar central gravity but Sarah's emphasis of movement is the beginning of movement while mine is the ending of movement. Interesting observation!
We have been working on this project, stop and start over a year (including the R&D), when we reflect back on the development of each section, it is so fantastic, i think this should be a written document for uni students. I remember when we were working on just generating the material in Chisenhale dance space in June, it was only a collection of gestures. I remember when we were learning the 8 pictures of movements in Chichester, it looked like (I looked like) recreation of GCSE dance study.
It will have so much in it and so much development that audience won't see. I love this process and feel lucky to experience these recipes of creation. This is only an example, and every section has similar processes and stories behind it. Carrie and Jamie's duet gets more and more truthful. It is incredible what they are doing. I am used to seeing these two people’s physical intelligence, but I won't forget Nick's face when he said, 'bloody hell'. In terms of memorising all the movement is a bit hard, but Abi really guides us to find more layers of choreographic challenges every week, every day. I think it's functionally working well especially that we step away from rehearsals and collect the thoughts of what are needed… Thank god, what an invention video is! And what a happy lucky team that we have, Doug carries all the footage. Dougie's music keeps us going all day with occasional Mama's voice from Sarah, Dougie's editing made us smiles.
Alice the costume/prop maker brought many suitcases today. All looked great, but none of them are mine! I went to India this Christmas and my suitcase didn't arrive with me. I'm waiting to receive my actual suitcase for last 3 days! This is too surreal!
Aya Kobayashi
Day 3
So today I taught Company class, and it was really lovely to see some local dancers joining in with us. They brought a high level of enthusiasm and energy that was greatly appreciated.
"Detailed" is the word I'd use to describe the afternoon of rehearsals. Finding the intricacy of the movements and the finer details that will inevitably draw in and immerse the audience.
We also experienced a little taster of some sound possibilities for our instillation rooms, that will accompany the main performance space of The Deluge. This was a very exciting moment- there was a strong realisation of what this work was about, and what it is going to feel like for the audience.
To finish off the day we worked with our extended cast on the very beginning of the work. They were a fantastic group of enthusiastic, talented individuals, who really took to the work, putting themselves fully into it, and matched the level that we as a company have worked for many weeks to build.
Jamie :)
Day 4 & 5
This week at Pavilion Dance South West has been quite an adventure. We've made some really exciting developments and we've also worked some 10 hour days- and this Thursday and Friday were no exception.
Thursday:
I began by taking class. Wonderful to have dancers from the community joining us all of this week for morning class- we need the extra energy that new faces bring. We began slowly by bringing awareness to all areas of the body and with a focus on opening the joints and finding the weight of the bones. And because I simply can't help myself this led to more complicated and energetic phrases- what's a class without a little sweat!?
I spent the rest of the day working with Aya and Carrie on the "jacket duet". Within this section the dancers use one jacket between them, reaching their hands through the sleeves in quick patterns in such a way that who's hand is who's is lost somewhere in the process. This of course is the illusion we are trying to achieve, however directing and dancing this duet is rather like trying to solve sudoku puzzles- it requires a clear sense of logic in order to not be fooled by your eyes. In directing this duet I no longer use the dancers names but rather use terms such as "this arm" and "that arm" since I can't always identify Aya's limb from Carrie's. All 4 of the dancers experience a duet that uses the jacket as a prop in a similar way. I cannot express how hard this is to perform and what a test of patience it is for all involved. Not only are the dancers squashed up against one another inside 1 jacket for long hours of rehearsal (imagine the sweat!) but the clarity of action that this duet requires is very demanding.
In the evening we were joined by our full extended cast for the Bournemouth performance. It was absolutely brilliant to see our ideas come together on so many bodies. This evening the "World" of the deluge filled the building of PDSW and at last we were able to be physically fully immersed in our ideas as the action unfolded around us. Thank you to all of those who came and we look forward to seeing you next week.
This evening the "World" of the deluge filled the building of PDSW and at last we were able to be physically fully immersed in our ideas as the action unfolded around us.
Friday:
Aya began the day with a beautiful class that brought our attention to the internal workings of the body and gave them a "voice" to enable us to be moved from the inside out. There is something about Aya's delivery that captivates her audience- she utterly believes in her practice and because of this we are with her.
Today we shared a run through of The Deluge with the PDSW team as well as some other guests. It was so useful to share our work with a crowd. Quite often when making work he team can become quite insular, where all participants have a very informed and therefore subjective view of the work. It is important to get it out in the open, to test ideas and let them settle into a performance setting and to receive feedback. In this circumstance I saw the moment that I love most in all dance processes. The moment where I (the director) no longer has a voice, where the performers fully embody the role they are playing to assume full ownership over each moment. This is when the work comes alive- the direction and the choreography dissolves into something that feels spontaneous and felt. Well done dancers.
The day finished with a really exciting conversation with our lighting designer Joshua Pharo and Production Manager Sam Wood. We are hatching plans for some very original lighting design, watch this space....
Abi xx
Photo credit: Cover image & photo 1 & 4 by Jamie Morgans, Photo 2 & 3 by Dougie Evans. Dancers: Carrie Whitaker & Aya Kobayashi, Aya Kobayashi & Jamie Morgans, Carrie Whitaker & community cast performers at Pavilion Dance South West.
