What can someone popping into Eltham Library next week expect to find?
An underwater research lab. Researching the colour and texture of water with watercolours, batik, crayons, fabric dye and many more. Experimenting with the sound of water – splashing, listening and playing with water in big buckets. Creating an underwater soundscape which we will do on the Friday. Moving like fish through the water, stepping through mud and experimenting with the quality of water
The workshops are part of the making of a new show – can you tell us anything more about it?
The Little Watersprite is the third in a trilogy of participatory dance performances. Following ‘The Little Witch’ and ‘The Adventures of The Little Ghost’ both of which very successfully toured theatres across the UK in 2014/15 and 2016/2017, TLWS is the first of the series that will be created as an outdoor performance. The project will engage audiences in a magical, immersive world that unfolds before their eyes.. Drawing inspiration from old travelling street theatre and German author Otfried Preussler’s enchanting story ‘Der kleine Wassermann’, TLWS will dazzle and delight audiences through this high quality, original and accessible performance walking a line between dance and theatre holding storytelling at its heart.
What will the process be after you have spent a week in Eltham?
We will go into a second Research phase in September/ October. Here, an intergenerational cast of 4 professional dancers will come together to test further ideas around the show. We will make some movement material, try some ideas for community engagement and also experiment with set and prop ideas. After that, we will hopefully fundraise for making the show in December and January and tour the show next summer.
What is it that interests you about working with communities and the outdoors?
My work is all around engaging people from all walks of life in high quality dance experiences. As audience but also as participants, makers and helpers. I believe that everyone can and should dance as it is such a wonderful way of connecting with each other. I loved making every single one of The Little Series and seeing how people from all walks of life come together and experience and being part of a great artistic experience. “Caring arises from experiencing connection”
As I want to make my work even more accessible I believe that it needs to be outdoors – a community piece that is performed in the community. So that I reach and can work with people that wouldn’t ordinarily go into the theatre.
Do you have any more performances and projects coming up?
I have just finished working with several schools on a big performance project. I am also organising a dance and nature weekend for families in October.
