How might the onboard community move, how might they express fundamental ideas of closeness and distance through physical interaction? The Grange and KSA Dance are using this space to experiment with different forms of movement, as well as the sign language Makaton, to develop a choreographic sequence that explores core aspects of the group’s identity; this will be revisited in onboard workshops and will ultimately be performed on and around the boat in autumn 2020.
Check back to this page to see the progress of the project!
The Grange and KSA Dance (21 June)
Zoom movement workshop with members of The Grange and KSA Dance.
KSA Dance (21 June)
Nichelle Franklin – Dance improvisation to a Ted Talk speech about community.
The Grange (20 June)
Makaton Sign Language
KSA Dance (20 June)
Nichelle Franklin – I am responding to the word distance. I created abstract movements that represent each letter in the word distance. Towards the end I explored movements close and further away from the body.
Caroline Lofthouse
KSA Dance (19 June)
Louisa Pope
Dr Beatrice Jarvis
The Grange and KSA Dance (18 June)
Zoom movement workshop with members of The Grange and KSA Dance.
KSA Dance (18 June)
Dr Beatrice Jarvis
The Grange (17 June)
Rosemary developing a sequence based on Makaton sign language.
Makaton Sign Language
KSA Dance (17 June)
Isobel Cook and Alexandra Fryer – Together through social distancing. This piece explores the ways in which dance brings people together and how we feel through a time of separation and social distancing. Through the use of social media, dance and art you can feel metaphorically close to people whilst having physical distance between you.
The Grange (16 June)
Jo developing a sequence based on Makaton sign language.
KSA Dance (16 June)
Immaculate Lubega – BLM. Exploring the themes of community and togetherness, I was inspired by the current events in the world and I have used to opportunity to show my support through movement as a black woman. This is the time we need to stand up and fight for the lives of black people and uplift each other in any way possible, but above all, LOVE each other.
Dr Beatrice Jarvis
Dr Beatrice Jarvis – Still movement. A short reflection upon distance and separateness. A short improvisation exploring a sense of drawing into the body and releasing. Using the idea of gathering from our surroundings, holding everything we can close; this improvisation plays with the simple idea of the body as an archive; holding experience and releasing it through movement.
The Grange (15 June)
Abi developing a sequence based on Makaton sign language.
Makaton Sign Language
KSA Dance (15 June)
Isobel Cook and Alexandra Fryer – Together Through Social Distancing. This piece explores the ways in which dance brings people together and how we feel through a time of separation and social distancing. Through the use of social media, dance and art you can feel metaphorically close to people whilst having physical distance between you.
The Grange
We are a charity based in Bookham supporting people with disabilities to lead independent & fulfilling lives. The Grange wants to lead the way as provider of choice for people with learning disabilities, inspiring our local and wider communities. Our Group Living service is designed for people with moderate learning & physical disabilities who need 24/7 care and support. We do everything we can to ensure our clients are personally involved in any decisions that affect them. In our Supported Living care, you have your own flat or bedsit for which our clients are responsible. Our Support Workers help them develop their skills so that they can live in their own home with as much independence as possible. The Grange has a dynamic, award-nominated range of skills training & sports and leisure activities for people with learning and physical disabilities. For more information visit The Grange’s website, Instagram @thegrangeatbookham, Twitter @TheGrangeCentre or Facebook The Grange at Bookham.
KSA Dance
For our Digital Dance Residence as part of The Origin, we will be coming together to make solo and group online improvisations around the key themes of community, togetherness, separateness, closeness, distance. Working with these ideas alone and together in a range of dance styles and movement practices; we will work to explore the notion of a digital supportive dance community; in which we support, nurture and challenge each other through supported improvisations. Making use of digital platforms we will readdress what it means to be a dance community and also how we can utilise and apply our dance practices and trainings to address our current moods, mindsets and emotions through movement. Our intention is to curate a safe, opening and welcoming space where through our movements and stillness, breath and gesture we can share, activate and communicate together as we navigate new ways of being together.
Kingston University’s dance degree offers a diverse and exciting curriculum by combining critical and creative practice. Students study a diverse range of global dance styles; developing their own unique dance identity by exploring areas such as choreography, dance technique and performance, cultural dances, teaching dance and event management. Students work collaboratively; in placements; in the local community and in work across a wide range of performance styles. The dance course also capitalises on London’s vibrant multicultural dance scene and encourages students to address the social and political implications and applications of their forming dance practice. For more information visit the course website.
Students from KSA Dance: Akeino James, Alex Fryer, Anya Handzel, Immaculate Lubega, Izzy Cook, Jakub Ujczak, Lauren Woollard, Louisa Pope and Olivia Hutton.
KSA Dance team members leading collaboration with L4, L5 and L6 students are:
Dr Beatrice Jarvis: urban space creative facilitator, choreographer and researcher, and founder of the Urban Research Forum and The Living Collective. Drawing from Somatic practices and working extensively with improvisation; Beatrice works across a diverse range of community settings both nationally and internationally to explore through site-based and studio practices; the social power and potential of embodied movement practices. Her socio-choreographic research has been profiled within Pina Bausch Symposium, Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, dOCUMENTA (13), National School of Art Bucharest, Galway Dance Festival, Goldsmiths CUCR Tate, and AAG. Her commissions include GroundWorks Jerwood Space, Steven Lawrence Center and EGFK Berlin. For more information visit her website.
Caroline Lofthouse: a senior lecturer in Dance and a founding member of staff in the Dance Department at Kingston University. With a BA (Hons) in Contemporary Dance and an MA in Dance Training and Education both from London Contemporary Dance School, she has worked in dance for over 20 years. Before Kingston, she performed extensively with Loop Dance Company, working with choreographers such as Jonzi D, Yael Flexer and Filip Van Huffel. She has worked for Richard Alston Dance Company and was a faculty member at London Contemporary Dance School, Roehampton University and London Studio Centre. She is also an Associate Artist with Candoco Dance Company. For more information visit her website.