SPACE AND WORDS FOR DANCERS

This project began with a week of work led by Julyen Hamilton and Billie Hanne, in July 2015. It was hosted by Chisenhale Dance Space and curated by Robert Vesty and A de la Fe. The week consisted of a 6-day workshop for 25 professional dancers, focusing on the use of space and words in performance; public performances of two solo pieces Play by Hamilton and Deep Brown Sea by Hanne; an Evening Talk with Hamilton & Hanne talking in-depth about their work and the making of poetry and dance; and rounded off with a final Discussion Day, which revolved around the question of ‘What skills are required of the dancer and poet to produce poetry and dance in performance?’ Out of this, a special edition of the journal Choreographic Practices on the topic of words and dance was published in Spring 2017. Space and Words for Dancers was funded by Arts Council England, with further support from Middlesex University and Chisenhale Dance Space. Documentation from the event is archived here.

Performances

Play by Julyen Hamilton

Play is a solo from Julyen Hamilton. It followed on from The Immaterial Wold and The Forerunner pieces which have been shown throughout Europe, in Russia and west centre and east in the USA. Play faces the art of improvisation head-on. It listens to and provides the stream of poetry which is characteristic of Hamilton’s work over the past decades. It uses local architecture and objects, refined movement, poignant lighting and precise action to entertain the very moment, to give it throne and street corner, heaven and basement.

Play was performed at Chisenhale Dance Space, London on Thursday 16 July 2015, 7pm

Deep Brown Sea by Billie Hanne

In Deep Brown Sea the world is simple and enormous. It is a giant vessel that is largely empty and every move and word echo for years. There are no transitions, nothing is to be arranged or to be accounted for. The words they come and they are true, full. They might look to have consequence, but there is no such thing at this underwater level below the mud. Action is devoid of reaction and so there is nothing that has to be done.

Deep Brown Sea is a solo piece by The Wheel
Text and Choreography: Billie Hanne
Costume: Eloïse Neuville
Overall Vision: Billie Hanne

Deep Brown Sea was performed at Chisenhale Dance Space, London on Thursday 16 July 2015, 7pm

The Workshop

A 6-day dance workshop investigating the specific areas of space and words with Julyen Hamilton & Billie Hanne ran from Monday 13 to Saturday 18 July, 2015.

T H E    S P A C E   I S S U E (with Julyen Hamilton)

In space both voice and body have place, have volume. In this volume can resound what emanates from us as we make dance and words. Space as a central area of obsession in the dancer’s work concerns both geometrical and emotional powers as a basic language of sensitivity and communication.

W O R D S   I N   P E R F O R M A N C E (with Billie Hanne)

When a dancer produces words and movement he engages the powers of the space and of his actual body. It is suggested to think about voice and text in a three-dimensional way to allow the dancing body to be a dynamic place where words take form in the dancer’s physicality.

Participants

Photos by Maria Andrews

Photographer/Film-maker, Maria Andrews, was with us in the studio throughout the week. Here’s a selection of her work.

Conversations

An Evening Talk

An Evening Talk with Julyen Hamilton and Billie Hanne speaking in-depth about their work and the making of poetry and dance took place on Friday 17 July, 2015 at Chisenhale Dance Space. This public event was a unique chance to listen and talk and ask questions directly about the practice of performing text and dance supported by rich imagery and footage.

The Discussion Day

The Discussion Day used Open Space Technology (OST) and took place on Sunday 19 July, 2016 10am – 5pm at Chisenhale Dance Space responding to the question: What Skills Are Required of the Dancer and Poet to Produce Poetry and Dance in Performance? This was an opportunity for dancers, poets and scholars to come together to think, debate and plan action. Its outcomes are fully documented in the following blog posts.

WHAT SKILLS ARE REQUIRED OF THE DANCER AND POET TO PRODUCE POETRY AND DANCE IN PERFORMANCE? (MAIN QUESTION)
Discussion Day Blog

WHAT SKILLS ARE REQUIRED OF THE DANCER AND POET TO PRODUCE POETRY AND DANCE IN PERFORMANCE? (MAIN QUESTION)

What Skills are Required of the Dancer and Poet to Produce Poetry and Dance in Performance? REPORT? What are the different/similar processes of languaging and moving?  (VIDA) Typed How Do I Start to Work In A Studio? (STEFANIE) Typed How can I get beyond my resistance and perform regularly (KATE) How does the poem remain…
WHAT ARE THE ELEMENTS THAT ARE LOST IN TRANSLATION? (MAKIKO)
Discussion Day Blog

WHAT ARE THE ELEMENTS THAT ARE LOST IN TRANSLATION? (MAKIKO)

What are the elements that are lost in translation? – Is it lost or transformation? – Do we need to be understood? and is it important in performance for the audience to know your intension, mood, atmosphere? – Perhaps mix any languages/sound that resonate and capture the intension of that moment. What happens physically when…
WHAT CAN POETRY BE IN DANCE? WHAT CAN DANCE BE IN POETRY? (SARIE)
Discussion Day Blog

WHAT CAN POETRY BE IN DANCE? WHAT CAN DANCE BE IN POETRY? (SARIE)

Topic: what can Poetry be in dance? what can Dance be in poetry? You can listen to the first part of the discussion here:   https://www.spaceandwordsfordancers.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Saries-Discussion.mp3 List of participants (if known): SJ Robert Sarie Julyen Antonio Martino Margaret ———————- Discussion / recommendations / next steps… Lots of loops into the fact that, historically, dance and…
EVENING NEWS (BECCY)
Discussion Day Blog

EVENING NEWS (BECCY)

Evening News: Evening News from OS Poetry and Dance The most important priority that emerged from today for those who felt they could share… Discovering the principal with instant composition. Rethinking relationship to words on a page.   Remain open and fully invested in what you’re doing here rather than thinking of outcomes or what you…
WHAT TO DO ABOUT TECHNOLOGY? (ROBERT)
Discussion Day Blog

WHAT TO DO ABOUT TECHNOLOGY? (ROBERT)

TOPIC TITLE: What To Do About Technology? NAME OF PERSON CONVENING: ROBERT VESTY LIST OF PARTICIPANTS VIDA MIGELOW ROBERT VESTY JULYEN HAMILTON SUSAN KEMPSTER ______________________________________________________________________________________ Discussions / Recommendations / Next Step: I called this because I know how integral technology is to Julyen and Billie’s work, both within it often but also as a way…
WHAT PIECE WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE NEXT AND HOW? (BILLIE)
Discussion Day Blog

WHAT PIECE WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE NEXT AND HOW? (BILLIE)

Pieces THE PURSUIT BENCE a pre-written text, written by Bence a dialogue or monologue the subject of the text: philosophy of trying to reach beauty in life. When the object of desire is beauty, what does one do to get it. A philosophical deconstruction of beauty, how this is present in reality, how we seek…
HOW DOES A POEM REMAIN A POEM IN MOVEMENT? (SCOTT)
Discussion Day Blog

HOW DOES A POEM REMAIN A POEM IN MOVEMENT? (SCOTT)

Topic: How does a poem remain a poem in movement? Topic champion: Scott Those who assisted (in order of appearance): Manou, Billie, Antonio, Maria, Rob Topics we spoke about: -Words on paper versus words in space (memorisation vs page) -Set words versus instantly composed words -Improvisation vs instant composition vs live-editing -A performance being contained…
HOW ARE YOU RECEIVING DANCE AND POETRY: THROUGH WHICH TECHNOLOGIES AND SITUATIONS? (JULYEN)
Discussion Day Blog

HOW ARE YOU RECEIVING DANCE AND POETRY: THROUGH WHICH TECHNOLOGIES AND SITUATIONS? (JULYEN)

Topic Title:   How are you receiving dance and poetry- through which technologies and situations? Name of person who called the session:     JULYEN   List of Participants: N/A     ________________________________________________   Discussion / Recommendations / Next Steps:     “GONE FISHING – HAPPILY SO” (signed Julyen)
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT/SIMILAR PROCESSES OF LANGUAGING AND MOVING? (VIDA)
Discussion Day Blog

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT/SIMILAR PROCESSES OF LANGUAGING AND MOVING? (VIDA)

Topic Title:   What are the different:similar processes of languaging and moving? Name of person who called the session: VIDA List of Participants: ________________________________________________________________________ Discussion / Recommendations / Next Steps: What do we mean by languaging? – friday the physical voice in the body Meaning making, as (more) evident in words The addition of just…
HOW CAN I GET BEYOND MY RESISTANCE AND PERFORM REGULARLY? (KATE)
Discussion Day Blog

HOW CAN I GET BEYOND MY RESISTANCE AND PERFORM REGULARLY? (KATE)

Remember the first time you went to a show and saw your favorite band. You wore their shirt, and sang every word. You didn’t know anything about scene, haircuts, or what was cool. All you knew was that this music made you feel different from anyone you shared a locker with. Someone finally understood you. This is what music is about.

HOW CAN WE CONTINUE MAKING THIS WORK AMONGST US? (SOPHIE/ANTONIO)
Discussion Day Blog

HOW CAN WE CONTINUE MAKING THIS WORK AMONGST US? (SOPHIE/ANTONIO)

Remember the first time you went to a show and saw your favorite band. You wore their shirt, and sang every word. You didn’t know anything about scene, haircuts, or what was cool. All you knew was that this music made you feel different from anyone you shared a locker with. Someone finally understood you. This is what music is about.

After the Work-Week

Space and Words Collective

Several participants continued to practise and perform as Space and Words Collective and document the work as part of this project.

Use/User/Used/ Exhibition – 6 & 18 February 2016
Projects | Space and Words Collective

Use/User/Used/ Exhibition – 6 & 18 February 2016

Use/User/Used/ is an exhibition that explores the effects of 24/7 working culture and questions societal pressures to continuously perform. The show presents works from the Zabludowicz Collection alongside new live performance and dance commissions. Space and Words Collective will participate at Use/User/Used/ exhibition on Saturday 6 and Thursday 18 February between 12noon and 6pm. This…

Spontaneous Combustion Festival – Sunday 4 October 2015
Projects | Space and Words Collective

Spontaneous Combustion Festival – Sunday 4 October 2015

A group of us, Sound Life Collective, participated at the Spontaneous Combustion 2015 festival, hosted at the Copeland Gallery in Peckham performance: Antigone Avdi, Lavinia Cascone, Susan Kempster, Sarah Kent, Jan Lee, Tim Murray­-Browne, Delphine Robetsound design: Tim Murray-Browne, Jan Leeperformance photos and videography by Petra Puchelova