This is not a body
Dance, visual art and music. This is not a body celebrates physicality through invigorating movement, poetic and bold visual art and driving new music. Projected art absorbs the dancers in colour and line, dynamic music propels them into a stream of motion, surging through the contortions and rush of movement. This exciting blend of dance, image and sound from a company of six dancers and collaborators from across Europe provide a compelling evening of beauty, power and exhilaration.
This is not a body is the second part in the triptych that Eleven Stories for the body, distance to the soul initiated last year. It takes its inspiration, not from text this time, but from visual art, developing surrealist themes through both the creation and the performance. Rene Magritte’s Ceci n’est pas une pipe was used as a starting point and the idea that surrealist painters wanted the public to realise that art can be interpreted through emotion rather than intellect. Choreographer Filip Van Huffel is encouraging audiences to watch the dance in the same way, the artistic meaning is up to the viewer, whatever they see or feel.
This is not a body was a collaborative venture for the artists. Choreographer Filip Van Huffel collaborated with the six dancers, visual artist Brian Hartley and composers Dave Boyd and Axelle Kennes to create an integrated whole.
“Van Huffel’s vocabulary is a fresh and unusual mix of abstract moves, mime and theatricality. He bends his dancers in amazing shapes with an intriguing interplay of limbs, quirky balances and exciting athleticism.”
(Stephanie Ferguson - The Guardian)
Promoters click here for more information.
See the This is not a body video.
Collaborators
Axelle Kennes - Composer
Axelle is a pianist and composer, but uses her interest in other art forms as a source of inspiration. She studied piano at The Royal Flemish Conservatoire of Antwerp where she graduated with a masters degree in music.
Brian Hartley - Visual Artist
Brian is a Glasgow based artist whose work embraces a fusion of visual art, dance and design. After studying at Glasgow School of Art he worked as artist in residence from 1995-97 with Glasgow�s New Moves dance festival, creating drawings as a response to performances.
Dave Boyd - Composer
Dave is an energetic innovator working across different forms and disciplines, challenging conventions with a unique blend of talent, humour and style. He has composed and performed scores for theatre, television, film and dance productions and been in receipt of Composer's Bursary awards from Arts Councils in Ireland and the UK.
Dancers
Laure Bachelot
Originally from France, Laure started dancing when she was three years old. She got her diplome d'études choréographiques from the conservatoire national de region d'Angers.
Matthew Slater
Matt first started dancing at the age of 17 as part of his performing arts A-level, he then went on to study a BPA(hons) in contemporary dance at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance, Leeds.
Rohanna Halls
Rohanna completed her BA Honours at the London Contemporary Dance School, before joining their postgraduate company Edge. As a member of Edge she worked with Charles Linehan, Hofesh Shector, Maresa Von Stockert, Jonathan Lunn and Martin Lawrence.
Stephen Moynihan
Stephen is originally from Cork, Ireland where he began dancing on a foundation course at the Firkin Crane with Colaiste Stiofain Naofa under Alan Foley. He then completed his BA Honours degree at London Contemporary Dance School.
Tory East
Tory is from Southampton where she originally trained in Latin American and Ballroom, competing for the South of England. She started contemporary dance at the age of 16 and went on to train at London Contemporary Dance School.
