ChoreoRoam

Very rarely does one get invited to a ‘sharing’, a work that in its description is simply that. Something that is not finished as such, but yet, may never reach that stage.  Something that is so unique and extremely delicate, because of the nature of creatives and their precious ideas, a ‘sharing’ therefore is something that one is privileged to be invited to attend.

I was lucky enough to be invited to the ‘sharing’ of the current group of  participants at the  Robin Howard Theatre at The Place, London on Thursday 17th December 2009.

ChoreoRoam is a unique international research and development project involving the organisational partners; The Place, London, Operaestate Festival Veneto in Italy, Dansescenan in Copenhagen, Denmark, Dance Week Festival in Croatia along with associate partners Danstaliers in the Netherlands and Certamen Coreografico de Madrid in Spain.

This, the second year of Roberto Casarotto and Eddie Nixon’s conception with funding from the British Council  along with additional aid amongst the European bodies involved,  is doing particularly well considering the large financial cuts within the Arts in the last year, especially as this project is not something that actually delivers what most people would call a final performance or a completion.

The beauty of ChoreoRoam is just the opposite: It allows for twelve choreographers and or dance associates, to work together to inspire, to collaborate on techniques and infuse each other with looking outside their own remits. By travelling to the various countries involved, this can be achieved as the participants do not have their familiar surroundings to distract them.

I first became aware of this particular collection of hidden talents in  Bassano del Grappa, when, I was invited to write a daily blog on the performances and events surrounding the Operaestate festival. Introduced to  the personalities involved and friendships made, I however, did not see their performances as such (apart from Silvia Gribaudi, and what an impression she made, oh yes!).  So when I  was invited to see their work here at The Place, I went with bated breath.

Delightful, funny, warm, delicate, poignant, energetic, beautiful, are just some instant thoughts that spring to mind. The whole performance was linked together magically by the previous introducing the next and so on, the interludes of Helen Cerina, with her live art piece of architectural bombardment worked a treat. Sharon Fridman started off the night with a piece that involved each of the ChoreoRoam family and, I do believe, they are a family, something that the whole process subliminally delivers.

The evening continued as it began, complete interaction amongst the group, allowing their own individual personalities to shine through and yet working together in such a way, that you can not but come to realise that these twelve different and highly creative souls, had formed a bond that would last far beyond the end of their ChoreoRoam experience.

It is this unity that I think makes the project a triumph. Yes the ‘Sharing’ was a success. Yes, the dancers and choreographers performed well and yes the eclectic pieces allowed for their individualities, but what I take from this ‘Sharing’ is the completely overwhelming feeling that it is so important to work amongst your peers: to be allowed to ‘play’, to be associated with others as mentors and mentees, all having more or less experience in the trade they are in.

Amongst this world of corporate industries, The Arts is often left alone to fend for itself, most obviously within the financial remits, but what is often mistaken and often forgotten is the actuality of the artist, the practice and the dependency that the creative mind requires.

It would do for more independent bodies to look at this project remit and understand what it is that allows for such a freedom of discovery whilst progressing the trade and its individuals that practice it.  Roberto and Eddie have constructed a formula that works. 

Being invited to this ‘Sharing’, one gets to see this intricacy and within that the need for companionship amongst the like. It is indeed a privilege to be invited and I thank you ChoreoRoam for existing.

La

x

ChoreoRoam article on The Latest