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MEDIA RELEASE 24 JUNE 2008
Dance and politics: “The House in motion”
Canberra’s QL2 Centre for Youth Dance has been commissioned by Old Parliament House to create a short dance performance for its relaunch as a museum exploring the past, present and future of Australian democracy. What information resides in the corridors of power? Are we as informed as we would like to be? How much freedom do we have? The work seeks to ask more questions than it answers, and explores how dance can be used to interpret and present ideas, characters and stories from Old Parliament House, making them more accessible to young audiences.
QL2 has engaged Skye Sewell from Phluxus Dance Collective as Artistic Director, together with young professional dancers Nerida Matthaei and Chafia Brooks (also from Phluxus), and Dean Cross, who are also ex-Quantum Leapers. Young Canberra dancers Jake Kuzma and Sam Maxted join them in the live performances.
Skye is developing a “perambulatory performance” where audience and dancers move through five of the historically significant sites in the building, including the Government Party Room and the Senate Opposition Party Room. She has also revealed some of the smaller spaces — the “corridors of power” — by creating a short dance film in collaboration with filmmaker Sarah Kaur (another ex-Leaper!), with 12 young dancers involved in this section. Audiences see this film in the Senate Opposition Party Room where politicians used to view films — a strange “gentleman’s club” atmosphere prevails!
Composer Nicole Canham has created a soundscape with Skye and Kimmo Vennonen, integrating snatches of politicians as well as ordinary people, and will be performing live music as well.
Skye says “This has been a great opportunity — as an artist and as a citizen of this country — to interpret and question the system which affords us the lifestyle that we experience in Australia.”
There will be two public performances of this pilot project, which will enable the staff at Old Parliament House to look at the impact of the dance works on audiences, in the very specific context of this new initiative.
Performances:
Saturday 28 June: public performances 11.30am & 1.30pm
Places are limited. Bookings essential 6270 8282.
Free after entry to Old Parliament House
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So some of you are wondering what on earth is this Old Parliament House project? Well, we've been commissioned by Old Parliament House to research, develop and present a short dance performance for the new "Gallery of Australian Democracy". The idea is to explore how dance can be used ti interpret and present ideas, characters and stories relevant to the Gallery, for young audiences.
We've engaged Skye Sewell from Phluxus Dance Collective as Artistic Director, together with ex-Quantum Leapers Nerrida Matthei and Chafia Brookes (also from Phluxus), and Dean Cross; as well as a group of current Quantum Leapers.
The whole project is very quick: all done by June 30! There will be 2 public performances of this pilot project, so OPH can assess whether it should be re-mounted.
Read about booking here.
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Well things are in full swing with the Democracy project for Old Parliament House.
We had a very successful film shoot at OPH on the weekend and after some very long but also funny and very rewarding hours in editing, Sarah Kaur and I are about half way there with the film and it’s looking beautiful! The pre-recorded music that Nicole has been working on is sounding great, even at the rough edit stage, and I think it will add a layer of complexity and edginess to the entire performance.
We just had our second rehearsal for the choreography tonight and the first of three dance scenes is done. Phew, tick that one off the list! There’s still a heck of a lot of work to be done but I love the overall shape of the piece and my sleepless nights are paying off!
Skye Sewell
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