Digital programme book ‘Dreams 360’

Jon on Figures of Extinction [1.0]:

“As the sun sets and the moon rises each night, we curl up in the arms of our loved ones, throw our feet up after a long day and exchange our daily hardships and laughter with our family and friends. We share our goals, our dreams and aspirations in life. We make plans for a future but for most of us, a future so far as our own life time can imagine. What happens when the sun no longer sets or rises on the world as we once knew it? How often do we consciously contemplate the world around us?

It is a treat to create to subject matter such as this. I think I speak for all of us at NDT when I say that we are privileged and excited to embark on this extended collaboration between Crystal Pite and Simon McBurney as they bring forth the conversation of climate change.”

Lea on Figures of Extinction [1.0]:

“Crystal Pite is just magic. I learn equally from her deep sense of humanity and generosity in the studio as I do from her instinctually brilliant choreographic mind. In this creation is a layered reflection of our relation to/with animals, and physically, an embodied empathetic study. Crystal and Simon would always re-integrate the question of how the portrait of an extinct figure was vitally connected, or contradicted, or critically commented on, by our human narrative, universal emotion, or unspoken sense of heightened discord.

She is really a master at this craft for dance and theater; to watch her genius at play, in question, in collaboration, in search and re-examination is a profound learning experience in the world of creation – beyond the great true pleasure of dancing in her work. I am ignited and so grateful to experience this creation with her.”

Aram on How to ruin a dance:

“Every once in a while you get to be part of a creation where the choreographer gives you a feeling of freedom. It is not unguided of course, more like an atmosphere that makes you feel safe and unjudged. Roy asked us to write down our stories. Frankly, we were not sure what kind of content he wanted. The dramatic kind? The philosophical kind? Childhood dark traumas or spiritual stuff? Turns out both Roy, and Ariel (the literary mastermind behind all of this) wanted the real kind. Things that move us on a daily basis. Because that’s what it’s all about, isn’t it? Our daily lives, even the mundane actions, flow into our dancing and vice versa. What a privilege!

We created movements to text making up dance phrases like there is no tomorrow. And then sometimes we find ourselves in the studio, passionately discussing to which house of Hogwarts each of us belongs to…Pretty much like how Roy works, with humour and a clear, instinctive vision of what feels conceptually right. He can go into serious detail like obsessing over rhythmical necessities on the small finger. Other times he just lets us suffer by balancing on one foot in heels while covering our faces. At the same time sharing every rough idea and thought with us, often resulting in laughter in this intimate setting.

Not to give too much away but some of the audience members will feel personally included in this process.

Quite simply put, it’s a piece about sharing stories. It’s about everyone. Yes we dance, yes we do choreography, but with our experiences and backgrounds everyone will be able to relate. Welcome to our natural and weird universe. Because why be pretentious, when you can stay real and let out your obscure, silly and golden inner self that we all carry.”

Theophilus on How to ruin a dance:

“ The creative process from Roy’s new piece started from the will and curiosity to better understand why we are here, what our path was to get where we are and to find something which defines us as a group. Roy created a working environment where we had the opportunity to explore and get to know one another and each other stories.

By nature, we are vulnerable and complex creatures, and we had the right atmosphere and the freedom to find our true selves and our inner stupidity. It was allowed and requested to discover who we are – being honest and being ourselves.

Roy took very much into consideration our needs and wishes, we shared laughs, and we helped each other.

This piece invites the audience to know what we do and what we are, as dancers, as people, and as humans.

And there is nothing better than being ourselves in golden speedos.”

Yukino on La Ruta:

“For weeks we played and improvised random scenes both short and long in the studio together with costumes and props. Our studio transformed into a messy kids play box complete with a padded floor for us to throw ourselves onto. When I walked on the street outside, I was constantly searching for some ideas to play with in the studio the next day. Even seeing people walk their dogs on the street gave me great inspiration. I was imagining and creating stories to what I was seeing around me. I learned that, to construct a scene, anything could be its starting point.

That starting point could even be a still image where Gaby guided us to make a bigger scene with a little story and situation around it. The overall creation process can take time because every day new inspiration or images pop up. But Gaby allows this and all of a sudden the images and scenes connect and we have a piece. This was a new creation process I don’t normally do that so it was quite challenging but I deeply enjoyed it.”

Scott on La Ruta:

“Ever since I saw 32 rue Vandenbranden, a work by Peeping Tom, it has been a dream of mine to be a part of their world. Now that I’ve had the incredible opportunity to work in a new creation by Gabriela Carrizo, co-director of Peeping Tom, I have been uniquely challenged and inspired by the aspects of their work. There is a focus on the reality of a person or character, and their stories, more than the virtuosity of movement. This is what excites me the most as an artist, when movement is approached from a true state of being, rather than from skill or technique. There is endless opportunity for this in Gabriela’s process, where an ordinary, realist setting can transform into something fantastical.”