Looking back at the week in Manchester
We would like thank all who made Showcase 2011 and the Creative Case Symposium such an inspiring and constructive event – the best yet! The thrilling performances and challenging discussions will soon be uploaded for Showcase Online. We will also share news of the collaborations, tours and new ventures that have been developed.
In the meantime here’s a media round-up of the week in Manchester:
Creative Case Symposium video - follow this link to watch interviews and keynote speeches
The Creative Case for Diversity - read articles, case studies and keynote speeches on this purpose built mini-site
Disability Arts Online – the team from DAO were in Manchester all week to cover the Creative Case and decibel Performing Arts Showcase. Follow this link to read extensive reviews, interviews and discussion summaries
The Stage – decibel Performing Arts Showcase review – reviews of performances by Pen-ultimate, Brian Lobel, Crying in the Wilderness Productions, Sunday Driver, Shock and Awe Tours and Performance Anxiety
Telegraph.co.uk - Culture - Hassan Mahamdallie states the Creative Case for Diversity
Arts Professional - Observations - Tony Panayiotou, Head of Diversity, sets out Arts Council England's vision for a diverse future of the arts
The Stage - Up the Volume - Jo Caird interviews Nike Jonah, decibel Performing Arts Showcase Project Manager, Sara Cocker of The Eggs Collective, Gareth Lloyd Roberts of Wales Millenium Centre, Hetain Patel and Bill Bragin of Lincoln Centre, NYC
Arts Hub - Nike Jonah, decibel Performing Arts Showcase Project Manager, and Magdalena Moreno CEO of Kultour, Australia, discuss embracing diversity in arts policy
The Stage - ACE launches revamped diversity strategy - read the news story
International Arts Manager - Diversity at heart of ACE planning - read the news story (subscribers only)
Speak to Strangers - read all of Gemma Seltzer’s wonderful 100-word Speak to Strangers stories written in Manchester during the week at Showcase
What people are saying about decibel…
Registration for the 5th decibel Performing Arts Showcase closes this Sunday, 4 September.
decibel is a chance to witness a snapshot of the vibrant and innovative hotbed of diverse talent that make the UK’s performing arts scene famous worldwide. But don’t just take our word for it, here’s why other people see Showcase as an unmissable event in their calendar:
“decibel delivered something unexpected: a genuinely intriguing and eclectic performing arts showcase with work attracting healthy international interest.”
Jon Pratty, Guardian.co.uk
“Showcase should be on the schedules of every festival producer wanting to engage with a broader range of artistic voices from the UK. It is a market place not only for talent but also for ideas, networks and potential future collaborations.”
Ismail Mahomed, Festival Director, National Arts Festival, South Africa
“I can't recommend this showcase more highly. It's been one of the pivotal points in my professional development. Brilliant for networking, witnessing some fabulous talent and checking out new work.”
Julie McNamara, artist
“decibel gave me a great opportunity to discover a broad variety of diverse British art, especially work coming from artists with disabilities. Being there expanded my thinking about how to include the work of artists with disabilities in our programming more generally.”
Bill Bragin, Director of Public Programming, Lincoln Centre, USA
“decibel is a rare chance to experience the creative diversity that the UK offers in one city. As the Artistic director of a producing and presenting venue it is a key festival to find exciting new shows and artistic collaborations.”
Baba Israel, Artistic Director, Contact Theatre
“I attended the last showcase to write reviews and realised it was the only place I would want to pitch new work at. It's a gem of an opportunity for artists and programmers.”
Sarah Pickthall, artist
10 Questions - Mamoru Iriguchi
Published 28 June 2009
The lovely Mamoru Iriguchi is next up in our 10 questions series
Artist name: Mamoru Iriguchi
Showcase Performance: PREGNANT?!
Role: Performance maker
'''1. Where do you find inspiration for your work?'''
In my brain and the rest of my body.
'''2. What has been your most memorable performance?'''
My performance last November where there was enormously active and generous audience participation.
'''3. Where in the world would you most like to perform... and why?'''
In my own brain.
'''4. Who/what has been the greatest influence on your creative output?'''
Those who I have worked with: David Fielding, Adrian Jackson, Tadashi Suzuki.
Those who I have never met: David Lynch, Julio Medem, Emir Kustriica, Haruki Murakami.
'''5. What has been the highlight of your career so far?'''
The launch of my solo project last year.
'''6. Who would you most like to work with...and why?'''
Myself. I cannot really sack him.
'''7. What is the best job you have ever had?'''
I do not think I have come across my best job yet.
'''8. Where do you see yourself/your company in 5 years?'''
Still in my own body, most likely to be in my brain still.
'''9. What makes you happiest about performing?'''
A strong sense of two-way communication that can be established between audience and performance.
'''10. What concerns you most about the state of the Performing Arts Sector in the UK?'''
Lack of ‘body’ ...also lack of brain.
10 Questions - Sonia Sabri
Published 21 June 2009
Sonia Sabri gets the 10 questions treatment as we ask about her influences, creativity and the best job she's ever had...
'''Artist''': Sonia Sabri
'''Role:''' Artistic Director, Choreographer, Dance artist.
'''Showcase Performance:''' Kathakbox (working title)
'''1. Where do you find inspiration for your work?'''
A piece of music, formation of trees, a good story from a book or someone, a creative advert,… in nearly anything. I have my better ideas for a work just before falling asleep!
'''2. What has been your most memorable performance?'''
There have been many in different phases of my career. I remember performing for the very first time at the age of 8; performing the first time for TV; performing in Pakistan in front of my teacher’s teacher who exclaimed in the middle of the performance: “Kathak has found Sonia….she is Kathak”. Performing in front the greatest living Kathak legend and receiving praise from him…the list is endless!
'''3. Where in the world would you most like to perform... and why?'''
I am lucky to say I have performed in many places around the world and yet there are still many remaining. The further and wider I can reach with my art, the more fulfilling it will be for me. My ongoing quest is to broaden and challenge preconceived ideas of what is possible in Kathak or Indian dance for that matter.
I aim to contribute a new aesthetic to the form and feel it should be shared with as many as possible. It is about the art of today as well as embracing the roots. I have yet to perform in Australia, Japan and South Africa.
'''4. Who/what has been the greatest influence on your creative output?'''
I work with a range of artists who will bring in new ideas, different ways of working etc, and that then becomes the influence to my work. I cannot highlight one as there have been many people who have inspired me and I hope I will meet more and more who can.
'''5. What has been the highlight of your career so far?'''
There have been many highlights. Most recently, I was commissioned to create a site specifc work. I originally said to the commissioners that I was not the right person to do it as I didn’t have the confidence to deliver the project. They insisted and believed in my work and my artistic capacity. I agreed. The project was a huge success which led to more invitations for site specific projects from other producers and now I’m on a roll.
It was interesting that I had others who believed in me as an artist and were willing to take the risk which fortunately exceeded theirs and many others expectations. I am grateful that I was given this opportunity and I was able to discover a new artistic dimension from within myself.
'''6. Who would you most like to work with...and why?'''
There are several great choreographers, musicians and visual artists I would like to work with because of their sheer talent and uniqueness. I’m worried one lifetime may not be enough to work with them all!
'''7. What is the best job you have ever had? '''
I am fortunate to say that I have been in the best job since the age of 14. I did try others, but the addiction I have to dance, to music, to creativity is incurable and has always lured me back to itself. I live to dance.
'''8. Where do you see yourself/your company in 5 years?'''
To be one of the most influential dance practitioners' and companies. To be creating interesting and high profile projects for mass audiences; collaborating with the world’s finest artists; gaining recognition for the contribution to the arts and to the public sector.
'''9. What makes you happiest about performing?'''
The feeling of being completely true to myself. The magic created on stage between artists and with audience (indescribable). To be appreciated by the audience (including promoters, participants, etc) always feels like a surge of new life is given.
'''10. What concerns you most about the state of the Performing Arts Sector in the UK?'''
How easily it can be impressed by sometimes sub-standard work. I have met some of the finest talents around and yet they don’t have the recognition because they don’t fit the criteria or the conditions of this sector or are unable to articulate their creative material into a language that can be understood by the drivers of the arts sector.
There are artists out there with not necessarily fantastic work, but they have the external resources such as PR, Marketing and producers to support and profile them and because of hype rather than substance are regarded as great artists. Everything that shines is not always gold.
10 Questions - Robert Hylton
Published 14 June 2009
Robert Hylton gets the 10 questions treatment as we ask him about his influences, creativity and the best job he's ever had...
'''Name''': Robert Hylton
'''Role''': Artistic Director/ Choreographer
'''Showcase Performance''': Catching Beats
'''1. Where do you find inspiration for your work?'''
Everywhere. Watching people in the street and dance in general, it's always inspirational to see great dancers and choreography whatever the form and music is always the key
'''2. What has been your most memorable performance?'''
There have been so many over the years. Catching Beats has only just started its life on stage, we recently performed in Algiers on a British Council tour, then Greenwich gDA Cabaret, the guys are on top form.
Other memories; the loudest audience was in Maputo, Mozambique in 2004. They were electrifying and the most emotional was in Libya 2007, as there had been very few western companies there, you could tell it just meant so much to people especially those who took part in the workshops and the curtain raiser. But I could go on and on - from many international and UK performances to watching workshop performances by young people.
'''3. Where in the world would you most like to perform... and why?'''
I have yet to perform in America and would like to see the work performed in hip-hops' birthplace. Also France where I have not performed. More than anything revisiting the places I have already been to would be fantastic and to be invited anywhere new to perform is always a privilege. A mix of big cities and rural towns is always interesting as you get to see different sides of a country and how people live.
'''4. Who/what has been the greatest influence on your creative output?'''
I am naturally curious about movement; its in my DNA and am always inspired by dancing. Watching breaking for the first time in the eighties flipped me out and still does. Then watching superb contemporary or classical dancers turn and leap, it’s the illusion of effortlessness that intrigues me and enhances my obsession and inspires me to make dance. As I get older, my social conscious is changing and I am looking forward to the challenge of dance, social content and story telling as a successful narrative for stage.
'''5. What has been the highlight of your career so far?'''
To be honest there are so many highlights; in the films I make as much as dance.I have been lucky enough to travel and perform in many places in the UK and internationally and I hope to go forward and create more highlights and many more memories.
'''6. Who would you most like to work with...and why?'''
Spike Lee, as I like his use of camera movement and direction and I would like to make a shift from stage to movement direction in film. As for musicians, there are just way to many, from Sade to Arvo Part and everything in between. I would also be more interested in who would want to work with me as a dancer or choreographer! I haven’t danced for anyone else for so long – the challenge would be interesting and as well as the challenge of choreographing other companies…
'''7. What is the best job you have ever had?'''
The job I have now! Choreographing, dancing, making films, travelling and teaching.
But I always need to get another job... just like the job I have now!
'''8. Where do you see yourself/your company in 5 years?'''
Sitting in a theatre watching a new generation of dancers perform my work and sharing that same experience with audiences both here in the UK and abroad. I would also like to be involved in the further development of hip-hop education – hip- hop dance needs a school – a proper school! A place to nurture and nourish the next generation to extend and continue the work that many of us have laid down to ensure quality, excellence and a bright future for the genre
Away from dance; I am on the second draft of my book Elements of War a hip-hop fantasy. I would like it to be finished and published or even just finished.
'''9. What makes you happiest about performing?'''
For me personally it's about taking the risk and being successful in the presentation and achieving my goals on stage. Being able to connect to the audience is vital, as performing should not be a solitary experience.
'''10. What concerns you most about the state of the Performing Arts Sector in the UK?'''
At the moment dance is becoming more accessible and seems to have more mainstream attention than ever which is great for everyone. On the flip side, artists are still burdened, more so in the public sector with ever increasing policy changes, increasing amounts of paper work! and the instability of finances. A familiar story yes, but when will the art form see long term investment both from the funding bodies, theatres and the media? I feel that sometimes all the mediums are not synchronised as they are all preoccupied with jumping through different hoops and the work becomes more separate missions of agenda than combined art/ business. When they are fully in sync it is wonderful, when its not…
