OF RIDERS & RUNNING HORSES

A new outdoor dance project by Still House/Dan Canham

About Of Riders and Running Horses

Of Riders and Running Horses is a major Fundamental to the heart of this project is an new project from Still House, a performance original, exhilarating audience experience company making work across dance/ that disrupts the everyday; a generous and theatre and film, led by theatre-maker and ambitious animation of urban public space; a choreographer focus on ritual that is seductive to audiences Dan Canham. from beyond a theatre context.

In 2014, Dan was the successful recipient of a The movement material draws inspiration Jerwood Choreographic Research Award: from current styles that could be considered a new initiative from the Jerwood Foundation a kind of modern folk dance: jumpstyle, free designed to stimulate new choreographic step and house dancing among others. Of ideas and thinking to benefit the arts and Riders and Running Horses is an exhilarating cultural ecology in Britain. and thorough excavation of the relationship between movement and music whereby each This investment funded two weeks of research informs the other. and development on Of Riders and Running Horses in June 2014. The project has since Live music is a major component of the piece, been funded by Arts Council England through with a score created by acclaimed musicians/ Grants for the Arts, and premiered at Mayfest composers Sam Halmarack and Luke Harney 2015 in Bristol before this summer/autumn to (Typesun). Bournemouth, Cambridge and Birmingham, The piece is for urban outdoor spaces, such as culminating in performances at Dance car-parks and public squares. Umbrella in London in October. It is wild and beautiful, experimental in Of Riders and Running Horses is an outdoor endeavor and accessible in reach. It disarms dance-event which takes the raw ingredients of and delights. You will want to join in. a folk event; public space, the night, live-music, and ritual and imbues them with the ‘modern,’ Click here https://vimeo.com/128684327 progressive sensibilities and choreographic for some excerpts of the premiere vocabulary so distinctive in Dan’s work. performances at Mayfest in Bristol. The company and the team

Still House / Dan Canham Dan has previously worked as performer with DV8 Physical Theatre, Kneehigh, Punchdrunk and Through his company Still House, Dan Canham Fabulous Beast Dance Theatre among others. makes visually poetic work within a variety of forms that includes dance-theatre, film and His first piece 30 Cecil Street was met with audio-visual installation. Dan is Artistic Director considerable acclaim and continues to tour of Still House and works collaboratively with a internationally. His recent Ours Was The Fen diverse range of practitioners in both his solo Country has delighted audiences and critics alike and ensemble output. and has toured extensively throughout the UK in both urban and rural contexts. stillhouse.co.uk Primarily engaged with live performance as a choreographer/dancer; what lies at the heart MAYK (producers): of the work is an exploration that puts the performer(s) and the stories of real experience MAYK is a producing organisation based in in the spotlight. The aesthetic of his indoor work Bristol and led by Kate Yedigaroff and Matthew is detailed but often stripped down, leaving Austin. MAYK works collaboratively with artists space for the performers to conjure without the and audiences to make extraordinary projects clutter of overtly literal design. Dan is interested happen in unusual ways, including Mayfest, in the collective imagination of performers and Bristol’s annual festival of contemporary theatre. audiences and uses intricate sound design and MAYK also works long term with a number of movement as a playful narrator. visionary artists to develop, produce and tour inspiring new work. Alongside his own practice Dan regularly works as movement director, devisor and MAYK has worked with Dan on all of his projects choreographic dramaturg across a range of through Still House and are producing Of Riders different projects. and Running Horses. mayk.org.uk

Of Riders and Running Horses marks a significant The creative team departure from studio-based verbatim work, into a larger-scale exploration of what these Director: Dan Canham; Associate Director: Laura choreographic instincts conjure in performer and Dannequin; Music: Sam Halmarack & Luke audience when in response to an event or ritual Harney; Performers: Anna Kazsuba (Fabulous rather than a particular person or story. It also Beast), Isabelle Cressy (punchdrunk), Odilia stakes a claim on a developing interest in making Egyiawan (Major Lazer), Tilly Webber, Tanya work with live music in the public realm. The Richam-Odoi (DV8, Phoenix), Stephanie McMann notion of community remains fundamental. (titled); Costume Designer: Bianca Ward; Production Manager and Lighting Designer: Greg Mickelborough; Tour Producer: Helen Edwards. Touring

Of Riders and Running Horses is available for touring in Spring and Summer 2016 and we are looking for presenting partners to come on the journey with us.

The piece is conceived for urban outdoor spaces and will work well in a variety of contexts, across dance, music and performance events, for festivals or year-round programmes. We are particularly interested in working with partners who have a desire to place work that reaches directly into communities that are not necessarily already engaged with arts activity.

If you would like to discuss showing the work or would like to hear more please contact Kate Yedigaroff at MAYK on [email protected]

Of Riders and Running Horses is commissioned by Dance Umbrella, Pavilion Dance South West and Theatre Bristol. Supported using public funding through Arts Council England. Research and Development was supported by the Jerwood Choreographic Research Project, with funds from The Jerwood Charitable Foundation, Appetite, Birmingham Hippodrome, Dance Umbrella, DanceEast, DanceXchange, Greenwich Dance, Greenwich+Docklands International Festival, Independent Dance, Pavilion Dance South West, and The Place. Additional research and development support from Bristol Old Vic Ferment and Trinity Community Arts.

The Jerwood Choreographic Research Project is a National Dance Network initiative, supported by the Jerwood Charitable Foundation and delivered by DanceXchange.

To date Still House touring projects have been supported by Arts Council England, Bristol Old Vic, New Wolsey Theatre, Jerwood Charitable Foundation, Pavilion Dance, DanceXchange, Forest Fringe, Sadler’s Wells and NT Studio amongst others.

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