Project Velocity (Landscape)
Led by Laura Macken
Creative Steps Youth Dance Group FOR AGES 15-25
A DANCE AND PERFORMANCE PROJECT
NOVEMBER 2019 – MAY 2020
In this new action-packed dance project with guest choreographer, Laura Macken, Creative Steps young dancers kicked off by exploring physics and taking a fresh look at one of the core concepts – SPEED and what it means on scales large and small. Together they created some dynamic choreography, which reflected upon how speed affects the way the body moves through time and space.
Then the world slowed down. The project changed direction and culminated a little differently than everyone expected…
“Working with the group since our taster sessions in December 2019, Project Velocity engaged the energy and vibrance of the group to explore movement that focused on velocity. As well as speed and direction, we looked at power, strength and emotions that spark particular ways of moving and combined them to structure the piece. We aimed to represent a wide variety of movement from accelerated movement to slow motion and everything in between. The group developed, created and bonded and as we got close to having a finished piece and towards our planned performances, we were stopped in our tracks by Covid-19 and the project transformed into using this movement in the context of our immediate landscapes. The culmination video, LANDSCAPE is a series of snapshots of some of the material from the piece – filmed by the dancers themselves in their various lockdown locations. I would like to thank them for their dedication, creativity and commitment to the project.” – Laura Macken
PAST PERFORMANCE
This short film is a snapshot recording of an action-packed dance project that started live in the studio. It was screened as part of DIGITAL DANCES on 2 May 2020, which coincided with what would have been the culmination performance at NOISEmoves Youth Dance Festival.
Gallery
PROJECT DATES
PROJECT SCHEDULE
Term 1 3 February – 9 March 2020 (no session St Patrick’s Day week)
WHEN Mondays 6 – 9pm
WHERE CoisCéim Dance Theatre, 14 Sackville Place, Dublin 1
Term 2 23 March – mid May 2020
WHEN & WHERE online creative sessions
PERFORMANCES (CANCELLED)
Originally it was planned to culminate the project at Unanimous, Belfast, Laois Dance Platform, Portlaoise and NOISEmoves, Dublin – with the cancellation of these festivals a digital project was created and a snapshot was screened in May 2020 as part of DIGITAL DANCES.
LAOIS INTERGENERATIONAL DANCE PLATFORM
WHERE DUNAMAISE ARTS CENTRE, PORTUMNA
WHEN Thursday 1 April
Performance PROJECT VELOCITY
UNANIMOUS YOUTH DANCE FESTIVAL
WHERE THE MAC ARTS CENTRE, BELFAST
WHEN Saturday 4 April
Attendance at dance workshop & performance of Gary Clarke Company: Wasteland
WHEN Sunday 5 April
Performance of PROJECT VELOCITY
NOISEMoves YOUTH DANCE FESTIVAL
WHERE SDCC, CIVIC THEATRE, TALLAGHT, DUBLIN
WHEN Friday 3 May
Attendance at EMERGENCE Showcase performance/young professional dancers
WHEN Saturday 4 May
Attendance at dance workshops led by professional guest dance artists
WHEN Sunday 5 May
Performance of PROJECT VELOCITY
ABOUT CREATIVE STEPS
Established in 2007 as part of CoisCéim BROADREACH, Creative Steps is a dance theatre group for young people aged 15-25. Based at CoisCéim Dance Theatre’s studio in Dublin City Centre and coordinated by Broadreach Director Philippa Donnellan, it offers young people the opportunity to collaborate, devise and perform dance theatre for the stage and the screen and work with guest choreographers, teachers, and professional artists in different mediums. Click here to find out more…
