Francis Footwork 180 VR
A magical, marvellous take on dancing to your own tune
SEE, TOUCH, FEEL, DANCE in this 180° virtual reality presentation of FRANCIS FOOTWORK which was filmed live at The Ark Children’s Cultural Centre.
David Bolger’s vibrant production has been loved by audiences and critics alike since it premiered in 2019. It is a magical, empowering tale that celebrates individuality and encourages everyone to dance their own dance. Now we’re transforming the experience to bring it up close and unique to you, wherever you might live – where everyone’s seat is front row centre!
A typical presentation includes CREATIVE DANCE TALES – where younger audiences will take part in a workshop programme that bookends the VR screening for primary school-aged children to engage, explore, and create dance through kinaesthetic and collaborative learning.
CROATIA TOUR / BACKPACK OF CULTURE PROJECT BY HKD
Jopis Kozarac Elementary School
Lipovljani, Croatia
15 October 2024
CROATIA TOUR / BACKPACK OF CULTURE PROJECT BY HKD
Vladimir Nazor Elementary School, Čepin, Ante starčević Elementary School, Viljevo & Jagodnjak Elementary School, Jagodnjak
Čepin, Viljevo & Jagodnjak, Croatia
8 - 10 October 2024
CROATIA TOUR / BACKPACK OF CULTURE PROJECT BY HKD
Veliko Trgovišće Elementary & Antun Mihanović Elementary School
Petrovsko, Croatia
1 - 2 October 2024
If it all sounds a little magical and wondrous, that’s because it is. As well as being one of the most exquisitely choreographed and beautifully produced pieces of dance theatre to be had anywhere…Joyous, uplifting, and miraculously magical, “Francis Footwork” might well have you feeling a little bit starstruck.
Joyful, clever, entertaining, intricate, technically superb and with a heart of goodness, Francis Footwork is a pure and simple delight.
Presented at
Zeitgeist Irland 24
STAATSTHEATER DARMSTADT
Darmstadt, Germany
1 - 8 June 2024
Port of Dance Festival
The Children's House
RIjeka, Croatia
18 May 2024
Five Lamps Arts Festival 2024
O’Connell’s CBS, St Vincent’s Girls NS, Scoil Chaoimhín, Gardiner Street NS & St Laurence O’Toole NS
Dublin
15 - 19 April 2024
St Patrick's Festival Quarter
Collins Barracks
Dublin
16 March 2024
Croatia Tour / Backpack Of Culture Project by HKD
Maritime and History Museum of Croatian Littoral
Rijeka, Croatia
14 October 2023
Croatia Tour / Backpack Of Culture Project by HKD
Musical Elementary School Kontesa Dora, Našice & Vijenac Elementary School, Osijek
Osijek, Croatia
27 - 28 September 2023
Croatia Tour / Backpack Of Culture Project by HKD
Klinča Sela Elementary School & Legrad Elementary School
Legrad, Croatia
19 - 20 September 2023
Made in Darndale
Darndale Sports Hall & The Big Top
Darndale Green
25 - 28 May 2023
Croatia Tour / Backpack Of Culture Project by HKD
Braća Bobetko Elementary School, Sisak & Komarevo Elementary School
Sisak, Croatia
23 - 24 May 2023
Port of Dance Festival
The Children's House
Rijeka, Croatia
13 - 14 May 2023
Féile na Bealtaine
Ventry Community Hall & Bunscoil an Chlochair
Kerry
27 - 30 April 2023
Test screening / Croatia
The Children's House
Rijeka, Croatia
27 March 2023
Schools VR/Creative Dance Tales
St Columbanas NS, Loughlinstown
Dublin
21 March 2023
What Next Festival
St Joseph’s Ballybrown, Athlacca National School, Knocklong National School & Belltable
Limerick
7 - 10 February 2023
Mermaid Arts Centre
Scoil Naomh Iosef
Baltinglass
18 - 25 October 2022
Culture Night 2022
CoisCéim Studio, Fairview Strand
Dublin 3
23 September 2022
Gap Arts Festival
Ballythomas National School
Wexford
30 July 2022
AVAILABLE FOR TOURING
RECOMMENDED FOR AGES 7+
To book please contact Bridget at bridget@coisceim.com
WHAT AUDIENCES SAID…
“It felt so real – you see things you don’t get to see in a theatre close up, it’s like your own personal show.”
“The dancing was brilliant!”
“It was so cool!”
“I didn’t know what to expect, I want to see more shows like that.”
“It really felt like they were right in the room with me – it made me want to dance!”
WHAT TO EXPECT
When FRANCIS FOOTWORK was filmed, the two eyes of the 180º stereoscopic camera were sitting in the middle of the front row of the theatre – so when you watch through the VR headset, you will feel like you are in the front row too, watching the performance in 3D! You can move your head and choose where you look, just like you would in a theatre. You will be seated in a circle, about a metre from the person next to you. You will receive a sanitised Pico 4k VR headset and CoisCéim’s team will help you so that it fits comfortably.
The VR presentation is about 35 minutes long. It is followed by a short snack break when chairs are cleared away to make space for CREATIVE DANCE TALES – a physical creative dance workshop with Olwyn Lyons! At this point, parents and carers will leave the space during the 40 – 45 minute dance workshop.
ABOUT THE WORKSHOPS: Younger audiences aged 7-10 are invited to take part in CREATIVE DANCE TALES. This is a 2-part programme for children who want to dance and are interested in performance. Over the course of 2 sessions – with a workshop before the VR presentation, and one immediately after – children will learn about the key themes and main characters in FRANCIS FOOTWORK. They will be guided through a series of lively exercises and movement tasks to devise and dance their own unique story. Find out more here.
WHAT TO WEAR: If you are taking part in the workshops, please wear trainers and loose, comfortable clothes that you can move in.
WHAT TO BRING: Workshop participants – please bring a bottle of water and a healthy snack for the short break after the VR presentation.
Credits
CAST CRISTIAN ENMANUEL DIROCIE, STEPHANIE DUFRESNE, IVONNE KALTER, JONATHAN MITCHELL
WRITER, DIRECTOR & CHOREOGRAPHER DAVID BOLGER
MUSIC & SOUND DENIS CLOHESSY
SCENIC, LIGHTING & PROJECTION DESIGN CHRISTOPHER ASH
COSTUME MAREE KEARNS
HAIR & MAKEUP VAL SHERLOCK
virtual reality
DIRECTION Enya Belak
FILMING AND POST-PRODUCTION Igor Crnković
PRODUCER FOR AEROWAVES Anna Arthur
AEROWAVES COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER Clàudia Brufau
AEROWAVES DIRECTOR John Ashford
creative dance tales workshop leaders Olwyn lyons, mia dichiaro, Emily Kilkenny Roddy
touring VR technicians Igor Crnković, sheila Murphy, John norton, Laura Rainsford, Alexandra Rosenberger, michael stapleton, John Wildgoose
PRODUCTION MANAGER EAMON FOX
STAGE MANAGER STEPHANIE RYAN
CHIEF LX EOIN WINNING
SOUND ENGINEER and recordist MICHAEL STAPLETON
AV ENGINEER LAURA RAINSFORD
PROPS DYLAN FARRELL
COSTUME SUPERVISOR NICOLA BURKE
COSTUME DESIGN ASSISTANT PAI TREERATT
PROP MAKER CRAIG STARKIE
PHOTOGRAPHER HUGO GLENDINNING, ROS KAVANAGH
GRAPHIC DESIGN ALPHABET SOUP
PRODUCERS Sarah Latty and Bridget Webster
Produced by CoisCéim Dance Theatre
A Springback Production
Filmed live in Virtual Reality in May 2022 at The Ark Children’s Cultural Centre, Dublin 2, Ireland