LED BY JUSTINE COOPER

SUNDAY 12 June – SUNDAY 17 July 2022

 

A walk in nature

A written reflection

A poem

A dance score

This interdisciplinary creative dance and writing project with the exquisite Justine Cooper aimed to create a circular gift of choreography inspired by and returned to Nature, in an informal, outdoor sharing on 17 July 2022.    

Justine’s work and approach is full of grace and compassion for self and the environment we are in. Through an internationalised walk in nature, participants used this as a source of inspiration for written reflections that were distilled into a poem, then used to create a collective dance score.

The creative sessions were divided into three parts. Each participant received a recorded audio journey to listen to on their phone through headphones as they took a 30 minute personal wander, in a place of their choosing, drawing awareness to the subtle body and their 5 senses.

The second part of the circle meant time to write as a form of reflection.  At this point, everyone came together in the studio to distil their writings into a collective poem and then translate it into the body as a dance score.

The third part of the circle was giving the collective dance/ choreographic prose back to nature as a circular gift of acknowledgment & gratitude.

CULMINATION 

DANCE SHARING | 17 JULY 2022

THE CHOREOGRAPHY PROJECT 19 culminated with a private dance sharing in the green surroundings of St Anne’s park. Led by Justine, the group of 8 participants gathered and bore witness to each other’s choreographic solos, in individual and unique locations of each of their choosing. Each solo was documented live, through a series of rapid release photographs captured by Broadreach Project Coordinator, Caoimhe Coburn Gray.
 
Following the culmination of the project, personalised flip-books were crafted for each participant, using the images captured on the day. When put in sequence and flicked through, the images grant a fleeting look into just some of the arcs of movement offered during our gathering. The flip-books are a souvenir for the members of the group – each one unique from the other and each one tangible, just like the natural objects each participant selected during their personal wander in the first portion of this project. 
 
Though the flip-books themselves will remain an analog documentation for the participants alone, we welcome you to click on the images below and see a digital mock-up of what was created…
 

YOON

ANNE

ORLA

AILEEN

CRISTINA

JESSICA

JULIE

LORRAINE

 

ABOUT JUSTINE COOPER

Originally from New Zealand, Justine has been based in Ireland as a freelance dance artist, teacher and choreographer since 2008. Currently lecturing at The University of Limerick in contemporary dance and choreography & most recently performing as a dance artist with Liz Roche Company, CoisCéim Dance Theatre, Justine Doswell, Mary Wycherly, Oona Doherty, United Fall, Maria Nilsson Waller, Anu Productions, Junk Ensemble. Justine was a member of Meryl Tankard Australian Dance Theatre from 1998-2000. Her own work FOLDS OF THE CRANE was presented as part of Tiger Dublin Fringe Festival 2015 (nominated for Spirit of the Fringe & Best Lighting & Design) also presented at Dublin Dance Festival 2016 and What’s Next Festival 2018. THE MISFITS by Corn Exchange (Nominated for Best Movement Direction, Irish Theatre Awards, 2018)

 

ABOUT THE CHOREOGRAPHY PROJECT 

A regular feature of our BROADREACH programme, THE CHOREOGRAPHY PROJECT is a creative and performance opportunity for adults to work with professional choreographers in the exploration of contemporary dance theatre.