Choreographer, Charlotte Spencer will take you through some of the processes she is working with on her current project Notions of Journeying. We will work with 2 distinct strands of visual material as initial departure points, and together unpack ideas surrounding arrival and departure, transition, process, the desire for destination, the recognition of a gradual shift, and how the present tense is an essential ingredient in this mix of time and timing.
The tasks will bring together intuitive, individual response to material with some fairly strict mathematical patterns which might hurt the brain as well as the body!. We will dance lots, talk some, think some, watch each other, share, observe, probably learn lots, and have fun! This is certainly an opportunity to experiment, explore and discover – the work is personal and there is no right or wrong. All levels welcome - for people open to working within the context of a rigorous choreographic process.
Please bring suitable clothing to move in & notebooks and things to write, draw & document with.
10am – 5pm
Cost ￡60 (￡40 concs)
Booking: ana.coachwerks@gmail.com
charlottespencer22@gmail.com
The Context:
My fascination with the idea of ‘journey’ began in Ireland in 2007 when I was travelling regularly between Limerick and England. My concern about the environment, sustainability and my personal carbon footprint resulted in a decision to stop taking short-haul flights. Instead I travelled between these two countries by train and ferry – the journey from Limerick to London non-stop takes a minimum of 12 hours. So I spent a lot of time on journeys, and thinking about journeys were they ‘wasted’ travel days, or just as valuable as any other?
The western world has become very concerned about time efficiency, we are goal orientated and we want to arrive, almost before we have even departed. My interest extended to all notions of journey: physical journeys from one place to another; metaphorical journeys either in thought processes, life journeys, emotional shifts and states. Notions of Journeying brings together choreographic ideas that stem from my year in Ireland with my experience of living in rural Ghana (2008-9). It is a very true representation of my current line of choreographic enquiry.
Her Background
Charlotte is on a creative residence at Coachwerks in January and February, supported by Choreographic Bursary Award from Dance Ireland and the National Lottery through Arts Council England. The workshop will contribute to Charlotte's on-going research, and draw on the explorations and findings of the company’s work during this residency.
Charlotte Spencer trained at London Contemporary Dance School, graduating with a 1st Class BA (Hons) in 2003. Since then she has danced with Rick Nodine, Jan de Schynkel, Laurent Cavanna, Marguerite Caruana Galizia and Ajose Cutting Dance with whom she toured to New York, Montreal and across the UK. She has developed a choreographic working practice with dancers and musicians, and established her own integrated music and dance company, Aranea in 2006 with musical collaborator, Lucy Forde. In 2007 they completed a National Lottery Funded music and dance project in South London. Charlotte moved to Limerick in October 2007 as artist in residence with Daghdha Dance Company, using the year to discover and re-discover her voice as a dancer, choreographer, collaborator, negotiator, curator. During that year she worked closely with Lucy Suggate, Rainer Muntinga and Inma Pavon, and continues to perform for Lucy Suggate. On completing her residency in Ireland she travelled to Ghana where she lived in a rural village for 7months. She returns with a new perspective on everything and is now working both in Ireland and Brighton.
For more information visit Charlotte's blog: www.choreographicjourneying.wordpress.com