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15 Sep 2006 16:41:51
A dance lecturer at the University of Bedfordshire is part of a state-of-the-art project at the BCA Gallery in Bedford which brings together new technology and dance.
Helen Bailey, Principal Lecturer in Dance, has been commissioned by the gallery to create an interactive installation incorporating live performance, working with Polish new media artists Ziemovit Maj and Piotr Kowalski. The show, entitled ‘Particles’, will be showing at the Castle Lane gallery next Saturday (23 September) for a week.
Dancers from Bedford-based professional dance company Ersatz Dance will perform live and interact with projected images of themselves on the screen which will appear as small particles, hence the title of the piece. They will move and interact in real time as they dance in this visually-stunning new site-specific work.
It will be the first time dance has been performed at the gallery and members of the public are also invited to experience the full impact of the performance by participating and becoming part of the electrifying artwork.
Ms Bailey said: “The range of possibilities presented by this work is really exciting. I urge anyone to come along who is interested in art or dance and experience what promises to be an innovative and unique performance event. They will also have the opportunity to interact and become ‘Particles’ themselves.
“The project is part of a series of wide ranging research activities being undertaken by dance lecturers at the University of Bedfordshire. It’s a very exciting time to be involved in dance research at the University.
“We have been working hard over the summer presenting research papers and performances in many different local, national and international contexts, including cutting edge research with 3D computer-generated virtual environments and using 3D video in live performances.”
Last month, dance lecturer Lisa Spackman, performed an urban dance spectacle in Lime Street, in Bedford, with a group of local youngsters and professional dancers from dance company Two Thirds Sky.
The exciting piece was directed by Tim
Shieff, who collaborated on Channel 4’s critically acclaimed documentary, Jump Britain, which explored the phenomenon of free running. The
display included the use of this stylistic way of moving and parkour, which is
a contemporary dance form using jumping, vaulting and climbing.
This month the Arts Council has awarded £26,000 to Senior Performing Arts and Dance Lecturer James Hewison, who last year performed in and co-choreographed the ‘Infectious’ Bailey’s TV advert, to undertake a range of national and international research, training and professional development projects in dance practice. The projects include visits to professional arts and academic institutions in New York and Brussels, as well as heading a number of workshops for dance professionals.
The Particles performances will take place at 2pm on Saturday 23 September, running daily at this time until Saturday 30 September. Members of the public are welcome to visit the BCA Gallery outside of these times to interact with the artwork, apart from Monday when it’s closed.
For further information contact the BCA Gallery on 01234 273580.
Latest news» 2006» Sep» Become part of interactive dance project ‘Particles’
