Darren Pritchard
Body of Light
Presented by STUN during Black Gold Arts Festival + Word of Warning
In Brief
A seamless landscape of flowing image, where graphics bend effortlessly around the arcs of a live dancer. A very human journey into the world of technology.
Venue + Booking Details
Date: Thursday 22 October 2015, 8pm
Venue: STUN Studio at Z-arts, 335 Stretford Road, Manchester, M15 5ZA
Tickets: £5 (a NEW PRICE for this 30 minute performance) | Please note there is a limited capacity in the STUN Studio.
Box Office Tel: 0161 232 6089
Body of Light is also shown during Manchester Science Festival 23 + 24 Oct.
Black Gold Arts Festival
Also see Cheryl Martin’s Alaska supported by hÅb + last seen at Domestic II; Chanje Kunda’s Amsterdam; Keisha Thompson’s I Wish I Had A Moustache during Black Gold Arts Festival.
Access Information
Age advisory: 6+ With no interval, the performance lasts 30 minutes (NB revised duration) and will be followed by an opportunity to interact with the technology used. Primarily a visual, physical work, it incorporates fast moving projected imagery. For specific age and access information please email info@habarts.org or call 0161 232 6086.
More
Body of Light is a very human journey into the world of technology. Take one finely tuned body, one home-gaming device and three creative minds, mix vigorously and see what happens. The result: a seamless landscape of flowing imagery, where the body’s movements translate into sweeping brushstrokes, and the boundaries of flesh and pixel blur into one. Colour, texture and tone are shaped by body and in response, the body curves and moulds to the image, opening up new possibilities for human and machine alike.
Who is he?
Darren Pritchard has been creating dance works since 2006. As well as devising his own works, for theatres, galleries, a church, hotels and even the Sale of the Century TV studio, Darren has created dance works for and in collaboration with others, notably The Chase — a Blaze commission, working with parkour and freerunning specialists; Susan and Darren — a Quarantine collaboration; Gulliver’s Boom Box with Walk the Plank; and One — a solo performance installation. Most recently, he has worked as director on Chanje Kunda’s award-winning Amsterdam and Cheryl Martin’s Alaska.
Stylistically, Darren has explored ballet, street dance and contemporary dance, sometimes fused with text, projection and other multimedia forms. This project takes him to a new level of technological innovation and has brought about an extraordinary new artistic partnership with Guernsey-based digital artist Marcel Normand and dancer Adam Russell, taking them from early steps in playing with Kinect (motion sensitive gaming technology) to being virtual experts in its manipulation.
What people have said about Body of Light
…a revelation. Body of Light was/is transcendental. You walk away pondering the questions of the universe.
Juliet Ellis, Film-maker/Director
I witnessed a mesmerizing piece of work, where technology is married with dance in a very human way, not overpowered by the technology but working in tandem.
Sonia Hughes, Writer/Director
Body of Light’s public premiere is a Guardian top theatre ticket.
Credits
Choreography: Darren Pritchard | Dancer + Choreography Contributor: Adam Russell | Technology Designer, and Music Composer: Marcel Lenormand | Screen Fabricator: Jim Bond
Supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England; supported by Dance Manchester, hÅb, STUN, Z-arts, Contact, Guernsey Arts Commission, Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, Ladywood School, Black Gold Arts Festival, Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester Science Festival, HacMan, FabLab + Journey Through Time.
Websites
www.thebodyoflight.dance | www.darrenpritcharddance.com | @DarrenDancer
Black Gold Arts Festival | Black Gold Arts Festival Facebook event