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A selection of press and public comment about Signdance Collective
Comments & REVIEWS: Three Films + One Reviews "A powerful and charismatic performance" " The Four pieces - 'Listen', 'Here', 'Words' and 'Travelling' are passionate expressions of the Signdance oeuvre, using diverse styles and techniques. This is performance territory akin to other styles of dance-theatre firmly rooted in Europe, but with little precedent here in the UK. There were similarities to work by Alain Patel's 'Les Ballets C de la B' and the 'Seven Fingers', in that elements of the performers' lives and personalities become intimately and dynamically woven in layers, into the construction of the work. What makes Signdance so totally unique, is that their lives are informed by disability and deafness - and so their approach is based on a process of how to incorporate those aspects into their work." Colin Hambrook DAO (see entire review on www.disabilityartsonline.org)The previews were exceptionally successful with very encouraging comments from audiences in South East England, Wales, Italy, Turkey, and South West England.
"I loved it!" REVIEWS HIGH WYRRD Here are a few responses to the High Wyrrd festival from a variety of performers, artists, arts manager and partners Tony Heaton, Director Shape London: I really enjoyed the day, the whole atmosphere was amazing. The contrast between the outdoor sunshine in the shadow of the church, an archetypal English setting, but for contemporary dance rather than Morris dancing, contrasted by the anonymous shopping 'centre'. An environment I dislike with its homogeneity, lack of daylight and fresh air. The architecture seemed to add to the oppressive undertone of the piece by David Bower (tinnitus) choreographed by Isolte Avila, with the frantic movement, white noise and harsh graphic projections, the addition of David's voice really added to the edge of the piece. Every time I see signdance I go away and think about the work, I think that I start to understand, to catch up, then I see them again and they are moving forward again, keeping one step in front. I loved everything I saw, the Luke Barlow band are so fantastically tight and intuitive for such a freeform sound, impossible to describe, the nearest thing I get to is an occasional reminiscence of Tom Waits, they are absolutely a must see. The performance between the dancer and drummer in the churchyard as passing bystanders walking through the churchyard looked on in amazement was the sort of added bonus that you can only get at a spontaneous outdoor event.' Tony Heaton Director Shape Nicole Thomson, artistic director, Anjali 'It has been really good to meet so many other groups and to share ideas. I've made lots of new professional friends'. Claire Luise, performer - Claire Luise, dancer - 'Always love Signdance Collective for their innovation, excitement and the sense of pushing the boundaries of dance theatre. They always make me want to do more professional dance work - Love it! Antoine Hunter - he is a beautiful dancer. The Luke Barlow band were inspirational. Amazing artists.' I wondered how the experience of oragnising a disability arts festival in Britain was different to doing the same experience in Europe. It made me think: is it more difficult/ easier/about the same? Made me question and think about how accessible/inclusive we are as a society in Britain.…we need more of this kind of thing in our sleepy market towns! Come to North Bucks next Antoine Hunter, dancer from USA - 'This has been a blessing, priceless'. Gerdinand Wagenaar, signer from Holland -' I enjoyed it both personally and professionally. What a beautiful range of styles, disciplines and quality levels, and what a lovely town'. Esther Appleyard, Visual Artist - 'The quality of the work over the weekend was extremely high and the artistic vision was also exemplary. There is huge potential to develop this innovative and passionate festival for next year. I would relish the opportunity for my work to more directly link to and become part of the performance. I would also like to film this interaction between object and performer and then project these films on a very small scale, like hidden shrines and very large scale across the architecture of the town. Therefore the work and the place would become one and the same'. Cllr Paul Lambourne, Town Mayor - 'I must congratulate all those involved in the Launch of High Wyrrd last Friday. The enthusiasm and international provenance of the participants and their interaction wththe public really livened up the High Street' BUT BEAUTIFUL 2006-2008 “Signdance Collective's latest performance ‘But Beautiful’ rocks! It must be their best yet. I saw it on a warm June evening in a large tent in a Dorset field but David Bower's swaying and decadent drunk soon transported me to a hot and dusty
SDC's speciality for incorporating dance on video into the performance using their "sculpting space" technique adds an extra dimension with arty video shot in
This is the hottest show in Disability or Deaf Arts for some time. You immediately want to see it again from the beginning and it stays etched on your brain for days afterwards.” Maggie Woolley, Artgenies, June 2006
... Improvisation, jazz and SDC go together like silk and pearls . With a history of lively melodies that shoot off on surprising tangents , jazz has a fluidity that the most experimental pop DJ can only dream of . This complements SDC's creative ethos perfectly', transforming their unique synthesis of film, mime , dance , dance ,signlanguage , gesture and body language into a stunningly mellifluous language that defies articulation' Mellisa Motsyn Disability Arts on Line February 07
This dissonant , experimental portrait of the life of American alto saxophonist , Art Pepper , from Signdance Collective, (Warehouse Theatre London) led by deaf and physically disabled artists is tantalizing . David Bower as the heroin-addled, late-fifties-louche Pepper leans against a standing piano, greeting Creator and director Garry Robson is able to use Time Out London June 07
....It is quite unique to see and hear storytelling with a jazz band as evocative as the songs and the acting of David Bower’s Art Pepper and Isolte Avila’s Dianne Pepper. There is a special dedication to this company and an individual identity in that the songs, dance and jazz players all blend in a oneness that is an ensemble never seen before. It is a company of artists who travel all over Europe and are a welcome surprise for London. (Warehouse theatre ) Empty Space Studio London June 07
'Performing with irrepressible spirit under appalling conditions ..The wettest day of August , perhaps the whole summer, but SDC simply turned this obstacle into another layer of the drama (For But Beautiful) the weather becoming further refection of Art Pepper's bitter-sweet life, ...A celebration of of Pepper's musical achievements . Sure , there is still the womanizing , the drugs, and prison, but above all it's the jazz. Strong areas of improvisation throughout provide a transparant stimulation which is as exciting for the audience as it must be for the performers...
Bower has a deep , strong and personal style of dance-mime, that reflects the unflinching individuality of the artist. Equally talented is Isolte Avila who exudes a vibrant , charismatic enthusiasm and energy , her movement & signing ever expressive. Plus....
The unendingly inventive percussion of Mark Holub and luke Barlow on Saxophone who brilliantly plays Art's alter ego. Santiago Horro and Liran Donin are both on double bass, and guitar . The Luke Barlow band are on equal footing with the dance and theatre , there is a remarkabe energy exchange between all elements , in which the whole is greater than the parts ' STAGE FURTHER, South West Scotland August 2007
To the world, David Bower is best known as the deaf character in the Signdance's current production is ''But Beautiful,'' a prismatic ''But Beautiful'' was a keystone of ''Independence Starts Here,'' The Morning Call Philadelphia PAH! Festival
West Belfast Festival August 2007 Audience and Venue Feedback. "By including the audience in the very fabric of the show and using the entire theatre space, showcased to the audience the creative experience theatre can offer ,altogether, a brilliant night out !"Margaret McKernan FeileBelfast "Excellent" West Beslfast "Great to see the deaf language used and so accesible"very entertaining" Belfast "Absolutely fabulous.. great music, wondeful drama, and creative production . Lovely to see accessible and creative theatre"West Belfast "Well done Signdance , well done Margaret! *Festival D.A organizer , utterly fantastic Belfast "Absolutely Beautiful, thankyou for putting it on , All people together Slan Go foille" Belfast "Go on, Beautiful work!, Excelent show. Superb" Canada "Brilliant ,Art inspired" Armagh "Very good , something new" East Belfast “The musicians and dancers gave a sublime performance and dealt with the darker elements of Art Pepper's life with real passion, empathy and grace. I don't really know what I was expecting, but the quality of this performance blew me away….I left Holton Lee bursting with avid debate and thoughts about what we had just experienced. I also thought it was amazing how even though my knowledge of signing is limited - I still understood everything that was going on and became acutely aware that I was interpreting the performance through a wide range of non-verbal communication”, Marianne Scahill, Arts in the Community Officer, Poole, June 2006 “Over the years I've seen many performances of many forms both as an audience member and as a journalist and I have to say that SDC and Luke Barlow ranks along with the best…I was particularly impressed and moved by the SDC piece not just in its form and setting but in the narrative that underpinned it, simply stunning. Luke and his band were equal to the task of being the follow on and gave a performance that would have satisfied the most demanding audience, top quality musicianship, deft composition and powerful performances all round. The entire evening was truly memorable", John Russell, Willingdon Community School, Eastbourne, May 2006 "Fabulous performance", Director, "The Jazz Signdance Collective’s tribute to Art Pepper, ‘But Beautiful’, was a powerful hybrid of jazz, dance and physical theatre that hooked the audience. The Luke Barlow Band was surprising and wonderful - carcrash jazz, controlled anarchy, what you will", WightVibe at the Isle of Wight Jazz Divas Festival, April 2006 "Working with Signdance Collective has been a positive experience from start to finish . David and Isolte have created work , that would suggest it was the result of a full production team working around the clock for months to produce. However , I know that it is not a full team working around the clock- It is the result of tireless dedication of David and Isolte together. And that is what really impresses. Their show "But Beautiful" has such a sofisticated intergration of technology, signing , dance, and music , combining to produce an emmotive and abstracted insight int the life of Art Pepper, his music , and the woman who loved him. Both performances from David and Isolte struck chords of understanding , pain, illumination, and play. With their skillful expression of Art Pepper's chaotic Jazz world . The audience feedback was overwhelmingly positive" Dawn Fleming Jackson's Lane, London More Reviews and comments on SDC "Over the years the two lead dancers in SDC, Isolte and David, have developed an uncanny sensitivity to each other as performers and a freedom, flexibility and openness to treat any story as a possibiity for interpretation, and any space as a stage. This coupled with the universality of their unique fusion of sign and movement and development of massive improvisational skills, allows them to take risks in their performance style, settings and locations, which have gained them an international reputation and made them ideal to work with us on a piece about the 'jazz soul' of Art Pepper that would have at its core, 'the music of the passing moment'." Garry Robson, Fittings Multimedia Arts
"Unexpected experience of aesthetic beauty.....Wonderful!" Arts and Business, Relics @ Royal Festival Hall, London, 2004
"Fractured Fairytales was a delight. The Ucheldre audience warmed to the return visit of Signdance founders Isolte Avila and David Bower, in their inimitable sign dance style. Full of innovative movement, striking design, live camera usage, and a clever use of space, the presentation evolved into a fantastic potpourri", David Crystal, Director, 2004
"The dance theatre is both beautiful and emotionally charged!" Lunion Estate, Italy, 2004
"Engaging, flamboyant.....striking!" The Hindu, Mumbai, 2003
"Exceptional dance theatre!!" Wiz Awards, Mumbai, India, 2003
"Internationally acclaimed Sign Dance Theatre pioneers, creating a buz", The Big Issue, 2003
"Other companies might use sign language and dance, but for the Signdance Collective it forms the basis of the choreography...delighting audiences... entertaining and challenging", Metro, Manchester, 2002
"The work is (about) the aching need for human connection in the miasma of indifference which shrouds us today", The Hindu, Mumbai, 2002
"Atavistic and brilliant", The Scotsman, 2002
Reviews and comments on the art of signdance, created by Isolte Avila "Poetry of the Body", Bill Harpe, The Guardian, 1987 "Dance and sign combines to startling effect...feverish and poignant" (Isolte Avila's work for the Signdance Theatre Trust which she established and developed). Yorkshire Post, 1999
"Dance Theatre at its most powerful and emotive....beautiful and sensual", BBC Radio, 1998
signdance Collective is a registered trademark
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