Viewing posts tagged "collaboration"
19.04.2013 POSTED BY Geraldine
In 2012, the UK Paralympic games offered the glimpse of a new dawn in which disabled artists, athletes and communities were judged on their own merits and celebrated for their talents.
One year on, we ask the question, what next?
This is our answer.
Diverse City and Cirque Bijou are creating an integrated circus company called Extraordinary Bodies. The Company will contain leading disabled and non-disabled dancers, actors and circus performers, and highly skilled Paralympians new to the world of performance.
We will make shows that challenge perceptions of diverse and extraordinary bodies, old and young - shows that are fun, rock-and-roll and visually spectacular with images that burn themselves to the inside of your eyelids and unsettle your consciousness.
We will push the boundaries and aesthetics of circus and extreme physical performance, reinventing circus skills and equipment where necessary.
What are we working on?
A bold, joyous, radical new show focused on the body.
Diverse City and Cirque Bijou will bring together 8 artists and athletes to create an entirely new piece.
It will challenge perceptions of diverse bodies and build on the positive perception of disabled people that emerged from the media exposure of the Paralympics. Ours is a world where diversity of bodies is to be celebrated, and every body, disabled or not, is regarded as extraordinary.
Extraordinary Bodies is a partnership between Diverse City and Cirque Bijou. It is a direct legacy of the successful collaboration between the two companies in 2012 to create and produce the Unlimited commission Breathe. The project has the support of Circus Space and the British Council. The Paralympics Association have endorsed the project, saying
"Extraordinary Bodies is a really positive initiative, aiming to showcase the incredible skills of disabled and non-disabled people alike. Challenging perceptions and showing what disabled people are capable of is at the heart of our vision and to see this replicated outside of sport, in the world of artistic and theatrical performance, is fantastic. We wish the project the best of luck and hope it helps to build on the positive perception of disabled people that was inspired by the London 2012 Paralympic Games."
Extraordinary Bodies is supported by Arts Council England
19.03.2013 POSTED BY Geraldine
This short documentary brings together footage taken throughout the Battle for the Winds buildup, as the project's momentum snowballed, and as we gathered 150 artists in Weymouth to celebrate the Olympic Sailing events.
Film by Colourburn.
We have also been featured in Arts Council England's film '. Watch out for us from 2mins 40s onwards (Battle for the Winds was the South West's largest Cultural Olympiad project).
Find out more about Battle for the Winds.
11.01.2013 POSTED BY Geraldine Giddings
2012 was a focal point for Cirque Bijou.
When it came to it, in addition to our celebrations of the London 2012 Sailing at Weymouth and throughout the South West, we produced several other major, season-defining events. It was an exciting and exhilarating summer for the company, and our work was seen by audiences of around 750,000 (not including the 23 million who watched the MTV awards…)
Inspired by the success of last year, a promising year of new projects and new partnerships beckons...
Our highlights of 2012
Kate, Company Manager: A standing ovation 2 nights running for Project 3Sixty at Watch This Space Festival at the National Theatre
Julian, Director: seeing a bus full of passengers on Tower Bridge, overlooking the performance space at Watch This Space festival, stop to watch Project 3Sixty
Howie, Visualist: Sitting on the giant astroturfed sofas on the South Bank after Project 3Sixty's run had finished, relief and pleasure that the run had been a success
Billy, Director: DiverseCity’s company of disabled artists flying above Weymouth beach, during the climax of the main Battle for the Winds performance; seeing 500 artists convene at the end of Weymouth Esplanade, ready for the Carnival procession - knowing that we'd pulled it off!
Anne, Administration and Finance: Battle for the Winds carnival procession on the Saturday afternoon, on the final day of the project in Weymouth
Geraldine, Business Development: Seeing Battle for the Winds make Pick of the Week in the Guardian Guide; our new website going live; working with some outstanding artists – eg watching international straps artist Erika performing beneath a water curtain as part of our Elements show for a gala event in February
Sarah, Designer: gaining a distinction in my Masters degree in Costume from AUCB for my work on the Battle for the Winds costumes
What we’re excited about for 2013…
Julian: experimenting with new technologies, leaps forward in what we can do with video in our shows, playing with new artforms
Billy: new projects with Circus Space and AUCB; working with DiverseCity to create some exciting new performance with disabled artists and athletes; seeing where Step Up leads us in 2013; taking our work a step further and ensuring it's world class
Anne: developing Step Up, in light of the recently produced report about the project and the recommendations coming out of it
Kate: new partnerships with The Circus Space and AUCB; recognition for Cirque Bijou, more people understanding who we are and what we do
Geraldine: increased capacity for the company - after last year, we can do anything! A wider variety of projects, more chances to work with new artists and push our work forwards so that we're recognised as national leaders in our field
Howie: developing Project 3Sixty and touring it to new audiences
14.09.2012 POSTED BY Geraldine
A short film about Breathe was screened for a week at Southbank Centre, London.
Breathe was an integral and groundbreaking part of Battle for the Winds, Cirque Bijou's collaboration with Desperate Men to celebrate the Sailing events at Weymouth in July 2012. Narratively, Breathe represented the eighth compass point, the South West Wind.
Created by three leading British disabled artists – Jamie Beddard, Dave Toole and Alex Bulmer – Breathe was performed by an outstanding and inspirational cast of 64 disabled and non-disabled performers from Dorset (TheRemix and Double Act) and Brazil (APAE).
We worked closely with producers Diverse City and the Breathe Company in the preceding months to ensure Breathe was fully integrated into the final Battle for the Winds performance. We also directed and produced Breathe's aerial sequence, training 6 people with physical and/or learning disabilities to perform aerial work from a 20m crane.
The film charts the journey of the company to create this breathtaking outdoor performance of circus and dance in which people who cannot walk fly, wheelchairs become trapped in bubbles and all soar high above the town of Weymouth.
Breathe was an Unlimited commission from Arts Council England, initiated and produced by Diverse City for the Maritime Mix 2012 Cultural Olympiad by the Sea and London 2012 Festival.
30.08.2012 POSTED BY Geraldine
And relax... Cirque Bijou were celebrating a long and productive summer as well as Kate and Julian's birthdays yesterday on a team day out in Haldon Forest.
Since May we've been on the go with shows for torch relay events, Goodwood Festival of Speed, corporate shows in London and Barcelona, The Caucus Race for the Story Museum, Bristol Harbour Festival, and of course the big one, Battle for the Winds. The team went straight to London from Weymouth for Project 3Sixty at BT London Live and the National Theatre, and we rounded off with a show for the T20 Cricket Finals in Cardiff last weekend.
Not bad going and we all needed a break so a day out at Go Ape and mountain biking in the forest was a well-deserved treat.
31.07.2012 POSTED BY Geraldine
Photo above - The Arrival of Doldrum - Royal Navy Crown Copyright, photo Joel Rouse
Along with partners Desperate Men, we have returned from our production Battle for the Winds, 3 spectacular days of performance to celebrate the Sailing events at Weymouth and Portland, 26-28 July.
Somerset Wind Gatherers - Photo Maisie Hill
A collaboration on an epic scale: Battle for the Winds included
- seven companies of street theatre artists, assembled for the Battle for the Winds, with their specially created Wind Gathering Vessels
- brand new aerial performance from a crane directed by Billy (Cirque Bijou co-director) and devised by a company of 7 of the UK's most exciting aerialists
- DiverseCity's company of 64 disabled and able-bodied performers from UK and Brazil, presenting Breathe
- a spectacular display by the Royal Marines 4 Assault Squadron, who delivered the stone-hearted Doldrum to the beach amidst flares, ships and pyrotechnics
- 212 Bridgwater Carnivalites who lit up the beach with the first ever Squibbing display outside of Bridgwater
- the awesome, primal spectacle of 2012 community participants wading into dark waters with flaming torches
Fire Torches - photo Maisie Hill
Part of London 2012 Festival and Maritime Mix, the Cultural Olympiad by the Sea, Battle for the Winds was presented in the Olympic Live Site to an audience of 8000, as well as on the streets of Weymouth and Portland. Our biggest project yet, and four years in the making, it required a huge amount of careful production management and logistics. Julian, Bijou co-director, was overall Production Manager for Battle for the Winds, and Kate Lanciault, our Company Manager, looked after the onsite logistics.
Battle for the Winds attracted attention and was featured on the BBC news on 29 July, Sky News on 28 and 29 July and covered by Reuters, ITV westcountry and countless local radio, TV and newspaper articles.
No rest for us as rehearsals have already started today for Project 3Sixty at BT London Live in Victoria Park 6-7 August, followed by Watch this Space at the National Theatre, 10-12 August.
24.05.2012 POSTED BY Kate
Across the South West the Battle for the Winds teams were mobilised and ready for action as the Olympic torch swept through the region from 19th - 23rd May. There were performances of all kinds in Cornwall, Exeter, Taunton, Cheltenham, Swindon and of course at home in Bristol. Cirque Bijou produced this show, utilising the harbourside cranes as we previously had done for the launch of the M Shed.
A busy week - as described by Billy on his Battle for the Winds blog. Not long now till Weymouth...
23.04.2012 POSTED BY Geraldine
The Caucus Race is a chapter from Alice in Wonderland which involves lots of nonsense and a chaotic, rule-less race. Every year in Oxford, The Story Museum celebrate the anniversary of Charles Dodgson's first telling of the tale, which took place on the beautiful River Isis by Christ Church college. This year, as part of the 150th anniversary celebrations, they have teamed up with Big Dance and invited us to join in and together we're producing The Caucus Race - a free, fun family event. Expect surprises...and bring your dancing shoes.
If you'd like to get involved, through dance, theatre, music or art workshops, please contact geraldine@cirquebijou.co.uk for more information.
The Caucus Race is part of the London 2012 Festival and is made possible by support from Arts Council England and the generous provision of Merton Field by Christ Church.
