UCOL drama students move in for the Kiss

2 August 2012

UCOL drama students move in for the Kiss

The stage will be a sea of movement and music at the latest UCOL Diploma in Performing Arts production starting next week.

Well known for his emphasis on physical theatre, programme leader and director Jaime Dorner has taken the theme of movement one step further with the_Kiss, a collaboration with concert pianist, Flavio Villani.

Loosely based on Chapter 7 of Hopscotch written by Julio Cortazar, the_Kiss…a movement laboratory, has been devised over several weeks. The focus has been placed on exploring images not only with the body, but in relationship with the music; creating an organic dance where it is often unclear as to whether the music is leading the dancers or the dancers are leading the musician. So there is no ‘score,’ there are points which will be hit, but the journey will be different for each performance.

Jaime says, “These students by and large are not dancers but are engaging their bodies with full commitment and an understanding of narrative drive without the need for text. They have been extending their physical limits since the beginning of the year, with a very successful ensemble dance ‘showing’ to their friends and family in June.”

Italian born Flavio has taken three weeks away from his Piano Performance Masters studies at Auckland University to work with Jaime and the students. “Flavio is very interested in experimental composition,” says Jaime. “His talents as a notable pianist have made a huge impression on the students and have given the production great strength.”

This second, more challenging semester will see the students open their work to the public. Following ‘the_Kiss’, they will present ‘War – A Cabaret’ at Palmerston North’s Travelodge in September. They will devise monologues to be performed at the Library in October and finish with their graduation production in November.

When: Wednesday 8 – Saturday 11 August 2012 at 7:30pm
Where: UCOL Performing Arts Studio, Block 9, 23 Queen St

Bookings are essential, no door sales. Tickets are $10 and are available from l.kirkman@ucol.ac.nz

ENDS

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