Witness

Selected for British Dance Edition 2014

Available for UK and International touring.

Witness three exceptional dancers as they explore the making of their own choreographic portraits. Dancers Ino Riga, Eeva-Maria Mutka and Annabeth Berkeley generously share their practice and process of who they are and what dance is to them. The unique performances that result are both elaborate and supremely personal: as idiosyncratic as the women who dance them.  Excellence, intimacy and honesty in performance.


Theatre is a rehearsed life, pre-planned – you know your role.” – Ino Riga
“You can’t always say the truth, sometimes you have to pretend.”  – Annabeth Berkeley
“Is this dancing?” – Eeva-Maria Mutka

The Performances

“Portraiture was a useful tool to access the themes I was interested in: the representation of women in art and in particular dance and the line between performance and non-performance grounded by honesty in performance. Other themes nurtured in the process were: the beauty of trying, preparing and the psychological journey of each dancer. The films draw a fine line between what is real or performed and asks how is it to be watched or exhibited.” – Jo Fong

The original piece is a large scale three screen dance installation. The panoramic view allows both the ordinary and extraordinary to become iconic, the performers saturate the space with their presence and voices yet there remains an intimacy.

The original work or hybrids of the piece are presented in galleries or durational theatre settings. This selection of unique works evolve together with each gallery creating tailored pieces for each event.

The single screen narrative can be viewed in cinema as well as arts festival settings.


“Over the course of an hour the audience witnessed a process of candid exposure that was as moving as it was aesthetically pleasing. And ‘witness’ really is the word here, for it implies more than passive engagement.” – CCQ magazine. Review Sherman Theatre, Cardiff




Credits:
Choreographer and Director: Jo Fong
Dancers: Ino Riga, Eeva-Maria Mutka
& Annabeth Berkeley
Filmmakers & Editing: Filipe Alcada & Dawn Collins
Music Giovanni Battista Pergolesi
Photo Credit: Filipe Alcada

Video: full length available on request

Witness – Portraits of Women Who Dance premiered in July 2012 at Chapter Arts Centre.

It has been presented at:
Sherman Theatre, Cardiff
Merlin Theatre, Frome