May 22, 2020

JOHNNY AUTIN : 25 May – 7 June

As part of the Dance Insights Online programme, 2020 Artist in Residence Johnny Autin curates an exciting programme offering a unique insight into his creative inspiration. This is the third in the series Dance Insights Online – a curated online programme of performances, discourse and events, provocations and artistic inspirations.  Each programme will be online for two weeks and offer audiences an insight into the process and mind of the creator.

In the first week Johnny will be sharing a series of films and music that have proved inspirational, plus a presentation of his own work, Autin Dance Theatre’s  A Posi+tive Life followed by a fascinating Q & A with members of the cast and creative team.   In week 2 find out how Johnny is spending lockdown as he takes over our Instagram, and enjoy a Facebook Live discussion between Johnny and independent artistic director Orit Azaz.

(*Instagram Takeover moved to Friday 5 June) 

JOHNNY RECOMMENDS

Johnny shares his most influential albums and inspiring films, all available to listen/watch online during quarantine.

Watch / Kidd Pivot, The Tempest Replica(2011) 

Kidd Pivot is an award winning contemporary dance theatre company based in Vancouver, Canada. The company,  is led by its founder and artistic director, Crystal Pite.

Crystal Pite has choreographed over 50 works, many of which have been nominated for and won several awards. Currently,  she is also an Associate Artist at Sadler’s Wells in London, an Associate Choreographer with Nederlands Dans Theatre, and an Associate Dance Artist of Canada’s National Arts Centre.

Ólafur Arnalds 

Ólafur Arnalds is an Icelandic multi-instrumentalist and producer from Mosfellsbær, Iceland. He mixes strings and piano with loops and beats, a sound ranging from ambient/electronic to atmospheric pop. He is also the former drummer for hardcore / metal bands Fighting Shit, Celestine, and others. Find out more here

Trisha Brown Dance Company, Set and Reset (1983) 

Trisha Brown’s Set and Reset, a collaboration with Robert Rauschenberg and Laurie Anderson had its US premiere as part of BAM’s inaugural Next Wave Festival in 1983. The piece marked a transitional moment in Brown’s career – creating more and large scale works for the proscenium stage. The seductively fluid quality of the movement in this Trisha Brown masterpiece, juxtaposed with the unpredictable geometric style has become the hallmark of Ms. Brown’s work. Performed to a driving score by Laurie Anderson, the exploration of visibility and invisibility is reflected in the translucent costumes and set by Robert Rauschenberg.

Choreographer and dancer Stephen Petronio—who performed in the world premiere of Set and Reset at BAM—reflects on the Trisha Brown Dance Company’s 50th anniversary with Aaron Mattocks, director of programming at the Joyce Theater.

The Velvet Rage, Alan Downs PH. D (2006) 

Overcoming the Pain of Growing Up Gay in a Straight Man’s World. The gay male world today is characterized by seductive beauty, artful creativity, flamboyant sexuality, and, encouragingly, unprecedented acceptability in society. Yet despite the progress of the recent past, gay men still find themselves asking, “Are we really better off?” The inevitable byproduct of growing up gay in a straight world continues to be the internalization of shame. Drawing on contemporary psychological research, the author’s own journey to be free of anger and of shame, as well as the stories of many of his friends and clients, The Velvet Rage outlines the three distinct stages to emotional well-being for gay men. The Velvet Rage is an empowering book that will influence the public discourse on gay culture, and positively change the lives of gay men who read it.

Alan Downs, Ph.D. is a coach, clinical psychologist and the bestselling author of seven books. His work is acclaimed internationally and has been published in over 27 languages. He is a sought-after conference speaker, workshop leader, and frequent media commentator on the psychology of gay men.

Marina Abramović 

Marina Abramović is a Serbian American performance artist, philanthropist and art filmmaker. Her work explores body art, endurance art and feminist art, the relationship between performer and audience, the limits of the body, and the possibilities of the mind. Being active for over four decades, Abramović refers to herself as the “grandmother of performance art”. She pioneered a new notion of identity by bringing in the participation of observers, focusing on “confronting pain, blood, and physical limits of the body”.

A documentary follows the Serbian performance artist as she prepares for a retrospective of her work at The Museum of Modern Art in New York. Marina Abramovic: The Artist Is Present (2012)

MUSICAL INSPIRATION

Wednesday 27 May

Unwind and chill-back with Johnny’s ‘Mellow brain buzz’ playlist which is filled with soulful tracks that will sure to have your head bobbing!

A POSI+IVE LIFE – Autin Dance Theatre

Friday 29 May, 4pm.  (Available until 7 June)

Premiere Screening.  An interactive sex ed’ and coming of age dance theatre experience for teenagers and young adults. Accept a special invitation to a house party like no other, where a web of stories around sex, love and relationships unveils, with audience participation and original scenography transporting the party guests to the heart of the story. An accessible and immersive theatre experience featuring dance, physical theatre, spoken word and BSL interpretation.

Duration: 60 minutes.

Age guidance 14+    Topics of sex, consent, identity and relationships. Some scenes of a sexual nature, strong language and images that some people may find distressing.

CREDITS: Choreography & Direction – Johnny Autin; Music – Richard Shrewsbury; Lighting, Design – Lizzie Moran; Performers – Katie Albon, Jasmine Gardosi, Shelley Eva Haden, Ashley Jordan, Michael Kelland, Donna Mullings; BSL Interpreter – Rachel Veazey; Dramaturg – Neus Gil Cortes; Theatre Practitioner – Olivia Winteringham; Sex & Relationship Educator – Gillian Leno; Dance Music Video Filmmaker – Jason Langdell; Creative Producer – Kirsten Tranter; Production Assistant – Annalise Cowan

Recorded on 15 January, 2019 at Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham, United Kingdom. Filmed and edited by Parallax Visuals , Produced by Takt Productions.

IN CONVERSATION

Friday 29 May, 5pm

Q&A on Facebook with members of the cast and the creative team

LISTEN / IN CONVERSATION: JOHNNY AUTIN JOINED BY ORIT AZAZ

Orit is an independent artistic director, theatre-maker and facilitator with a long-standing relationship with Nofit State Circus, leading the creative development of the company’s outdoor large scale work, including Parklife, Barricade and Open House. She created Something Good as part of Birmingham Cathedral’s 300th-anniversary celebrations, working with artists and residents of all faiths and none and was co-artistic director of the pilot Shop Front Festival in Coventry in 2018. Orit is currently artistic director of Imagineer’s Bridge project 2018-20, a collision of art, engineering, circus and activism, and artistic associate for Bloomsbury Festival, inviting academics, artists and residents to explore creative project ideas together.

FOLLOW / A DAY IN LOCKDOWN

Friday 5 June on Instagram Live

Johnny takes over our Instagram account to share his day with you.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR DX DIGITAL DANCE INSIGHTS PROGRAMME HERE.