We are pleased to announce that Earthfall’s Chelsea Hotel performance has been nominated for no fewer than three awards at the upcoming Theatre Critics of Wales Awards this month.
The categories in which Chelsea Hotel is nominated are:
Music and Sound
Digital and Online
Small Scale Dance Production
We’re excited to be appearing alongside some of the most prestigious names in Welsh performance, such as Dirty Protest, Gabblebabble, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru and National Theatre Wales.
Earthfall could give masterclasses to a new generation of overly digi-utopianised theatre-makers on the deployment of gadgetry in a way that enhances live performers.
Adam Somerset, http://www.theatre-wales.co.uk/reviews/reviews_details.asp?reviewID=3138
The winners will be announced at the Awards Ceremony in Sherman Cymru on January the 25th. We’re looking forward to seeing everybody there and best of luck to everyone nominated.
There is no moment you are off stage in an audition – show your passion at every moment
Artistic Director, Jess Cohen
Third year dance students from Cardiff Metropolitan University came to Chapter Arts this week to work with dancer Alex Marshall Parsons, Artistic Director Jess Cohen and Earthfall General Manager Stephan Stockton to learn the fundamentals of a dance audition process.
After a brief session with Stephan Stockton on what to expect at auditions, your rights and responsibilities as a participant and the formalities behind the process, Chelsea Hotel’s Alex Marshall Parsons led the group through a warm-up and some Chelsea Hotel choreography.
The group were taught some set movements and then given the opportunity to improvise and devise their own material before presenting their work to the panel as in a real audition. The group were then given feedback and information on their work and tips on how to make an impression at audition.
I learned a lot about myself and my body and how I react in different situations as well as the ins and outs of what happens at a professional audition
3rd year Dance Student, Cardiff Met
Artistic Director Jess Cohen talked the group through what Earthfall look for in people who audition with us and how that can differ from company to company. She gave away top tips to help prepare the group for professional life after graduation.
Our penultimate performance at Aberystwyth Arts Centre last night had an enthusiastic response from the near sell-out audience, with people piling in for the post-show talk with the Company.
Students, audience members and reviewers took the opportunity to ask artistic directors Jim Ennis and Jessica Cohen and performers Sebastian Languener, Jess Haener, Alex Marshall-Parsons and Rosalind Brooks a multitude of questions after the show.
Addressing issues from sexuality and gender to Chelsea Hotel residents and stories, the Company chatted at length with the audience, explaining the artistic process and inspiration behind the performance and explaining Earthfall’s immersive approach to performance through their free Smartphone app.
The Company are heading off to Bournemouth tomorrow for the final performance of Chelsea Hotel at Pavilion Dance. Below you can read a selection of what the Company had to say from our Twitter feed:
“The mattress is so uncomfortable and unforgiving!!” @sebastian_l_
“Silence and pauses in sound can be incredibly significant; you have to work out how best to use it in the overall dynamic” Jess Cohen
“We go into an empty space in silence to work things out. The music builds up naturally and gradually” @jimennis1
“As I worked more with the company our developing relationship got stronger; there is more truth in the performance” Jess Haener – performer
“Every performance has a new breath of life in it. As we tour & get to know one another, that changes how we interact in stage” @AMarshallP
“There’s an element of autobiography in all of our work. We try and identify our own experiences with those we portray on stage” Jim Ennis
“We wanted to show an extraordinary building that housed extraordinary people to the audience” Jess Cohen artistic director
“#chelseahotel had a mix of people immigrants, artists, families, people gave birth & died there…” Jim Ennis artistic director
Post show talk filling up quick! Llawer o bobl I glywed y sgwrs ar ol y sioe! pic.twitter.com/IGsNkzclrE
At Salisbury Arts Centre the Chelsea Hotel performance was heralded by the work of Jigsaw Youth Dance, who have been working with Earthfall tutors Billy Brown and Hannah Darby.
Basing their ideas on sections of Chelsea Hotel repertoire, the young dancers were able to develop their own creative work, which they performed for the Chelsea Hotel audience as they awaited curtain-up.
“I’m really thrilled at the work the dancers have come up with,” said Artistic Director Jess Cohen. “They’ve developed some really interesting ideas and it looks fantastic.”
The workshops have provided the group not only with the opportunity to learn professional repertoire and unique choreography from trained professional dancers, but allowed them to showcase what they had learned and then see the source of the workshops live on stage.
Carrie Madgwick, Jigsaw founder and leader, has been working hard with the company to instil a professional ethos and standard within the group. We were delighted when the opportunity arose for Jigsaw to have a two-day residency with Earthfall and then support the company by performing a curtain raiser before “Chelsea Hotel”
The group worked solidly for two days to create a short but effective performance that challenged the conceptions of dance. In that time the group learned many new approaches to contemporary dance which they will take with them on their Jigsaw journey.
The group were proud to have been part of a new and one-off performance unique to Salisbury Arts Centre and Jigsaw.
Becka Davies, Youth and Education Officer, Salisbury Arts Centre