Urgent search for dancers

As part of the Benchmark project, I will be creating a short piece to be performed as part of ResTec, an evening of dance to raise awareness of AIDS and HIV. For this piece I will need some dancers who are prepared to work fairly quickly and collaboratively. A background in contemporary dance styles is necessary.

Dancers will need to be available for the following dates and times:

Research, creation and rehearsal:
October 17th (10-1pm), 24th (10-1pm), 28th (2-5pm), 29th (10-1pm), 31st (10-1pm)
November 7th (10-1pm), 14th & 21st (time TBC), 28th (10-1pm)

Pre-performance sharing:
Wednesday 16th November OR Thursday 17th November (TBC) (5:30-8:30pm)

Tech and Dress:
Monday 28th and/or Tuesday 29th November (time TBC)

Performance:
Tuesday 29th November (matinee and evening)

Most rehearsals will take place at Space@Clarence Mews. The performance is at Stratford Circus.

Travel expenses within London will be covered and there is an additional (modest) fee available - this will be agreed and finalised upon selection.

If you are interested, please email me at piecebypiecedance@gmail.com with a short introduction of yourself and your availability as soon as possible, preferably before Sunday 16th October.

Despina
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Benchmark

I have been lucky enough to be invited to be part of Benchmark 2016 - 2017, an artist development project supported by NewVIc and Arts Council England. The project will culminate in performances at Stratford Circus Arts Centre (29th November, part of ResTec) and NewVIc (January/February 2017 at the launch of the new theatre).

I am using this opportunity to re-launch Piece by Piece. Although never completely gone, there have been periods when the company has been dormant recently - for many reasons - as well as a recent focus on solo work. But this changes now! For the aforementioned performances, I am creating a short group piece for which I require dancers. This post outlines what I'm looking for, time commitment and what is on offer in exchange.

Choreographic workshops

Despina is opening up her choreographic research process through a series of 3-hour choreographic workshops.

A chance to enhance your own creative process and explore starting points for generating and composing movement. Suitable for those with some dance, movement and/or performance experience.

About the research: following pregnancy and childbirth, Despina underwent an extensive period of recovery culminating in a hysterectomy. The physical, psychological and emotional effects of this process have informed her latest research on the relationship we have with the womb as an organ and as a concept, the impact a dysfunctioning organ can have on the body, the perceived/assumed relationship between womb and womanhood and the impact this can have on people who do not fit the assumption.

All workshops are free and can be taken individually although participation in multiple dates will allow you to develop and build on ideas further in-depth. These are not drop-in sessions - booking is essential.

All questions are encouraged: before, during and after!

To reserve a place or ask a question, please email piecebypiecedance@gmail.com

Dates:
 
May
Monday 9th (1-4pm)
Monday 16th (2-5pm)
Saturday 28th (1-4pm)

June
Wednesday 1st (1-4pm)
Thursday 2nd (1-4pm)
Friday 3rd (1-4pm)
Monday 13th (1-4pm)


Location: Clarence Mews, Hackney, London E5

September 2015

I started a new project last month. It's still early days and I don't feel like I can verbalise it yet in a manner fit for outside consumption. But I would like to share some stills from my time in the studio.

A little update

The more observant amongst you all will have noticed that there have been no updates for over two years on this page and over a year on the Facebook page. The reason is as old as humankind - I took time off dance to have a baby.

Having got my MA in Choreography with Merit in the beginning of 2013, I then had to put any and all dance related plans to one side soon after. I now have a happy, healthy 14 month old and have returned to work. Before Christmas I spent some time working in Clarence Mews, as part of the Creative Space 10 week programme. This was strictly research, getting to terms with the changes in my body post-pregnancy and how this affected the way I move.

Back in September I had the opportunity to work on a fantastic project called Spotlight Drama, in my hometown of Nicosia, Cyprus. Following two months of workshops in dance, drama, art and physical theatre, a devised performance piece was created and performed by a mixed, multiethnic group at the first Buffer Fringe Festival organised by Home for Cooperation. Here's a video with some clips from my workshop: