Pina Bausch Presentation in Wuppertal , Germany
January 4, 2017
Jared Onyango worked with Francesco Scavetta, Italian choreographer of WEE Dance Company based in Norway and the Artistic director of Vitlycke Performing Arts Centre in Tanumshede, Sweden. Francesco Scavetta has been invited to hold workshops for Academies of dance, private dance schools, Universities and professional companies, often in collaboration with theatre directors, composers, visual artists and musicians.
Jared worked with Francesco Scavetta from May to end of July 2016 in Sweden. The work of Francesco is based on releasing: using least muscle energy in movement. Francesco’s daily exercises is focused on opening tight pelvis, releasing back torso and grounding. The work is articulated in series of investigations on body and movement sometimes through structured improvisations. The sessions are taught as conceptual and physical exercises connected with the process of "Surprised body project performance”.
In September, Jared worked again with Francesco in Nairobi/ Kenya and Kampala Uganda as a continuation of the process which started in Sweden in May/ July. Through Waridi Projects Nairobi, Jared made open calls to dancers to participate in the workshops, selected ten out of the applicants dancers to participate in the workshops.
In Kampala the workshops was presented in the frame-work of Bayimba Festivals 2016 with dancers from Kampala, Uganda. Dancers were taught skills deepening their perception of physical expression and body movement in the context of contemporary dance and choreography.
The Work
Francesco Scavetta has developed a body of works over the years which include Surprised Body, Sincerely Yours, Stangely enough (2010), Daddy always wanted me to grow a pair of wings, live* (2002) , Bye bye unknown (2004) , And yet (2004) , And I just stood there, watching the sky and the people below (2007/2009) to mention just a few.
During Jared's fellowship period at Vitlycke, Francesco was working to present the projects in various platforms in Sweden, Norway, Croatia, UK and later in Colombia. They worked a lot. I was under-studying the rehearsals, stage crafts as well and watched the performances of the company.
Jared and Francesco worked on the materials of Surprised Body Performance which was his mission, working on releasing and lengthening my muscles. Another drive for Jared was to see from this fellowship what it could take to set up a training centre in Nairobi.
Surprised body project defines a metaphorical space. As an image of a body in a constant alert, able to surprise itself, escaping from a habitual daily body and from any kind of routine. A body more focused on reacting, than on acting. More on receiving, than on doing. A movement which does not show itself, but which happens. A disjointed body manipulation, a concentrate of fluidity and deformation, humour and folly.
The physical training aims at awakening awareness and sensitivity and at creating occasions for discoveries. At Vitlycke, we did routines exercises each morning warm up exercises lasting about one hour daily. With sessions starting from modest shaking of hands, activating shoulders and emptying the chest and activating feet with Tai Chi basics.
After warm ups, the class gets into materials of Surprised Body. Taught with phrase materials based on push and pull, charging and folding relationships. Up and down phrases which utilises active palms and foot on the floor on pulling and pushing, catching and throwing to move the space through the hands and the body.
These phrase materials serve also as base blocks dancers work with to build deconstruct, transform and fragment in devisings new versions and in improvisation. In performing the phrases, one traces journeys in and out of space with constant playing with other dancers in solos, duets, trios etc. Original set materials could be broken down to come up with own individual version, or injecting new qualities.
Francesco often followed the task from the inside / outside: demonstrating if need be or by passing instructions. Insisting on contrasts, symmetry and asymmetry, yin - yang relationships when working own version. Urging dancers to maintain clear vision and memory when improvising with in/visible partner.
Daily Jared focused on working both the phrase and my body to gain as much softness and grounding as possible. Repeating over and over these exercises sometimes working into the night hours. Investigate for himself the materials slowly and alone to tackle problems, to be able to make discoveries that he could not get in general sessions.
He had considerable difficulties in the beginning with learning and executing the materials. In these first sessions he had a lot more resistance in my pelvic, thighs, knee and torso. In the work, one has to master the art of stepping to allow movements flow freely. Master the stepping as the base for the work from the basic concept of Tai Chi.
As they moved along, Jared gave himself to the task, working to achieve grounding and releasing. Search for more freedom and looseness in the thighs, pelvis and emptiness in chest. This helped him to achieve some improvement both in the work and in my body.
At Vitlycke, he had an opportunity to work on a solo project which Francesco helped him with insights and inputs. Jared performed the solo and made a dance workshop too. He had time for fun too in TanumShede. He visited the Vitlycke Museum, the rocks drawing from the Bronze age, he visited Stockholm for some days and stayed in Oslo few days before flying back to Nairobi.
In Nairobi and Kampala they sort of did the same work like at Vitlycke. Workshops in Nairobi and Kampala ran smoothly except for some minor differences. Mainly on participation, technical levels and timings.
In Nairobi, there were ten dancers, worked six hours a day for one week. In Kampala, there were about twelve dancers and the workshop happened as part of the Bayimba Festival. We did a presentation in the Festival at the end of the workshop.
The workshops in Nairobi and Kampala were important as they served as a pilots to his idea of setting up a training centre in Nairobi. Of course he made a lot of significant observation with them. But the workshops were well received in both places.
This was a significant project for me because all he wanted to work, Francesco gave me the opportunity to do. Jared's search for answers to his questions were convinced at Vitlycke Performing Arts Centre. He was lucky to work regularly and closely with Francesco who always has a tight schedule. He was very impressed of the because he was accommodated as a family member at Vitlycke! Lacking nothing during his stay with Francesco at Vitlycke who helped him a lot.
Jared hopes to carry out a series of workshops in the future through Waridi Projects Nairobi and eager to see the ripple effects of his vision in the near future. Thanks to Francesco Scavetta, staff and dancers of WEE Dance Company and Vitlycke Performing Arts Centre and The Pina Bausch Foundation. www.wee-francescoscavetta.no
Pina Bausch Fellowship 2016 for Dancers and Choreographers
At The Opera in Wuppertal , Germany
January 4, 2017
Presented by: Jared ONYANGO