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Press Release

After receiving Arts Council funding Joss Arnott Dance will tour a mesmerising dance double-bill to eleven UK venues this autumn 2013

Be mesmerised by an international cast of eight alpha-female dancers. Choreographed to perfection, they move in slick unison, with insect like isolation, taking inspiration from Classical Ballet, Commercial Dance, Pop Culture, Fashion and Film.

Record of Events: 30 minutesInterval: 20 minutesThreshold: 30 minutes

RECORD OF EVENTS (part of one double-bill)

Record of Events was created in summer 2013 for autumn touring, it was developed with a cast of eight female dancers with the support of Jasmin Vardimon in a mentor role.

Looking at a darker side to femininity and sensuality, the work explores how we can lose our inhibitions whilst looking for freedom. The physicality of the work will be very raw, gritty and honest to excite and intrigue an audience. 

Working with contrasting behavioural traits and multiple personalities, the work will transport an audience into the circus that is the dancers’

oppressive world full of reflection and hopelessness. What is the whole-truth? Who are we to judge anyway?

THRESHOLD (part two of double-bill)

Threshold was developed in 2010 as a showcase piece to launch Joss Arnott Dance company, popular amongst audiences and critics alike, it has been updated ready for touring again in 2013. With impressive strength and power

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dancers invade each others' territory in this highly-charged exploration of the human body. Follow vigorous dashes across the stage and a rapid relay of connections and disconnections, as performers contort themselves through hyper-mobility, switching from robotic aggression to controlled extensions. There will be live musicians at the following venues: South Hill Park, The Hawth, ArtsDepot.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/user/jossarnottdance

About The Company

Joss Arnott Dance is an international touring contemporary dance company based in South East England, led by Artistic Director and Choreographer Joss Arnott. The company is funded by Arts Council England and currently supported by dance organisations and dance houses such as South East Dance, City Moves Festival, Swindon Dance and The Point whilst being produced by Dep Arts Ltd. Joss Arnott has established his exciting choreographic signature through his fascination with the body and work which focuses on whole body articulation and athletic dynamic physicality.

In June 2012 Joss received his first grant from Arts Council England to support the R&D, Creation and Touring of The Dark Angel Tour, a triple bill programme commissioned by South East Dance and produced by Dep Arts Ltd.

The works focus on athletic explorations and presentations of corporeal function influenced by Arnott's fascination with the body. Taking a surrealist approach to aesthetics relating to performance, the works also draw on influences from pop culture, fashion and film.

His work has been described as ‘possibly the perfect tonic for British contemporary dance. A choreographer who clearly knows how to stage a dance, excite an audience and leave you hungry for more.’ londondance.

The company works look at the extremes of body mechanics and what it can achieve technically through a fusion of influences and aesthetics including Classical Ballet, Commercial Dance, Pop Culture, Fashion and Film. All of the collaborators within the company are all highly skilled professional artists who have worked with established choreographers and dance companies such as Tavaziva Dance, Henri Oguike Dance Company, ACE Dance and Music, Clod Ensemble and Hofesh Shechter Company.

Funded by Arts council England, City Moves and South East Dance, Produced by Dep Arts, Supported by The Point, Swindon Dance, South Hill Park Bracknell

Quotes

“Dramatic, fierce and totally rock and roll” Audience Member 2013

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“A truly cutting edge company... the blend power and strength with flashes of elegance and beauty!” Yorkshire Evening Post 2012

“Highly charged and physically demanding... a must see performance” Londondance

“The perfect tonic for British contemporary dance. A choreographer who clearly knows how to stage a dance, excite and audience and leave you hungry for more.” Libby Costello, londonist, 2010

“There's nothing deceptively simple about Joss Arnott's Threshold, a deliberately complex showcase for seven technically accomplished female dancers. The piece generates a fierce if assaultive dynamism. It aims to impress its audience, and it certainly delivers.” Sanjoy Roy

Notes to Editor

Tour Dates Autumn 2013

Thu 03 October // South Hill Park Arts Centre, Bracknell - Featuring live music01344 484 123 // www.southhillpark.org.uk

Fri 04 October // The Hawth, Crawley - Featuring live music01293 553 636 // www.hawth.co.uk

Thu 10 October // Mumford Theatre, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge0845 196 2320 // www.anglia.ac.uk/mumfordtheatre

Fri 18 October // DanceLive, The LemonTree, Aberdeen01224 641 122 // www.dancelive.org.uk

Wed 23 October // stage@leeds, University of Leeds0113 343 8730 // www.stage.leeds.ac.uk

Wed 30 October // The Arts Centre, Edge Hill University, Lancs01695 584 480 // www.edgehill.ac.uk/artscentre

Wed 06 November // Traverse Theatre // Edinburgh0131 2281404 // www.traverse.co.uk/whats-on/event-detail/274/record-of-events--threshold.aspx

Fri 08 November // Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton01902 321 321 // www.arenatheatre.info

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Wed 13 November // artsdepot, London Featuring live music020 8369 5454 // www.artsdepot.co.uk

Thu 14 November // The Point, Eastleigh023 8065 2333 // www.thepointeastleigh.co.uk

Fri 22 November // Swindon Dance01793 601 700 // www.swindondance.org.uk

An interview with Joss Arnott

What are the main influences in your work?

I’ve always been interested in pop culture and film, I feel that these have a big influence on my work’s aesthetics and conceptual interests. To be creating and touring a double bill consisting of two group works is a great opportunity for me to showcase the range of concepts that I’m interested in as an artist. I am creating a stylistic brand of movement within my choreographic work whilst being influenced by a diverse range of performance qualities. Threshold is an existing work that we will be touring in the autumn and for this work I explored what the body could achieve technically and drew on athletic physicality. For my new work record of events, I am exploring a much more theatrical approach whilst still integrating a raw physicality throughout so having Jasmin Vardimon support this work through mentoring will be extremely beneficial to me. Music is extremely important to my work. I have been working with my composer James M Keane for a number of years and he continues to invest his time in the company which I am extremely grateful for. James is amazing at finding the way to compliment dance and music together and has a range of expertise which has developed me as an artist also.

What processes do you use to create work and what makes you a unique director?

I work very collaboratively when I am creating, as I am interested in the individual. I will teach material, direct improvisations and have the dancers create material themselves, which I then work with and edit.  As a director I feel

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that my strengths lie in bringing the best out of the dancer’s individuality whilst still maintaining the essence of being part of an ensemble.

What comes first for you in the creative process, where does new work often start from?

I am fascinated by strong imagery, music and people so I always start with something that has genuinely inspired or influenced me rather than looking for something. I will normally generate and teach material so the dancers embody what I am wanting physically so they can interpret this for creative tasks.

Why are you working with all female dancers at the moment?

Working with an all-female company is through choice as I feel that this is one of the aspects that is unique about the company. I have an extremely talented and charismatic company, many who I have been fortunate to have with me for a number of years and as a male choreographer I am interested in how my movement language is portrayed by a female dancer. I am creating a strong and athletic ensemble of females who are very different dancers but compliment each other, which I feel as an audience member is very interesting.

What would you like your audience to take away with them after watching your work?

I want to inspire and excite and audience regardless of their dance knowledge. I would like an audience to feel energized and above all entertained by what they have seen.

What has been your highlight since starting creating work under your own name?

I am extremely grateful for what the company has achieved to date and the continuous support from partners has made that happen. But I think the highlight for me is working with my entire team. I’m very fortunate to be working with an outstanding calibre of dancers, collaborators and designers whilst gaining support from leading dance organisations, funders and producers.

What would you like your company to be doing in five years’ time?

I want the company to be recognised on an international level, for the company to expand and maintain its stability whilst building on my creative and managerial team. I want to be able to exceed my artistic vision, to produce fuller productions whilst continuing to excite an audience and to continue reaching as many people as possible through our educational activities.

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Dancers

Jessica Hall – (from Dudley, Birmingham)

Rosanna Wallis Gain – (from Plymouth)

Laurel Dalley Smith – (from Bath)

Rosie Terry – (from Melbourne, Derby)

Lisa Rowley – (from Leicester)

Lauren Wilson – (from Hull, East Yorkshire)

Darja Reznikova – (from Ukraine)

Alice Gaspari – (from Italy)

Click here for dancer biogs - http://www.jossarnottdance.com/?p=74

More information and social media

Web: www.jossarnottdance.co.uk

Blog: www.jossarnottdance.com

Twitter: @jossarnottdance

Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Joss-Arnott-Dance

Supporters: Funded by Arts council England, City Moves and South East Dance, Produced by Dep Arts, Supported by The Point, Swindon Dance, South Hill Park Bracknell

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Age guidance 12 + (however that’s not due to anything offensive i.e. language, nudity etc)

To arrange interviews or for more information please contact:

Nicky Smith // Marketing // Joss Arnott Dance // 07855 840822 // nicky@theliftcreativeservices.com