Poem for Riot OFFspring By Eve Pearce, Company of Elders.

POEM FOR RIOT OFFSPRING

We have babies!  Not only babies , but babies in boxes,
with their mums.  Then, a few years later,
they’ve turned into giggly girls and noisy boys.
next we  have teenagers, lithe and lovely,
leaping like kangaroos – such joy!
Young adults enter – strong and supple,
hoping to turn pro – moving in their innocence.
finally the Elders, doing their best
in spite of gammy legs and crumbling hips,
broken shoulders and arthritic knees
don’t stop us – nothing does; and when
five lucky ones are lifted in the air.
and as Mafalda says – you fly-
where do we go?  Why, to Heaven of course!

                                                                 Eve Pearce

Company of Elders rehearsal pictures.

Amber Group rehearsal pictures.

Diary Entry - Maire Amber group

Tues 9^th-Today we were working on a section in which we interact with the turquoise group. I think the concept that we are working with is the miscommunication between generations, classes and the tension between authoritative figures and those who feel like they've been marginalized in our society. This obliviously is the underpinnings of the London riots in 2011 and what we’re trying to draw out in this section is this contrast between the high-energy, angry, aggressive movement of the “rebels” and the solid, strong but simple movements of the “guards”. Like most dancers, I really enjoy doing huge, dramatic movement and one of the biggest challenges I've found in these rehearsals is being able to do the simple, minimal choreography with just as much energy and conviction as the big movement.

Wed 10^th- I really enjoyed working with the elders. We performed a task in which we were each teamed with an elder who directed us though an improvisation. Each gesture the elder performed would correlate to different parts of our bodies. It was really interesting to see just how much movement could be produced by this and to experiment with different rhythms which consequently meant that little duets were developed. 

Drawing, documenting and recording - to keep a good physical memory.

Diary Entry - Luka from the Amber group

Friday 5^th of April

Whatever point at which you stop practicing is where you pick up from.

I am still finding it hard to follow some choreography. But I have to keep trying . Drawing documenting and recording to keep a good physical memory.

I already see opportunities to try for, if I keep working hard there is a strong chance I will get them. Hard work, determination is guiding me. 

Pictures from the whole company rehearsing.