What songs may do... Programme

Programme
Lancaster Arts
Tuesday 27th June 2023

Tonight :
7.30pm What songs may do... (60' no interval)

The performance audio description track should be played from the moment the dancers appear on stage

"Tonight, I am very proud to share with you what may be the most intimate of my works: What songs may do... It took me a very long time to arrive to this point. It all started in 2015, I was then a performer with National Dance Company of Wales. One night, as I was wandering on the Internet I heard Nina Simone's live version of "Feelings" for the first time. I was struck by the emotional intensity of her performance. At first I think I was a little bit cautious and overwhelmed with the idea of using such a soundtrack for a dance piece but as a young maker (I was maybe a little bit reckless and naive), I wanted to test and challenge myself in addressing what could be my version of the traditional choreographic form of the love duet. Here we are! The very first version of What songs may do...(12 minute long) was born, we were fortunate to present it across Europe as part of diverse choreographic platforms including the Copenhagen Choreography International Competition where we received the 3rd Prize Choreography. From this point, the necessity to expand the work became unavoidable. The theme of love and its navigations was too fertile as a territory of exploration to escape. As an openly gay man I also measured the importance of presenting gay love as a theatrical possibility taking into consideration my duty for creating visibility. Beyond its exploration of what love is, What songs may do... champions equity and celebrates diverse representations of love. Originally created in Winter 2021, we were unfortunately unable to present What songs may do... to our audiences. I am now very humbled to share with you this small work in its scale but massive in its story and meaning. Without What songs may do... there would probably not be Rendez-Vous dance. Thank you to all of the collaborators and organisations who supported me in creating this work. I wish for all audience members to feel inspired by this piece."

Mathieu Geffré

The Team

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Mathieu Geffré (he/they) - Choreographer

After graduating from the Paris Conservatoire in 2006, Mathieu Geffré has danced across Europe for 15 years. As a member of companies such as Dansgroep Amsterdam, Noord Nederlandse Dans, and National Dance Company Wales, he collaborated with numerous leading choreographers including Itzik Galili, Johan
Inger, Mark Baldwin, Christopher Bruce and Angelin Preljocaj among others.

Alongside his performing career Mathieu has created and presented work on many European stages. Mathieu was awarded the 3rd Prize Choreography at the Copenhagen International Choreography Competition in 2016. Mathieu launched Rendez-Vous dance in February 2021. He is the first recipient of the Made In The North East commission award enabling him to create The Monocle. Mathieu has also made work for Nationaltheatre Mannheim, Rambert School, CobosMika Seeds Company and Boston Dance Theatre. He is a celebrated dance facilitator who is regularly invited as a guest teacher for Company Wayne McGregor, Matthew Bourne New Adventures, Ballet de l’Opera du Grand Avignon and Venice Biennale among others

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Andrew Gardiner (he/they) - Dramaturg

Andy trained and received BA (hons) in both

Theatre and Dance, and has a PGDip from the Northern School of Contemporary Dance, with a distinction. He currently performs as a dance artist and actor whilst working as a freelance dramaturg, (Rendez-Vous dance The Monocle, What songs may do... and Act. Zoielogic Dance Theatre's Ride, Heist and Sleuth) rehearsal director and teacher.

Andrew has worked with UK based Dance and Theatre companies such as New Art Club, Anatomical, bgroup, Protein Dance, Curious Seed, ZoieLogic Dance Theatre, Ricardo Buscarini, Jamie Fletcher Company, James

Wilton RLWC14, Casson and Friends, Smallpetitklein, Encounter, LaBanda, Simon McBurneys' The Rakes Progress' (Igor Stravinsky) in collaboration with Festival Aix and The DNO. Andy is also the Artistic Director of Society of Strays (an interdisciplinary performance company based in Newcastle) and

has directed, devised and performed in their outdoor work 'Cycle' co-commissioned by Dance City and Nexus

Paolo Pisarra (he/him) - Performer

Originally from Italy, Paolo is a London-based dance artist. Trained in Italy, he then moved to the UK where he danced with BalletBoyz, Zoielogic Dance Theatre and Scottish Dance Theatre performing works by Colette Sadler, Botis Seva and Fleur Darkin. He performed works by Mathieu Geffré, Celia Rowlson – Hall, Emanuel Gat, Sivan Rubistien, Luca Braccia, Merce Cunningham, Jose Limon, Mauro Bigonzetti and Carlo Massari.

He has been selected to perform as part of the “Night of 100 solos”, the Centennial event for Merce Cunningham. Since 2019 he is a member of Rendez-vous directed by Mathieu Geffré. He

recently joined Second Hand Dance Company performing in We touch, we play we dance, an immersive experience for children. Paolo hasperformed What songs may do… since its creation in 2021.

Oliver Chapman (he/him) - Performer

Originally from Norfolk, Oliver began his training on the CAT scheme (Centre for Advance Training) at Laban and completed his professional studies with Bodywork Company in Cambridge. Upon graduation he danced with Chrysalis London, ICON Dance and National Dance Company of Wales performing works by Alexander Ekman, Caroline Finn and Marcos Morau.

As a freelance artist Oliver has performed in new works by Henri Oguike Dance, ZooNation - The Kate Prince Company, Compagnie Amala Dianor (France) and Marcat Dance (Spain) to name a few. Oliver joined Didy Veldman’s Humanoove in 2017 and has been part of two new productions “The Knot” and “@HOME” which have toured nationally and internationally. He has also worked with recording artists Miel de Botton and Take That..

In addition to his performing career, Oliver is the resident contemporary dance teacher at his former school in Cambridge.

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Rachel Shipp (she/her) -

Lighting Designer and

Technical Manager

Rachel is a highly experienced production/technical manager and lighting designer. She specialises in small and medium scale dance and performance, nurturing shows through the production period to first night, and then taking them out on tour, responsible for relighting, staging, and operation of

lighting (and sometimes sound).

She has toured extensively through the UK and Europe, and also to North America, Australasia and the near and far East. She has production managed and toured with Akram Khan, Shobana Jeyasingh, Nigel Charnock, Protein Dance and H2 Dance amongst many others. She is also production manager for Spitalfields Music Festival. Recent touring projects include The Little Prince for Protein Dance and The Monocle for Rendez-vous dance. Recent lighting designs include Bleak House for David Glass Ensemble and Macbeth for

Flabbergast Theatre Company.

Phil Douglas (he/him) - Executive Director

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Cave and Sky (he/him) - Digital Designer

Sarah Trist (she/her) - Tour Booker

Louise Dickson - Illuminate Freedom

Audio Describer

Amelia (Mil) Hawkes (they/them)

Touring Technician - Relighter

They saw it! They liked it!

Share your impressions of the show with us using the #whatsongsmaydo and your comment will appear on the gallery below

Miles Hedley
The Greenwich Visitor
Blog Review

"Oliver Chapman and Paolo Pisarra were irresistible as a couple trying to rediscover lost love, moving sinuously, sensuously and sporadically savagely in electrifying patterns choreographed by Mathieu Geffré."

What Songs May Do... Snaps _ PDSW 5 November 2022 (Credit- Cave & Sky) (13 of 18).jpg

Butch Quick
Audience member PDSW - Bournemouth

Facebook

"Interesting, inventive and thought-provoking performance on Saturday.

Adam Manning
Mayor of Eastleigh

Twitter

A wonderful evening at @PointEastleigh to watch What songs may do..., exciting contemporary dance at its best. Superb technical performances combines with a story shimmering with beauty and passion. Highly recommended! "

Dora Frankel
British Theatre Guide Review

"This is dance at its best, musical, intelligent, well-crafted and moving, drawing in the audience"

Asteropi Tia Chatzinikola
Dance Reviewer

"The highly choreographed lyrical piece, is a narrative of a love story without falling into the trap of melodrama"

What Songs May Do... Snaps _ PDSW 5 November 2022 (Credit- Cave & Sky) (6 of 18).jpg

Balbir Singh Dance Co
Audience member KalaSangam - Bradford

Twitter

"Well done to @rdzvousdance @mathieugeffre tonight @Kala_Sangam. A sensitive blend of movement, silence and Nina Simone. Catch them if you can"

What Songs May Do... Snaps _ PDSW 5 November 2022 (Credit- Cave & Sky) (14 of 18).jpg

Simon McEnery
Audience Member at The Point Eastleigh and PDSW - Bournemouth

Facebook

Second time seeing Mathieu Geffré's What songs may do... this evening. It loses no power in repetition. Incredibly moving.

Paul Simpson
Oxford Audience Member

Twitter

"So pleased I got to see #WhatSongsMayDo by

@Rdzvousdance

at the BT Studio

@OxfordPlayhouse

tonight! Stunning storytelling and performances by the dancers, and beautiful choreography by the brilliant

@mathieugeffre

Come back soon!!"

Leslie
Audience Member Preview in Royan (France)

Instagram

"Thank you Rendez-Vous for this moment out of time! The dancers were extraordinary and the piece was so thrilling!"

What Songs May Do... Snaps _ PDSW 5 November 2022 (Credit- Cave & Sky) (15 of 18).jpg

Richard Dunbar
Audience member Kala Sangam - Bradford

Instagram

"Last night I was lucky enough to see the exceptional "What songs may do..." choreographed from the brilliant @mathieugeffre of @rdzvousdance. (...) A lot of quality comes out of @kalasangam_arts_centre and this piece is up there with the best I've seen"