About Ella Swannell Amalfitano, Elly Trent, Olia Poliakova and Callum Murray, and Terry Smith

Hold of Us by Ella Swannell Amalfitano

'Hold of Us' is a contemporary dance theatre performance that delves into the human condition through a series of poetic snapshots, portraying the characters' individual and shared experiences. Within this heart-wrenching world, the characters navigate between apparent emotional and interpersonal dissociation, along with feelings of longing and despair. The work carries a hypnotic yet unsettling tone, featuring a bold pacing as the cast moves deliberately, often in stilted rhythms, as if bearing the weight of the world within their bodies.

About The Artist

Passionate about the art of movement and the power of creative expression, Ella Swannell Amalfitano is a Dance master's student with a profound enthusiasm for facilitation and cross-cultural collaboration. With a focus on creativity and inclusivity, Ella seeks to facilitate dance workshops and classes that empower individuals to unlock their artistic potential, irrespective of their background or experience. Inspired by a deep desire to create immersive and thought-provoking experiences, Ella aspires to channel their creativity into crafting captivating dance theatre performances that resonate with diverse audiences.

@Ella_swannell_dance
https://holdofus.my.canva.site/

Cast and Credits

Choreography: Ella Amalfitano
Lighting: Josh How
Shot by: Sam Amos
Editing: Anna Heighway

Performers & collaborators: Joshua Owen, Edwina Pereir, Harrison Yafai, Ellie Mcdonald, Doa Uluclar, Katharina Willrett
Collaborators: Chen Yin, Mengling Li, Hui Xiang
Music/Sounds: A Terkisher in the Majestic Harbour-Valeria’s Klezmer Chariot, Submarine Steady & Sonar

Do It Again by Olia Poliakova, Elly Trent and Callum Murray

Arm. Arm. Head. Arm. Arm. Head. Head.

Again.

Arm. Arm. Head. Arm. Head. He-

Again.

Arm. He-

Again.

Arm. Arm. Head. Arm. Arm. Head. Head.

And there’s a dream you have. About this thing. This thing you do. Over and over. Again and again. Day in, day out. Until it’s right. And then again.

About The Artist

Callum Murray is a London based composer and digital artist whose existing work includes audiovisual installations, performances, instrumental compositions, and visual art.

Elly Trent is a choreographer and filmmaker. Her work examines the interaction of live and digital performance, while prioritising accessibility and engagement to all audiences.

Olia Poliakova is an Ukrainian, London-based choreographer and performance artist, who works with durational installations, improvisation for performance and screendance.

Do it again is the first collaboration between all three artists. They were brought together through their shared interests in creating multimedia performance that intersects dance, theatre and digital art.

@elly_the_trent
@callummmurray
@olia.p.o

Cast and Credits

Choreographers: Olia Poliakova, Elly Trent
Co-creator/Composer: Callum Murray
Devised with and Performed by: Olivia Foskett, Maisie Faul and Petter Skurdal
Photographers: Charmaine Nicole Hiller and Eloise Frey

The Chair by Terry Smith with Lise Boucon

The Chair is not an attempt to explain the feelings of loss, grief and guilt by those left behind when someone takes their own life. It is just about the rawness and emptiness of trying to understand those mixed emotions and trying to come to terms with the unanswerable question, why?

Dance, which is a joyful and energetic experience might seem a strange place to deposit such sadness. But dance has a history of dealing with difficult and sometimes taboo subjects. But because dance is usually wordless it is the ideal vehicle to express complex emotions and ideas, in a sense those things we struggle to find words for.

About The Artist

Terry Smith’s multidisciplinary practice covers decades of exhibitions, installations and performances shown internationally in museums and galleries. Performances include, STRING, Caracas (2010), FOUNDLINGS, Ca Pesaro Museum in Venice (2014), COMBINE, Peckham (2012) SHADOWS, Folkestone (2021) and recently MIRROR at the Whitechapel Gallery (2023). Smith’s performance work is collaborative and for this version of The Chair he has worked with the French performer Lise Boucon who is a multi-genre artist working across theatre, dance and live art. Her work encompasses both movement and words, using her body to question identity.

www.terrysmith.studio
www.workinprogress.uk
www.liseboucon.com

@terrysmithart

Cast and Credits

Performer and Collaborator: Lise Boucon
Associate Choreographer: Paola Piccato

This piece is dedicated to Michel, Claudio and the young Ismaël.