Fireflies at Dawn Premiere

5 women come on stage. In turn, each one describes herself and tells us something about the production. The third performer introduces the 𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞 sensor she wears around her wrist and explains to the audience that through these sensors the performers’ movement will create sound. She then proceeds to demonstrate ‘her’ sound and as she moves her arm, we hear the sound of streaming water. (True to her word, we will hear this sound again towards the end of the performance in the ‘Bathtub scene’ where the comfort of a bath - created through the sound of the water produced through the performer’s movement and a set of small LED lights marking the outline of bathtub - will offer a riposte to the intensity of the previous scene). Once the performers introduce themselves, we are steeped in darkness and a textured soundtrack written by Roberto D. Rusconi & Ryan Rusconi. A small light, attached to a finger, comes on simulating the flight of a firefly and the sound of another performer’s movement creates the sound of little wings whirring. The fireflies are here…

It was such a joy to watch the premiere of Unbound Dance Theatre’s new show at Alhambra Studio in Bradford. The performance is a culmination of the work Sandrine Monin has been doing with a group of dancers and a group of participants with visual impairment. It also forms part of community workshops Monin has been leading with participants in Leeds and Bradford for the last two years. 𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞 has been an integral part in this process and constitutes one of the primary means of expression that Monin has been developing. It was great to witness yesterday the use of a new convention of introducing audience members to the use of sound and movement interaction on stage.

Look forward to the fireflies coming back for two more performances: on Saturday 29th June at The Warehouse in  Holbeck, Leeds and on Wednesday the 10th July at CAPA College in Wakefield.

https://www.unbounddancetheatre.com/whatson