April - June 2023
On 29th May 2023, our dance project in collaboration with MA students from Roehampton University and members of the local community resulted in a public performance entitled ‘Drop by Drop: Legacy in Motion’. Presented in Studio 3, this new work incorporated movement, sound design and projected archival images, with props such as (imitation) building bricks and umbrellas (in reference to the long-running Dance Umbrella festival, which began at Riverside) also used in witty and entertaining ways.
On arrival, audience members were handed a free programme which explained the performance’s concept and development:
‘Since Riverside’s inception as an arts centre in 1976, dance performance has been a vital part of our programme and our identity. From our first resident choreographer Michael Clark to our latest resident artists, Matsena, we have welcomed and collaborated with dance companies from across the world.
Inspired by this history, ‘Drop by Dop: Legacy in Motion’ is a collaborative evening by participants of the movement heritage workshop series, part of Riverside’s ongoing NLHF-funded archive project. These workshops – open to movers of all ages and abilities – set out to explore how embodying aspects of our heritage can help us find our own artistic voices while creating new collaborative spaces.
‘Drop by Drop’ is the result of this process. Comprising members of our local community and professional dancers and choreographers, it is a celebration of Riverside’s past, present and future. Come with us as we trace the footsteps of the artists who have helped shape and been shaped by Riverside Studios’.
We would like to thank Sarah Duffin, Aimee Gwynne and Juliana Paola Ruiz Torres for facilitating the workshops and to the company of performers who entered into the project with such interest and enthusiasm.