Choreographer Sara Giddens reflects upon how making a series of ambulant performance works, The Dream-Walks, invited her to dwell in space–times in-between, and how a resulting stepping aside heralded the opening up of a fundamental change in her relationship to audiences. Drawing upon a range of philosophers, including Bachelard, Heidegger and Rancière, Giddens reflects upon the impact that dwelling in those in-between space-times has had on her professional and pedagogic practice.
1. Dream-Walk, Skegness (2012 & 2103)
The very ending of the show in Skegness (2012 & 2013) with performer Graeme Rose reaching a still-ing point; alongside the voice-over of local resident Joyce Oates.
2. Dream-Works in Singapore (2009), Bristol (2010) and Nottingham (2009)
Performer Polly Frame reflecting on the possibilities of the world in the Broadmarsh Centre amongst shoppers and commuters.
3. Dream-Work, Nottingham (2009)
Audiences invited to step-aside from the flow of the early morning commute.
4. Dream-Work, Singapore (2009)
The first of our walks and the beginning of our exploration integrating bespoke soundscapes (in this case a pen on the railings captured and played back live) and local voices into the soundtrack.
5. Dream-Work, Nottingham (2009)
Interrupting the flow of the ambulant-performance and stepping-aside in to the everyday, inviting audiences to become attentive to human encounters, being to being.
6. Dream-Walk, Skegness (2012 & 2013)
By Skegness we were much more adept at integrating local voices and action into the work, and understanding how by-standers could provide a further, very welcome, layer to the frame.
7. Dream-Work, Singapore (2009)
Finding and creating shared dwelling places; and allowing the simplicity of the dance to invite space-times for still-ing and contemplation.
8. Dream-Work, Nottingham (2009)
Finding moments of still-ing amongst the flow of traffic and people; and creating small dances within the everyday.
9. Dream-Work, Bristol (2010)
Performer Tom Wainwright leading the audience away from the main commute and marketing speak and towards a more contemplative space-time by the waters edge.
10. Dream-Walks in Wirksworth (2011), Cardiff (2014), Skegness (2012 and 2013) and Bristol (2016)
Employing dwelling as a way of creating space-times for dialogue and reflection with locals.
11. Dream-Walks in Singapore (2009), Skegness, (2012 and 13), Wirksworth (2011), Cardiff (2014)
Drawing attention to the senses in order to invite dwelling.
12. Dream-Walks in Bristol (2010), Wirksworth (2011) and Singapore (2009)
Performers employing still-ing to create space-times for audiences to attend to those things, people and places around them.
13. Dream-Walk in Wirksworth (2011)
Performers and audiences sharing space-times and geology.
14. Dream-Walks in Singapore (2009) and Skegness (2012 and 2013)
Drawing the local environment in to the sound-scape.
15. Dream-Walk, Skegness (2012 & 2013)
A final promenade to the sea and our dwelling together within the magnificent ‘fourfold’ (Heidegger [1951] 1978: 352).
16. Dream-Walk in Wirksworth (2011)
Drawing attention to the extraordinary-ordinary through creating spaces for still-ing for performers and audiences.