“Escapism has always been an adjective used to describe the dance. That’s an outsider’s view. Solidarity is what it really offers,” Theo Parrish (quoted by Emma Warren in ‘Dance your way home’)
“Pour parler de la danse on utilise toujours l’adjectif ‘évasion’. Mais c’est un avis extérieur. Ce qu’elle offre réelement c’est la solidarité,” Theo Parrish (cité par Emma Warren dans ‘Dance your way home’)
For the Yes festival, a unique celebration of women and creativity in Derry-Londonderry, we created Dance-in! Inspired by and working with the city’s amazing Factory Girls and ten local dance group, the resulting participatory performance and installation came to life on 15 June in the city’s seat of power, the Guildhall. Huge thanks to Jonathan, Margaret Kelly and, of course, all the incredible, inspiring Derry Factory Girls.
An extravaganza artwork deserves an extravaganza entry, so please forgive the length. Texts below are taken, mostly, from presentation text of the work, but also other bits we couldn’t ignore. To be read soundtracked by your favourite dancing song!
Pour le Yes festival, célébration unique de la femme et de sa
créativité qui s’est déroulée à Derry / Londonderry, Irlande du Nord,
nous avons créé Dance-in! : installation et performance participatives
inspirées par et réalisées avec les Factory Girls (à Derry des milliers
de femmes ont travaillé dans les célèbres usines de chemises et, même si
peu reconnu par le pouvoir municipal, leur histoire est au cœur de
l’identité de cette ville). Dance-in! est une co-création
intercommunautaire et intergénérationnelle qui met en valeur le “soft
power” et la joie des ces femmes incroyables.
Ci-dessous texte de présentation de l'œuvre. (En anglais). Traduction à suivre. (Probably).
“Nice wiggle!” anon
“Welcome to ‘Dance-in!’ Inspired by the Factory Girls and their radical, beautiful alternative to the sit-in, our dance-in is a homage to the city’s past, a celebration of its present and future… and an invitation to everyone to come together and dance.
For the day-long Dance-in! ten local dance groups occupied and shook up Derry’s seat of power, the Guildhall. Surrounding them were ‘protest’ banners, lovingly sewn from old shirts. As a reflection of the gentle power of the original dance-ins we avoided shouty slogans for a more nuanced view, asking our brilliant local dancers what made them happy or sad, filled them with hope or anger, fear or joy. Their answers are the basis for the banners. We see them as both a poetic, group portrait of this amazing, confusing city… and a playful, powerful vision of a better world.
Derry’s Factory Girls seemed to have a unique ability to respond to hardship and conflict with creativity and humour, and as far back as the 1920s they had opted for a form of industrial action which reflected this subversive soft-power: the dance-ins. The idea that we can protest and make our voices heard in joyous or light-hearted ways seems characteristic of these amazing, strong women. But the Factory girls are not some historical artefact, they are the living embodiment of the strength and resilience of the city of Derry. We wanted to make a work that embodied their sense of joy and life – a cross-community, intergenerational collective creation that brought people together.
For the day-long Dance-In! ten local dance groups occupy and animate the Guildhall's main hall. Surrounding them are 'protest' banners, lovingly sewn from old shirts (now sold for next to nothing in second hand stores). As a reflection of the gentle power of the original dance-ins we avoided shouty slogans for a more nuanced view, asking our brilliant local dancers what made them happy or sad, filled them with hope or anger, fear or joy. Their answers are the basis for the banners. We see them as both a poetic, group portrait of this amazing, confusing city - and a playful, powerful vision of a better world.”
gethan&myles
“We will never forget the event… Fabulous…. Keep practising your moves! ” Clare Moore, Friends of the Factories
