Wicklow ScreenDance Laboratory (WSL), based in Bray, Co. Wicklow, has been in existence since 2017.  It was founded by choreographer Adrienne Brown (PhD).  It is the only screendance festival in the East of the country that focus exclusively on dance. Its programmes are experimental, ‘learning-by-doing’ arts-based, with added components – an in-depth established-artist conversation, screenings showing Irish and International works, and dance performance.  It includes training intensives, an Artists Salon and a ‘Day at Mermaid’.  It is a conversation about the many forms of Dance Art, processes of making and creating, with international guest artists and academics.  It features artists from Ireland also who excel in both performance dance and film making, dance performances and screenings that included early attempt or ‘Scratch’ works.  Indeed, a unique point of value for this festival is that it bridges ‘early’ film or choreographic work, with established artists.

In 2022 WSL returns to live events while keeping some online ones too.  Through the last two years we have learned some of the value in having an online presence in terms of broader outreach and accessibility, whilst relishing the ability to return to the physical spaces of theatre, dance studio and the body.  Our programme this year reflects a growing confidence in the ‘great return’ of people, audiences, participants and artists to gather, to enquire, celebrate and share.  

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WSL: Move We have a three-day dance intensive (12 - 14 April) in partnership with Dance Ireland (Dublin) with Jean-Baptiste Ferreira and Rafael Molina (FR), both former dancers with Graham 2 (USA) and current performers/choreographers with companies across Europe.  This is an opportunity for dancers to immerse in technique/choreography for three days with these two dance professionals.  It is intended to be an exploration of both the work of legendary 20th century dance master Martha Graham, as well as modern choreographies from the 21st century, learning repertoire and creating new work.  Jean-Baptiste and Rafael are dancers who are versed in the outstanding work of Graham as well as being part of the new enquiries into modern dance.  Rafael Molina has undertaken a lengthy and ongoing research into Graham and its offshoots and will bring this openness to the proceedings at this intensive.  It will be fun, joyful and deeply enriching for participants.

 

WSL: Kino We are happy to run a four-day film training intensive (12 - 15 April), online, with Marisa Hayes and Franck Boulègue (FR), both well-known to WSL and an integral part of it.This training will be hosted online to allow greater access to a wider cohort of participants.  Marisa and Franck are leading experts in film and dance, having run their own festival in Bourgogne (FR) for over ten years, as well as being invited curators to lead screendance platforms in Avignon, Paris and Freiburg.  Their relaxed, approachable and meticulous attention will give participants a chance to learn skills in film for dance.  No equipment is required except for a phone/laptop and access to WIFI to attend the sessions.  Participants will have the chance to create short films which will be shown in the Artists Salon on Friday night. *PLEASE NOTE: We will be doing an intro session on Wednesday 13th at 3p.m. and another intro to screendance session on Thursday 14th morning at 10a.m.

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WSL: Kino | Screendance Pass This year WSL received an overwhelming response of films submitted from across the world (over 900).  It is inspiring to see the level of creativity that has been going on with this hybrid and poetic new form of art expression, dealing with ancient and contemporary themes: transcendence, ritual, compelling women’s and men’s issues, mental health, identity quests and sexual themes, along with a manifest connection with nature – so evident in most films submitted.  With this rich treasure trove, WSL will host three film screenings, online, with expert panel and artists, enabling a world-wide audience to enjoy and be moved by (12 - 14 April).

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Film themes

TUESDAY APRIL 12TH 18.00 – 21.30 GMT
Ephemera, Activism, Family, Factory/Urban/Industry, Men, Transcendence, Portals

WEDNESDAY APRIL 13TH 14.30 – 18.00 GMT
Mental Health, Ritual, Community/Activism, Men, Site Specific, Human/Emergent/Digital

 

THURSDAY APRIL 14TH 18.00 GMT
Ecstatic Nature/Surrealism, Body/Digital, Intersex, Narrative, Dance, Spirit/Ephemera

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WSL: Forum/WSL: Live A popular feature of WSL is the Artists Salon, which is usually held on the Friday night and this year we are thrilled to be returning to a live space with a physical audience (15 April).  We are grateful to Whale Theatre (Greystones) for hosting this event.  The Artists Salon is a conversation around topics that arise in art.  It is a live, lively, informal, inclusive and respectful gathering of artists, audience and panel who interrogate to enquire, consider and reflect on the works shown.  These will feature live dance, filmed choreography, screendance and invited artists.  This year we will focus on Irish performances (dance) from new and upcoming choreographers, linking with our partners Bray Institute of Further Education and Inchicore College of Further Education, while celebrating works from established Irish choreographer/dancers and Irish/international films.  We draw on the concept of the Salon that was popular in France and Europe in the 18th century where art/politics/philosophy were considered topics worth discussing in a public forum and where art was central to civic life.  WSL is proud to continue this practice in a 21st century context and looks forward to a lively evening.  Please note tickets are strictly limited so please book early.  

 

Our final two events take place on Saturday (16 April) with a ‘Day at Mermaid’ to round off the week.  Mermaid Arts Centre, Bray hosts WSL for two events: Invited Artists Platform and The Dancer Revealed (Martha Graham Dance Company on film).  

 

WSL: Forum Invited Artists Platform will be a chance to look in-depth at two of the foremost international screendance artists currently creating work.  We are delighted to welcome Fu LE (FR) and Blas Payri (ES) to this Platform.  Audience will have a chance to see how these artists have developed in their oeuvre and what practices inform their work.  Fu LE has an interest in the ‘long shot’, having created vast and compelling pieces; Blas Payri is known for his use of music and post-production techniques as well as a fascination with a certain historical figure.  This will be a live event in Mermaid, with virtual artists and works been shown on screen.  Adrienne Brown will moderate the conversation with these two artists and a selection of their films will be shown.  Interactive conversation/Q & A will feature in this session.

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WSL: Forum Martha Graham Dance Company on Film will be a first ever in Ireland.  We will see, on screen, films concerning Martha Graham, dance pioneer and icon, whose work changed everything in dance during the 20th century, and whose company continues to grow, develop, contextualise and reinvent for the 21st century.  Artistic Director Janet Eilber will feature in a film giving the context, story and repertoire extracts from Graham.  This sets the tone for the following parts of the evening: full length performance of Prelude to Action (Graham, 1936), abridged versions of Diversion of Angels (1948), Echo (2015) by invited Greek choreographer Andonis Foniadakis and Scavengers (2021) by Andrea Miller.  Echo is based on the story of Narcissus, the Greek myth, and is a vibrant, fast-paced evocation of the archetype of self-adoration.  Recent Andrea Miller choreography Scavengers is a topical work based on the experience during Covid 19 and the lack of opportunities for social dancing/flirting.  Central to the evening will be a unique pre-recorded, personal interview between Adrienne Brown and Virginie Mécène regarding Ekstasis (Graham 1933, Virginie Mécène 2017) on how she reimagined and recreated this lost piece of dance from the Graham repertoire and what that means for the company moving forward.  This seminal work has been performed by the Martha Graham Company, along with guest performances by Aurelie Dupont of the Paris Opéra Ballet (2018) and New York City Ballet’s Sara Mearns (2019).  This WSL interview comes after a prolonged dialogue with between Adrienne Brown and Virginie Mécène following Adrienne’s visit to New York in 2014 and her seeing Aurelie Dupont perform the solo in 2018.  It will be a deep excavation of the unusual and radical way in which this piece came into being and is a first for Ireland and for dance: a special and privileged conversation between an Irish dance artist and a world-renowned company choreographer’s work.  The evening will contain repertoire from Martha Graham encompassing her vast, prolific output, and new works now included into the repertoire following its renaissance and reinvention as a company, not only rooted in a legacy of 20th century Modernism but now encompassing 21st century Postmodernism.