Déda Announces Circus Residency
Derby-based Déda has announced its first recipient of a residency grant to create new, innovative dance and circus choreography that will be performed across the UK.
The regional dance house in Chapel Street was chosen by the National Centre for Circus Arts as one of four venues in the UK to support applications for funding under the Lab:time2 programme.
Lab:time2, also supported by the Esmeé Fairburn Foundation, aims to bring venues and artists together to develop new presenting work.
Déda will host London-based dance, acrobatic and physical theatre artists Nikki & JD.
They will work alongside Déda over the next year to create a show that they plan to premiere at the 2016 Resolution festival in London and then tour around the UK.
Déda Director Stephen Munn explained: “Since the expansion of our building, we have first class facilities and expertise in the growing popularity of contemporary circus and acrobatic styles within performance.
“We hold a series of popular classes for young people and adults alike in these forms and have hosted some fantastic touring companies who are breaking the mould in the fusion between dance and contemporary circus.
“We were delighted to have been chosen by the National Centre for Circus Arts as one of just four UK venues to be involved in Lab:time2.
“Nikki and JD will work in our studios to create their new show over the next three months but will be working with us for 12 months in total. They will also be working with our own dance artists and the University of Derby BA Honours Dance degree students who will benefit tremendously from their amazing expertise.
“This is an exciting opportunity for Déda and further strengthens our position and reputation as a local, regional and national resource for dance and circus artists and the wider arts community.”
Nikki Rummer continued: “The Lab:time2 residency at Déda provides us with the opportunity to continue our research into dance, acrobatics and physical theatre and to explore methods of combining high-skill acrobatics with narrative.
“We will be working with choreographer Martin Corri, physical theatre directors Ben Duke and Rosamond Martin and composer Tim Lenkiewicz to develop narrative structure as well as a wider range of dance styles over the course of the year to further explore our use of movement with acrobatics.
“We are excited to work with Déda over the coming year to develop our movement quality beyond gymnastic tricks and into an intricate language that can tell a story to audiences.”
Nikki and JD are accomplished gymnasts and have worked as a hand-to-hand duo for nearly three years. They performed in Square Peg Contemporary Circus’ national tour of Rime in 2014 and were finalists in the 2015 Circus Maximus competition at the Udderbelly.