#zoielogic

[dancewoking]

What Is The State Of Your Empire?

ZoieLogic Dance Theatre presents ‘SAFE’ AT New Victoria Theatre, Woking, 15th March 2016

Set against the imagined backdrop of the 1930’s construction of the Empire State Building, SAFE is a tale of skill and bravery, grit and determination, brotherhood and camaraderie, brought to life by five incredible male dancers. This is a tough world to inhibit, one where there is no room for error, where trust in your compatriots, your fellow ironworkers, is the key to your sanity and survival.

The race is on to be part of history. Deftly navigating their way across iron girders swinging hundreds of feet in the air, literally scaling the dizzy heights, this band of unlikely brothers is part of the race is on to be part of history.SAFE is ZoieLogic Dance Theatre’s thrilling imagining of the daily lives of those ironworkers whose skill and bravery made the Empire State Building a ground-breaking first when, after taking a then record-breaking 410 days to construct, it opened to the public in 1931.

With her signature punchy choreographic style artistic director Zoie Golding explores the intense atmosphere of determination and brotherhood as she leads the audience into a world which pits masculinity against fragility.

A visceral music score envelopes the five-strong male dance company as they move within a specially-designed industrial set made of steel, aluminium and wood that cleverly builds with the performance. Like the Empire State Building itself, SAFE is bursting with ambitious imagination, hope, optimism, collective spirit and the ultimate friendship that only common ground can bring.

Speaking about the piece, Zoie says: “SAFE is a piece about masculinity and brotherhood which draws the audience into the world of determination and male friendship. Along the way they’ll see stories unfold and how competitiveness and bravado lead to a collective spirit and unique friendship. It’s an exciting piece with some surprises along the way.

“We perform SAFE on a really unusual bespoke steel, aluminium and wood set which has been specially designed for this piece; it’s a very exposed set as if we’ve taken a bite out of the Empire State Building and it has a purpose floor, a truss framing (to symbolise the iron girders that were used to build the Empire State) and it has a life of its own that builds as the show progresses. That’s what makes this show completely different.” ZoieLogic Dance Theatre’s SAFE is being performed at New Victoria Theatre, Woking on 15th March 2016.

Ticket Details: Standard ticket £12.00 Concession ticket £10.00

Discounts for school and other group bookings please contact Dance Woking office: Tel: [phone] or email Kim: [email protected] To see a trailer for this show, go to www.logicdance.co.uk

[dancewoking]

Hugely Successful Schools Tour

Have a read of our post about our hugely successful schools tour with ZoieLogic Dance Theatre & also check out our website to see how you can get involved with future events, we have lots coming up! 

http://www.wokingdancefestival.co.uk/news/ZoieLogicSchoolsTour

[dancewoking]

Interview with dancers Sam, Luke & Hal from ZoieLogic Dance Theatre.

Make sure you have a read, really interesting and funny!

1. What are the challenges as well as exciting parts of working with the Wind-About structure for Stolen Wishes?

Sam: the most challenging part for me is figuring out all the new rules and ways that the structure moves, as all the structures we have worked with are all unique. We keep learning new things, and pushing ourselves to challenge 'the unknown' rules. The exciting parts are...actually someone else can answer.

Luke: the exciting part for me is that every second it changes, how unpredictable it is can become scary. If I am honest I haven't got to the excited stage yet as it is early stages of the process there is still an element of fear, but it is good to have fear as it keeps us alive, because if we weren't fearful we could seriously injury ourselves.

Hal: the really exciting thing is that even though everything we are doing on here is scary, we get to learn the extremities of it until it starts to feel safe. It is more the process of getting there that feels scary rather than the turns and other movements.

Sam: like the end of the rainbow!

2. What do you enjoy most about dancing?

Luke: The thing I enjoy most about dancing is that it is actually my job, and I don't have to go to work 9-5 and be sat at a desk. I could give you the answers like it's really great and uplifting which we all know anyway but it is generally that it is my job and I have freedom within my job without being told what to do necessarily. And seeing other peoples faces when I tell them that it is my job.  

Sam: Mine is being able to be creative all of the time, and being able to come up with things out of my own head. There is no right or wrong about the things I decide to do, it's exploratory.

3. Are there any performances you've seen or been a part of which you've particularly enjoyed or found inspiration in and if so in what way?

Sam: I was in a piece called 'Only Human' choreographed by Matthias Sperling and it inspired me because he took something so mundane in the contemporary dance world such as technique and something else mundane in everyday life like shopping or washing your clothes, and then put it together and displayed us as the most ridiculous out of the box things like superheroes. It inspired me because from something that was really nothing we could turn it into something so intelligent and tangible to watch I think. That is an aspiration for me.

Luke: the only think I can think of was Nederlands Dans Theater 2 performing 'Sleight of Hand' because I like visual things and there was one section where they divided the stage in half diagonally with a white sheet. They had a dancer down stage right, and with lighting the dancers shadow was casted on to the sheet. The dancers movement made her shadow pull the sheet away, because it was so visual I found it amazingly creative and captivating. That's what inspires me in works it's the visual elements, it doesn't necessarily just have to be about the body or bodies in the space, it's how a body can interact with other things.

4. Tell us a quick fact about yourself.

Luke: I have a phobia of fruit, the look of it, the texture of it, fruit really unnerves me. I also have an extreme hygiene issue, I can't have bare skin touching hotel sheets, so I dress in trousers socks hoodie with the hood up.

Sam: I have a massive and uncontrollable fear of rats and tomato ketchup.

Hal: I am from Germany.

They'll be leading our half term workshops so if you're interested you can find out more at http://www.wokingdancefestival.co.uk/news/Halfterm

Follow Sam on Twitter @SamuelCook5789

Follow Luke on Twitter @lukebrown07

[dancewoking]

Interview with Zoie Golding, Director of ZoieLogic Dance Theatre

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to ask Zoie a couple of questions and it was a really interesting insight into her work on a personal level, have a read!

1. What made you want to get involved with dance and choreography?

I began very young as a dancer and began creating work whilst studying at school. I always thought I was going to be a dancer until realised how much I liked seeing ideas that came from my head become a reality and what that gave back to those involved.

 2. How would you describe your choreographic style in a few words?

My work is recognised for taking audiences in a journey through contact contemporary dance theatre. Choreographically my style drives from the centre and core and is cut with gesture and humanity. I love aesthetics and always like to work with lighting, props, set and dance all giving them a purpose in the space.

3. What made you decide to work specifically with male dancers?

Initially when I was dancing there were no girls who would do contact work with me and so started dancing with a couple of guys. Then realised that I really liked the energy, physicality and fearlessness of guys and wanted to challenge the perceptions of male dance in the public eye. Here I am 13 years later with 2 youth companies and a professional company. Now I don't really see a gender difference I just see people.

4. Where do you get the inspiration for your performance pieces?

Depending on the focus of the work I take inspiration mainly from human nature and how people work in different situations and I question myself as to how I can use dance to emote and engage an audience much like the movies. Movie editing and communication with an audience is now my bag.

5. What do you look for in dancers for your performances?

I am intrigued by dancers who are individual and stay true themselves yet want to continually develop their art form. My dancers are highly intuitive, creative and responsive to each other and we feed each other with ideas all the time. We are like a family really.

6. Tell us something about yourself we might not already know.

I have a pet gibbon called Luke and a chameleon called Jack.

[dancewoking]

FEBRUARY HALF TERM DANCE WORKSHOPS

We are hosting two exciting workshops this half term; Monday 17 February to Wednesday 19 February. One will be led by Carly Allen a Hip Hop choreographer and the second by choreographer Zoie Golding.  Participants of both workshops will then perform their pieces at Rhoda McGaw Theatre in April.  For more information visit: http://www.wokingdancefestival.co.uk/news/Halfterm

To see some of zoielogic's past pieces check out her website http://logicdance.co.uk/murmur/ 

And to learn more about Carly's dance company Vital Signz check out her website too http://www.vitalsignzdance.co.uk

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ZoieLogic Dance Company Interview

I had the opportunity of interviewing Zoie and her 3 male dancers who have been working with her on her incredible latest piece Stolen Wishes which will be performed in April at the Rhoda McGaw Theatre in Woking. I'll be posting the interview on here soon so make sure you don't miss it!

In the meantime check out our website www.wokingdancefestival.co.uk for more information on Zoie's piece as well as info on half term workshops she will be running.

[dancewoking]

Working with Dance Woking

We had Imogen work with us for a week as part of her work experience, here's what she made of it!  "This week I did my work experience at Dance Woking, it was a steep learning curve but I really enjoyed it. Especially watching ZoieLogicDance Company do research and development for their new show to be premiered on the 4th of April at Rhoda McGaw Theatre, Woking. Zoie and her dancers worked with a structure that looks incredible; basically 4 ladders that can pivot horizontally or vertically. I was able to contribute my ideas to movement around the structure and I would highly recommend it to anyone who has an interest in dance! Join the Feb half term project and be part of this amazing experience."