This is a choreography for many people
It’s not a dance
It’s a movement
The act of bringing people together
The art of bringing people together
Jo Fong’s been gathering people.
Over the past year she’s held a series of conversations and workshops around the idea of belonging.
Some have been at kitchen tables, some in studio spaces at Chapter, and some further afield. They've all seemed to come back to a couple of questions. What does it mean to belong? And what does it mean to be together?
Ways of Being Together embodies these as Jo knows best. With poignancy, wry humour and unexpected twists and turns.
This is the first time Ways of Being Together will have been performed. Expect lots of performers and many perspectives. It will bring a smile to your face for sure and should be something you never forget.
Some things to note about the performance:
Ways of Being Together will start at 6pm and finish about 9pm, maybe a little earlier, possibly a little later.
Accessible performance: BSL interpretation by Julie Doyle.
'Jo Fong is something of a legend on the UK contemporary dance scene. She’s worked with everyone, from Rosas to DV8 to Rambert, and has a reputation as a charismatic performer and a relentlessly inquiring choreographer.'
The Observer
'The seed for the work came from my personal feeling about place, relationship and about a sense of belonging. My recent Creative Wales Award project was centred around this, about Cardiff and people. I studied the art and the act of bringing people together. We talked about community, inclusivity, collaboration. We also talked about friendship, parties, responsibility and then we also got to talking about motivation, impact and sustainability.
'This new dance theatre production is born of and living alongside this conversation. A sense of belonging is intimate and powerful, connected, optimistic, unknown and curious making. The planned performance is in response to what is going on in the world right now, it is an action - in these times it seems essential to work on our Ways of Being Together.'
— Jo Fong
Credits
Choreographer and project director: Jo Fong
Creative team: Rosalind Haf Brooks, Beth Powlesland, Lara Ward, Richard Bowers, Gareth Clark, Michael Cobb and Heloise Godfrey-Talbot
Workshop images: Jamie Morgans
Ways of Being Together has been commissioned by Cardiff Dance Festival and Chapter, with research supported by South East Dance.
Thanks to the University of South Wales and Barry Memo for practical support and encouragement.
About Jo Fong
Jo Fong is a director, choreographer and performer working in dance, film, opera, theatre and the visual arts. She has been living and working in Cardiff since 2006—2017.
Jo has toured her work throughout the UK and to international festivals. Her celebrated An Invitation… was selected for both the British Council Edinburgh Showcase and British Dance Edition. Jo recently created projects for Hull’s Year of Culture and the 2017 Xintiandi Festival in Shanghai.
Jo is a Peilot Associate Artist with Chapter, Research Associate with South East Dance and a regular performer with Quarantine Theatre.
