Grace
Visually stunning and dramatic, Grace is the latest work of White & Givan.
The word “Grace” is of Latin origin, used as a reference to “God’s grace” meaning Charm, Goodness and Generosity. If we think of ‘Grace’ we may think of an Angel, its wings unfolding and protecting you - your own personal Guardian Angel. We do not have to believe in God, however, to believe in Angels. According to a report from The Humanist Society Scotland….”the majority of Scotland’s population do not identify with a religion nor believe in key aspects of spiritual belief…” Some Scots, however, do believe in Angels! The Scottish Society for Psychical Research portrayed how belief in Angels… ”would be a positive thing, reassuring for people, it’s consoling for people who are grief stricken, and obviously it is a nice thought that angels surround us at the point of death and take us to an afterlife and heaven.”
This dance work is inspired by Portuguese-British visual artist, Paula Rego’s portrait “Angel” and explores themes of vulnerability and strength, reflecting the changes that take place in our lives, how we evolve and face challenges. The feeling of Grace appeals to everyone, of all walks of life, lying dormant in our hearts until our hour of need - the feeling that there is something “other” out there. In these uncertain times, when life feels less secure, we may look beyond what we can see and hear - an external force or a belief in the metaphysical. Grace lies within each of us regardless of our class or wealth and is depicted in this performance piece.
Using clothing to armour the body and using the dancers’ own personal experiences, the piece will juxtapose multiple perspectives through depth, scale and empty space to communicate embodied human experiences and emotion. We will then develop the idea of “What does your Angel look like?” through community workshops, exploring themes of power dressing, identity and image.
The word “Grace” is of Latin origin, used as a reference to “God’s grace” meaning Charm, Goodness and Generosity. If we think of ‘Grace’ we may think of an Angel, its wings unfolding and protecting you - your own personal Guardian Angel. We do not have to believe in God, however, to believe in Angels. According to a report from The Humanist Society Scotland….”the majority of Scotland’s population do not identify with a religion nor believe in key aspects of spiritual belief…” Some Scots, however, do believe in Angels! The Scottish Society for Psychical Research portrayed how belief in Angels… ”would be a positive thing, reassuring for people, it’s consoling for people who are grief stricken, and obviously it is a nice thought that angels surround us at the point of death and take us to an afterlife and heaven.”
This dance work is inspired by Portuguese-British visual artist, Paula Rego’s portrait “Angel” and explores themes of vulnerability and strength, reflecting the changes that take place in our lives, how we evolve and face challenges. The feeling of Grace appeals to everyone, of all walks of life, lying dormant in our hearts until our hour of need - the feeling that there is something “other” out there. In these uncertain times, when life feels less secure, we may look beyond what we can see and hear - an external force or a belief in the metaphysical. Grace lies within each of us regardless of our class or wealth and is depicted in this performance piece.
Using clothing to armour the body and using the dancers’ own personal experiences, the piece will juxtapose multiple perspectives through depth, scale and empty space to communicate embodied human experiences and emotion. We will then develop the idea of “What does your Angel look like?” through community workshops, exploring themes of power dressing, identity and image.
CREATIVE TEAM
Directors And Performers Errol White And Davina Givan
Costume Design Sophie Ferguson
Lighting Design Simon Wilkinson
Sound Design Tiago Cerqueira
Costume Design Sophie Ferguson
Lighting Design Simon Wilkinson
Sound Design Tiago Cerqueira
VIDEO
Grace in development
Interview with White & Givan
GALLERY