Sunday 5 June 2011

Interview with choreographer Jo Read

The End of Year dance show will include a piece by recent graduate and emerging choreographer Jo Read. Jo's Hip Hop piece, North Wind and Wind and Sun was recently commisssioned by Woking Dance Festival and features dancers from the Dance, Film and Theatre. 

About Jo Read

Jo's interest in choreography was sparked when studying dance at the University of Surrey, gaining a BA hons in Dance and Culture (1st class) in 2009, and an MA (dist) in Dance Cultures Histories and Practices in 2010. She works as a choreographer and a teacher for a range of organisations and institutions, specialising in hip hop and street dance styles.

About her piece The North Wind and the Sun

 'The North Wind and the Sun', was first choreographed for her final degree piece, and when she became an Associate Emerging Artist for Woking Dance Festival in January 2011, she was commissioned to recreate and extend the piece to be performed as part of Spring Shorts 2011 and a Schools Tour in the South East. This hip hop piece tells the story of the North Wind and the Sun, one of Aesop's Fables. The piece explores the journey of a girl wearing a new jacket, and series of strange events that take place after her bus is late and she has to walk. Whilst on her way through a busy town,the forceful, she catches the attention of the aggressive North Wind, who challenges the wise, patient Sun to a game; to be the first to take the girls jacket off, which has unexpected consequences. 

The piece is designed for key stage 2 children, and Jo is interested in how thought provoking and useful messages can be conveyed to children this age by telling stories using popular dance and music, rather than in the traditional way using words. 

People involved in the piece

Title: The North Wind and the Sun - A Woking Dance Festival Commission
Choreographer: Jo Read
Dancers: Sofia Klepacz, Sam Jones, Sylva Cardew, Laura Mercer, Giovanna Lopez, Katie Paris, Rachel Gildea, Vicky Giles, Celena Monteiro, Sophia Davis, Emily Labhart, Jill Douglas.
Music: Jamie Harber
Artwork: Alexia Vassilarou

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About Me

Guildford, Surrey, United Kingdom
Dance students at the University of Surrey invite audiences to see a wide range of dance performances, ranging from Contemporary to Ballet, African, Kathak and Hip Hop. Always a wonderful finale to the year, these shows are a fantastic opportunity to see young emerging choreographers and dancers to showcase and celebrate their exciting new work. The evening will also include pieces by Jean Johnson-Jones, Lecturer in Dance Studies, and by recent graduate and emerging choreographer Jo Read. Jo’s Hip Hop piece, North, Wind and Sun was recently commissioned by Woking Dance Festival and features dancers from the Dance, Film and Theatre. Water Study, staged by Jean Johnson-Jones is an ensemble piece designed for ten female dancers.