Dance, food and performance in Cloughjordan
A series of dance classes, residencies and performances will be held in Cloughjordan this month and next month to raise awareness of the importance of eating locally grown food.
Promoting the venture is Dr Rita Marcalo, the Artistic Director of the Cloughjordan-based dance company, Instant Dissidence.
This is part of the company's wider programme of work on raising awareness of climate change and fostering discussions in Irish society around alternative ways of living that are less harmful for the planet.
There is also an international dimension to the project, featuring dancers from Belgium, Denmark, Portugal and Belfast.
The initiative titled, ‘As If Trying Not To Own The Earth’ – now partially completed – is a dance and food activism project that you can watch and/or participate in, lasting for a full calendar year.
The project examines our connection with nature, and our role within our food system and the wider context of climate justice. It highlights a need to reconnect with our bodies and with the Earth in a way that is sustainable.
It is organised by calendar seasons (Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter), and it focuses both on the growing of food, and the preparation of food. The premise is that of people trying things at which they are not experts.
From her base in Cloughjordan Ecovillage and Cloughjordan Farm, in each calendar season Rita collaborates with two people (a grower and a food preparation person). She teaches them to dance, and they teach her to grow and prepare food.
Then at the end of each calendar season they present the creative outputs of the project. The Spring and Summer iterations of the project were undertaken last year and the two remaining iterations, Autumn and Winter, are taking place over the coming weeks.
DANCE CLASSES
On Friday, November 25, from 4pm to 5.30pm, there is a programme of dance taking place and a similar event is scheduled for Thursday, December 1 (same times). Also a dance work will be performed at the latter event exploring the seasonality of autumn food, both in terms of growing and cooking.
All levels and all abilities are welcome, whether you are disabled, a trained dancer, or a beginner. All ages are welcome too, but any under 18s please do get in touch in advance to discuss child protection (info@instantdissidence.org).
No booking is necessary - just turn up! Participation is free but optional donations can be made in the jar by the door.
On Saturday, November 26 from 1pm to 3pm in The Coach House in Main Street, Cloughjordan there is a free performance of a dance collaboration featuring four Instant Dissidence dancers and Paul Glennon from the Middle Country Cafe on Main Street.
As part of this event winter vegetables are harvested, a chef creates a choreographic score, dancers cook, and the result is a work exploring the seasonality of Winter food, both in terms of growing and cooking.
On Friday, December 2, from 12pm to 2pm at Middle Country Cafe you can order the Winter Special and have, not only a dish, but also a dance created for you. The suggested donation for this event is €8, with all donations going to the café.
Instant Dissidence is an Ireland-based company directed by Rita. It is her way of bringing different artists together, in different combinations, to realise different ideas.
Through Instant Dissidence, Rita invents ways of offering people art experiences and was to solve problems creatively.