Past performances and projects:

On The Road - The Tramway, Glasgow, Penicuik and Musselburgh

Spring 2001/2002

On The Road was a new collaboration between Glasgow's Indepen-dance, and The Travellers Dance Company, who are based at the John Chant Centre, Penicuik. As part of Scotland's Year of the Artist residency programme, choreographer Janice Parker devised the work together with the dancers, who are an integrated group of adults with learning disabilities, their carers and other artists. The project ran in March and April of 2001 and in April and June of 2002 in conjunction with the Arts in Medicine and Let's Dance conferences. In the first year, three performances attracted 300 people but with the return of the project the second year, a further 800 people were reached with the delivery of only two performances.

Choreographed and directed by Janice Parker

White - The Tramway , Glasgow

INDEPEN-DANCE is one of the companies who will in weeks to come use Tramway's new studio facilities as a base for their workshops. They gave the recently re-opened building their own special handsel on Saturday with a performance of While, a promenade piece originally made in, and for Paisley Museum and Art Galleries. However, choreographer/director Simon Whitehead rejigged and adapted it to flow through the corridors and nooks of Tramway. so that a useful walk-round became an an event that celebrated themes of helping and sharing, bonding and friendship. As an integrated company these are cogent areas to explore. And. so, wandering through the space, we encountered two men - swaddled in multiple anoraks - helping each other remove the protective layers, and waltzing with each other in trust and new-found freedom. The final installation, where individual chairs held personal mementoes of each per- former, was a true act of sharing, a moving conclusion to a fine and generous-hearted presentation.

Review by Mary Brennan from The Herald

Four Last Songs                                                                           

March/Dec 2003

March 2004

By Richard Strauss

This project allowed many people: dancers, musicians, choereographers and views to expolre the themes of life, love, loss and acceptance resulting in a majestic representationthat was enjoyed by almost 2000 people.

At The Tramway, Glasgow 14th/15th March

Choreographed by Royston Maldoom & Janice Parker

Awake                                                                                               

March 2003

A site-specific performance created and performed at the ECOS Amphitheatre, Frome, Somerset. 29th/30th March. This performance was so successful, Awake 2 took place between January and March of 2004. The performance was viewed by 70 invited guest and a film was produced which ran for 42 days and was observed by over 800 people.

Choreographed & directed by Simon Whitehead

Arthur's Feet,

Edinburgh International Festival                                        

Oct/Nov 2003

Aug 2004

INDEPEN-DANCE along with five members of Companyia de Dansa Gelabert- Azzopardi from Barcelona performed Arthur's Feet at the Edinburgh Festival as part of the Eurpean Year of the Disabled. The performance took place in The Hub and sold out.

"The objective was to recognise the particular movement potential of people with learning difficulties." Sally Hobson, EIF Program Development Officer

"The Scottish dancers took on the challenges of synchronous paterns, of partnering- with strong, precisely time lifts- of strutting glitzy razzmatazz one moment, switching to a more meditative strand the next. Whether they were on their own or part of an ensemble, each of them had presence and definate panache." Review by Mary Brennan from The Herald 21/08/04

The stunning performances given provoked the return of this project in the Edinburgh festival the next year.

Evolving Us                                                            

Aug 2003

A project choreographed by Iain McCulloch which looked at ourselves and other living creatures. With exploration into the way we move and communicate shape and form through time and aging, combining imagery, movement and sound to stages that can be physical and emotional transformations in our lives, this all male performance proved inspirational and sold out at all three performances.

Turning Point

Jan 2005

Working with choreographer Suz Broughton, AGOS and students from the Contemporary Theatre Practice course at the RSAMD, Glasgow dancers were given the chance to perform in a contemporary dance piece. After choreography, the piece was then harmonised by energetic young composer Ross McCrae. Almost four hundred people enjoyed this captivating, inspirational performance.