Here’s some info behind the performance…  Sergei Pavlovich Diaghilev (1872-1929) was not a dancer or choreographer, yet his lifelong passion for art led him to found Les Ballets Russes, an ensemble of dancers, composers, designers and artists who came together in the spirit of his famous challenge – “Surprise me!” His outlook revolutionised the modern balletic canon and his legacy resonates across all art forms. Sadler’s Wells in London has presented four of their associate choreographers with the challenge of creating pieces that have some connection with the Les Ballets Russes period, and the collaborative spirit Diaghilev encouraged. In The Spirit of Diaghilev is an innovative rediscovery via works presented by Wayne McGregor, Russel Maliphant, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and Javier de Frutos.

Dyad 1909 by McGregor is a ballet inspired by the scientific, social, political and technological perspective of 1909-29, a period rich in experimentation. Here, dancers use minimalist movements mixed with flowing a-syncopated touches, while enhancing the ambiguity and asexuality of the bodies. Composer Ólafur Arnalds provides an emotional score to this astonishing piece, mixing classical symphonies with avant-garde electronic recordings.

Set over 4 stories,  the atmospheric warehouse space of Bargehouse, Oxo Tower Wharf hosts Re-Rite:Be the Orchestra which presents different sections of the orchestra simultaneously performing Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring ‘as live’ on a series of large screens around the space.

Steve Holmes for ArtAv has been involved with the project from the very beginning being brought on board as technical manager. Steve’s first job was to produce a feasibility study covering the major technical aspects of the project and investigate possible solutions whilst also generating budget scenarios.

It was decided after consultation and a rigorous testing program to invest in a multiple Mac Pro based playback system that utilises Matrox Graphics Extension Products to allow each machine to play back between 3 & 6 screens of video.

Steve developed the project further building upon ArtAv’s PlayM software that can be used to allow remote access and playback of video files as well as playback synchronisation. PlayM already allowed the syncing of multiple video tracks on multiple computers but this capability was further enhanced by providing centralised control and feedback of the entire installation.

The final setup plays across the Bargehouse on 28 screens, a mix of projection and plasma technologies in both landscape and portrait formats with the display equipment provide by Re-rite technology partner Samsung.

Already the response to the project has been phenomenal including mainstream national press and television coverage.

For more info please visit Re-Rite.co.uk.

Unfolding the Aryan Papers is as much about a film that never happened as it is a portrait of the chosen lead actress Johanna ter Steege. It begins with images of Johanna taken in 1993 by Stanley Kubrick – they are of the wardrobe shoot for the film Aryan Papers. Johanna was to play the lead role of Tania, a compelling character. Tania is central to the film: she is a Polish Jew trying to save herself and her family from the Nazis.

The work takes its title from Kubrick’s film and, intercut between stills of Johanna, are images from the archive of specific scenes Kubrick wanted to recreate and images from the Ealing Studios Archive of interiors, shot in 1939/40. The film moves into live action with footage of Johanna filmed now, fifteen years later, where she appears to come to life, recreating stills from the original wardrobe shoot.

Filmed on 16mm and transferred to HDCam. Live action footage edited with stills scanned from The Stanley Kubrick Archives.

ArtAV worked with Jane & Louise from the conceptualisation stage right through to installation. The work is played from a Mac mini running ArtAV’s PlayM software through Barco Projectors, a custom bounce mirror rig and sound from Anthony Gallo. One of the unique aspects of the work is an ‘infinity loop’ created by opposing foil mirrors inside the structure that make the work appear tens of times bigger than it actually is – defying the space constraints of the cube itself.

For more information please visit:

http://www.animateprojects.org/films/by_date/2009/unfolding

http://www.trg.ed.ac.uk/