Lion’s Den UNLIMITED
Lion’s Den UNLIMITED is a participative project, inspired by an original piece Lion’s Den, which connects professional and amateur dancers through creative work consisting of a video tutorial, a dance workshop, and a subsequent original performance (see practical info). The aim of the project is to transfer the performance into a public space and cast local communities of contemporary dance enthusiasts into the performing roles. In the spirit of the original play Lion’s Den, the project explores the themes of media manipulation and political populism. Via the choreographic principles, applied by the two authors in their original performance, they intend to create space, where the creators and participants can inspire and seek new ways of physical expression through the assigned themes together. The energy of the duo is shifted to attentive group work, allowing the themes to take new shapes and suggest new meanings. By transferring Lion’s Den into the public space, the creators want to highlight the power of dance as a participative artform, voicing the poignant social issues, by way of entertainment. “We want to create space, where it is ultimately possible to erase the boundaries between a “professional” and an “amateur”. A place, where dance and movement becomes a common time of community, sharing and discussion.” Annotaion for the performance Lion's Den UNLIMITED is a project derived from an original duet by Sabina Bočková and Johana Pocková. This piece allows professional dancers to merge with the unprofessional ones, and together they create a one-and-only performance based on the original play Lion's Den. The performance charged with a tense emotional spark of high intensity, backed by music from Lukáš Palán is inspired by media, populism and their manipulative powers. By transferring the play into and including the public, it demonstrates the social potency of dance as a participative art form, which addresses contemporary social issues, by way of entertainment.
Concept and choreography: Sabina Bočková and Johana Pocková Dramaturgy: Viktor Černický Music: Lukáš Palán
Production: POCKetART z.s.
Co-production: TANEC PRAHA r.i., PONEC – theatre for dance, Centre for choreographic development SE.S.TA
Financially supported by the Czech Ministry of Culture, Prague City Hall, Big Pulse Dance Alliance
“Johana and Sabina showed me that I can explore my presence in a collective with trust and vulnerability. I got to experience a free environment in which the emphasis is on a common path to work and experience. The accompaniment of live music during the workshop accompanied the whole process in a very reassuring way and gave the impression that we are all one functioning organism in the creation. The warmth and creative openness of the choreographers together with their human approach were the capital of the whole event and helped me achieve absolutely everything every time. The process and the result of the workshops were an incredible experience.”
“It was a completely new experience for me and I would probably recommend it to everyone. Even though at first it seemed to me that three days to learn the choreography were not enough, in the end it was more important for me to enjoy it than for it to be precise. Because when you enjoy it, it is authentic and it is better to “sell” it to the audience... If it happened again, I would do it again. The choreography and its the meaning is very interesting, how to convey a big message with minimalist gestures. Overall, I just had a lot of fun and if there was another Lion's Pit or another choreography that I could participate in, I'd go for it!”
“I have been a part of the participatory performance The Lion's Den UNLIMITED repeatedly and it has always been a very enriching, intense and energetic experience. It is great to experience the creative process firsthand, working in a diverse group, performing in front of people. I also really appreciate the openness and professionalism of the POCKETART team and the great atmosphere throughout the whole process.”
