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Voxed launch world premiere of dance-theatre crime drama Out Late at the SJT

Folu Odimayo, Caldonia Walton and Stuart Waters in Voxed’s debut full-length work, Out Late, premiering at the Stephen Joseph Theatre today and tomorrow

VOXED stage the long-awaited world premiere of their first full-length work, Out Late, at the Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough, today (25/11/2021) and tomorrow.

Choreographed and directed by artistic director Wayne Parsons, Ankur Bahl’s dance-theatre crime drama follows the fiercely closeted Sebastian, who falls in love with out-and-proud gay man Vinnie and tries to hide his new relationship from his wife, Fifi.

While unravelling Vinnie’s murder, a dark and twisted story of jealousy, shame and manipulation unfolds as Out Late blends virtuosic choreography with a compelling script, performed by dance-theatre artists Folu Odimayo, Caldonia Walton and Stuart Waters. Angus MacRae provides the music; Pooja Ghai, the dramaturgy.

Parsons says: “I’m proud to finally be presenting Out Late, our first stage production as Voxed. As an artist and choreographer, I’m deeply interested in the intersection between dance and theatre and combining these two art forms to share highly original stories that move people.

“There’s so much I’m excited about in presenting this work: Out Late is our first crime drama, our first full-length work, and features an LGBTQ+ storyline at its heart. I can’t wait to share this work with audiences in Scarborough.”

Voxed’s philosophy as a dance theatre company is to look specifically at the relationship between text and movement in narrative dance theatre works, creating digital, in-person, indoor and outdoor projects with community members, writers, film directors, dramaturgs and performers.

The Voxed journey started in 2013 under the name Wayne Parsons Dance. In 2020, the company evolved and rebranded to reflect its aim to “create a space for us all to be creative, to move, to talk and to share our stories”.

Choreographer, movement director and artistic director Parsons previously created Meeting, a finalist at the Copenhagen International Choreography Competition. Vestige emerged in 2017, and in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, Parsons devised #GOGGLEDANCE, a national participatory project, taking place outside people’s homes and placing participants as the stars of a reality TV-style mini-series.

Voxed have become the first dance company to be appointed a Stephen Joseph Theatre associate company.

Out Late will be performed at 1.30pm and 7.30pm today and 7.30pm tomorrow. Box office: 01723 370541 or at sjt.uk.com.

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“We all need a little D.I.S.C.O in our lives,” say Voxed and SJT in home dance film project

The Hills are alive with the joy of dancing for the #goggledance Scarborough project

THE #goggledance Scarborough series of short films showcasing Scarborough residents’ dance moves will be available to view from next week.

Made by the Stephen Joseph Theatre in a co-production with dance theatre company Voxed, the films feature people from around the East Coast resort  watching, commenting on and joining in with freelance professional dancer Alethia Antonia as she gives bespoke performances outside their houses.

The results are “uplifting, inspiring and occasionally hilarious”, says Alethia, who loves experimenting with different styles and sharing her passion for movement through improvisation and performance.

Dancing in the street: Professional dancer Alethia Antonia doing one of her “bespoke performances” for Eastfield residents in Scarborough

The project was developed by choreographer, director and movement director Wayne Parsons, Voxed’s founder and artistic director, who says: “We spent a brilliant day filming with residents in Eastfield and other areas of Scarborough.

“Everyone involved really got into the spirit of it. As one participant put it: ‘We all need a little D.I.S.C.O in our lives’!”

SJT creative producer Amy Fisher says: “This was our first live performance since March and it was brilliant to see families enjoying it together and joining in. It felt really special to be able to perform it on their home turf – or pavement! – as a way of engaging with the community.”

Busting a move: The Flintoff family reach for the ceiling in the #goggledance Scarborough film project

Made by James Williams, the films are narrated by self-proclaimed “Irish loudmouth” Sarah Blanc, whose show My Feminist Boner was a hit at the SJT pre-lockdown.

Films will be released at 5pm each Friday for five weeks from September 4 on the Voxed and SJT Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube accounts.

Did you know?

VOXED are an associate company of the Stephen Joseph Theatre, creating work that, at its heart, is all about storytelling, aiming to bring people together through the shared experience of dance. Whether in their indoor or outdoor work or participation projects, Voxed seek to reflect the world we live in and the stories we share.

Sarah Blanc: Narrator for the #goggledance Scarborough short films, here starring in her show My Feminist Boner at the Stephen Joseph Theatre earlier this year. Picture: Roswitha Chesher
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Dancing in your street? If you live in Eastfield, Scarborough, here’s your chance

“It should be a really fun thing to do. We’re hoping people get dressed up, get creative and get dancing!” says VOXED artistic director Wayne Parsons, introducing the #Goggledance project

THE Stephen Joseph Theatre and dance storytellers VOXED are uniting for an innovative new project in Scarborough.

They are inviting residents of the East Coast resort’s Eastfield area to bid to take part in #goggledance, a co-production wherein participants will watch a dance performance taking place outside their own homes, while filming themselves watching – and joining in.

Their footage will be incorporated into a series of short films that will include professional footage of the performance too.

The films will be posted online and on social media by both VOXED and the SJT over several weeks in the autumn.

The project is the brainchild of choreographer and director Wayne Parsons, the founder of VOXED, formerly Wayne Parsons Dance.

“We’ll be staging five live performances right outside people’s homes in Eastfield: a personalised show for that household and their neighbours,” he says.

“At an agreed time, we’ll turn up on their street and a solo dancer will perform a ten-minute piece. The live performance will be in three sections: Watch Us, Follow Me and finally a Be You section.

“All they need to do is record themselves during the show – on a mobile phone will be fine. They then send us their film and we’ll create short videos combining our performance with their homemade films that can be shared online.”

Wayne adds: “Everyone that applies will be included, even if they’re not selected as one of the final five. Everyone will be sent a short dance to learn that has a moment at the end where each household can showcase their creative sides. These submissions will then be included in our digital distribution, using the hashtag #goggledanceus”

“It should be a really fun thing to do. We’re hoping people get dressed up, get creative and get dancing! The idea is to get loads of people having a boogie and sharing with their local community and their local theatre. They’ll be able to showcase their talents for the world!”

SJT artistic director, Paul Robinson, says: “When Wayne first came to us with the idea for #goggledance, we knew we couldn’t say no! It’s one of the most innovative, inclusive and exciting dance projects we’ve seen in a long time. We’re delighted to be able to bring it to Scarborough.”

If you want to  take part in #goggledance, email goggledance@sjt.uk.com by Saturday, August 8. Please include a short video introduction to you, your family and anyone else who will be there on filming day, plus the view from the window from where you will be watching and the room that you will be in.

“It’s not essential, but if you have a talent, whether it’s dancing, singing or playing a musical instrument, include it in your video submission,” advises Wayne.

Live performances will take place on August 22 and the films will be available online on the VOXED and SJT Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Tik Tok accounts.

For more information, go to: sjt.uk.com/event/1048/goggledance or voxeddancetheatre.com.

Did you know?

VOXED artistic director Wayne Parsons is a director, choreographer and movement director with more than 15 years’ experience of working in dance and theatre.

He graduated from London Contemporary Dance School before embarking on a performance career that spanned 13 years, working for Sydney Dance Company, Richard Alston Dance Company and the National Dance Company of Wales.

As a choreographer, Wayne regularly makes for his own company VOXED, formerly Wayne Parsons Dance, touring work across the UK and abroad. In theatre, he has choreographed shows at Shakespeare’s Globe, Theatre Royal Stratford East and Hampstead Theatre.

“VOXED creates work that is, at its heart, all about storytelling,” he says. “Our aim is to bring people together through the shared experience of dance. Whether it be through our indoor work, our outdoor work or our participation projects, we aim to reflect the world we live in and the stories we share through the work we do.”