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Home > Dance > An immersive celebration of life at Battersea Arts Centre

An immersive celebration of life at Battersea Arts Centre

By Caroline King - September 19, 2021Posted in : Dance, FEATURED-CONTENT, Theatre

This autumn, watch an immersive celebration of life and dance in the rooms, rooftops and secret stairways of Battersea Arts Centre. This large-scale show, We Are As Gods will be performed by 70 dancers in the quirky maze of the building’s spaces. It’s part of a special takeover by choreographer James Cousins. It will turn BAC into a festival, nightclub and stage from Wednesday 6th to Sunday 10th October.

James Cousins Company, We Are As Gods, photo Camilla Greenwell - landscape
James Cousins Company, We Are As Gods, (Photo: Camilla Greenwell)

You’ll get to design your own night. Choosing your entrance and moving through the building alone or with friends. You can buy delicious vegan food from Chickenish or enjoy panoramic views of London from BAC’s rooftop. Throughout the evening, you’ll experience moments of darkness, pulsing light and bursts of sound, as you encounter performances. It may be powerful group dances or intimate duets that draw you to watch before you move on to discover more.

The dancers will perform work from three of Cousins’ most acclaimed productions: Rosalind, Epilogues and Without Stars. Plus, there’ll be new choreography created especially for this unusual event.

The 70 performers are made up of nine dancers from James Cousins Company, students from London Contemporary Dance School, dancers from the Elders Group at the Katherine Low Settlement and young people from the local area.

The We Are As Gods soundtrack and DJ party

Resonating through the building will be a soundtrack created by two of Cousins’ frequent collaborators. These are poet Sabrina Mahfouz and music producer and composer Torben Lars Sylvest. Working with sound designer Pär Carlsson, Sylvest draws on influences from classical to grime, weaving in new compositions with instantly-recognisable tunes. The show’s title nods to environmentalist Stewart Brand’s quote ‘We are as gods and might as well get good at it’. And Mahfouz’s spoken text — voiced by actor Racheal Ofori (Bach and Sons, Portrait) — draws on themes of human connection and the responsibility to rebuild our world better.

James Cousins Company, We Are As Gods, dancer Georges Hann, photo Camilla Greenwell
James Cousins Company, We Are As Gods, dancer Georges Hann (Photo: Camilla Greenwell)

And after each show, Brixton-based rapper, producer and artist GAIKA will DJ. This After Party will see BAC’s spectacular Grand Hall turn into a dance floor for everyone.

To make this event as accessible as possible, COVID-19 safety measures are in place. All those who are not exempt should wear a mask. And for the first performance, social distancing measures are in place. If you’re unsure about whether to go, have a read of BAC’s handy safety page, to help you decide.

Need lots different ideas for stuff to do this autumn? We’ve got loads of dance, theatre and festival suggestions for you!

When: 6th – 10th October 2021, doors at 7pm. The performance on 6th is socially-distanced
Where: BAC (Battersea Arts Centre), Lavender Hill, London SW11 5TN
£: Tickets are Pay What You Can with a suggested price of £20

More info: bac.org.uk

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Tagged With: BAC, Battersea Arts Centre, London, London events, Pay What You Want

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