Cardiff based award-winning dance artist, Jo Fong will be bringing her new piece, Witness – Portraits of Women Who Dance to Galeri Caernarfon this Monday (27th Jan).
Witness – Portraits of Women Who Dance, follows three exceptional dancers as they collaborate in the making of their own choreographic portraits in this revealing film documentary. The three women talk candidly about their relationship with dance, performance and what it is to be watched.
Witness first premiered at Chapter in 2012 and since then has toured the UK.
Jo explains why she wanted to make this documentary:
“I have always been interested in the kind of roles female dancers portray and how they are represented. Although I think, as with any good actor, there is always an element of bringing yourself and your own experiences to a character. As a performer I question, ‘Is this me, perhaps some extensions of me or even an enhanced me?’ Maybe at times, I’ve actually been better at dancing on a stage than actually performing well in life.”
Jo Fong is a director, choreographer and performer working in dance, film, theatre and the visual arts. She has performed with Rosas, DV8 Physical Theatre, Rambert Dance Company, Mark Bruce Company, Young Vic Theatre, Igloo and Quarantine Theatre. Her choreographic work has been presented at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, Arnolfini, Aberystwyth Arts Centre and Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff.
Jo told us:
“I wanted to make portraits of these particular dancers because they fascinate me as performers, creatives and as people who are equally obsessed, determined and committed to this expression and art form. The chosen dancers are at different points in their dance careers with contrasting dance backgrounds and the process has been uniquely tailored to each performer.”
The dancers in the piece are Ino Riga (Lost Dog, Fabulous Beast) Eeva-Maria Mutka (Penpynfarch) and Annabeth Berkeley (National Dance Company Wales).
“The films draw a fine line between what is real and what is performed and ask how is it to be watched or exhibited.”
For further details visit http://www.galericaernarfon.com/eng/events/event-details.php?eventKey=667
