Marks of Time - Dance and Ageing

An international conference on Dance and Ageing

The Marks of Time conference took place in Liverpool on 12th and 13th January 2007 and was inspired by the decision by Liverpool Culture Company to designate 2006 as "Year of Performance"as part of the build-up to the Liverpool European Capital of Culture 2008.

Marks of Time looked at the issues of dance beyond youth and athletic bodies from three perspectives

• How dance can be used within the voluntary and charity sector to aid ‘well ageing’
• How professional dance practice by mature performers can be sustained and developed
• How best practice can be nurtured within the community groups of senior citizens

Marks of Time brought dance practitioners, charity and voluntary workers, local authority staff with older people remit, pensioners, community groups and carers together to share models of good practice, debate and exchange ideas. Marks of Time offered inspiring speeches and engaging debates by leading exponents in the field, presentations, dance workshops and a time to network. Marks of Time featured an excerpt from Body of Experience, a dance performance celebrating mature performers. Body of Experience was co-commissioned by Chaturangan and is currently touring nationally.

Dignity

Bisakha provided a one-day workshop for "The Place" theatre.The project looked at working with older people in hospitals.

Blythe House

See here for details of Chaturangan's performance at Blythe House Day Hospice in Buxton.

Star gazing

Storyfest

“Let the stories from the faiths across the world kindle the spirit of friendship”
Throughout the year 2006 Chaturangan is planning to arrange six inter-faith story telling events. In each of the events professional artists and story tellers will relate myths, legends and popular tales from different faiths and belief systems from across the world. These will take place in less conventional , informal spaces to encourage discussions around the stories and exchange of opinions.

In keeping with the inter faith perspective of this initiative each session will represent more than one view point and will be open to the members of all faith groups. We want to host them in non-denominational settings.

Dance of the Night Sky

On Saturday 11th March 2006 at 12 noon Chaturangan launched its dance installation programme "Dance of the Night Sky" for Liverpool Planetarium. This is a Planetarium show based on an ancient Indian myth about the origin of the Plough, the Pleiades and the double stars Alcar and Mizar. The installation was shown every Sunday afternoon through 2006 and 2007 at the Planetarium.

" I found the museum show an intelligent and alchemical synthesis of dance, myth and science. The show was not only very entertaining, but educational on both a cultural and scientific level. The filmed dance/drama performances projected onto the planetarium ceiling against a back drop of the night sky showed high quality expressive / creative Indian dance, which at the same time was traditional and highly archetypal." - Paul Ishtar

Party conferences

Chaturangan appeared at all the 2006 major party conferences on the Liverpool stand.

Chaturangan danced at the Liberal Democrat conference in Blackpool for last few days. Chaturangan appeared there on 19th, 20th and 21st with artists Arun Ghosh, Darren Suareze, Sangeeta Ghosh, Archana Senathirajah and Bisakha Sarker.

Chaturangan danced at the Labour Party conference at Brighton on 25th, 26th, 27th and 28th September with Sri Sarker, Kali Dass, Sangeeta Ghosh and Arun Ghosh.

Chaturangan danced at the Conservative Party conference in Blackpool on 4th and 5th October.

British Museum

As part of Tagore Study Day at the British Museum, London on 14th October, Bisakha was invited to perform "The Song of the City". This is based on Tagore's peom "Nagar Sangeet" translated by William Radice.