I Dreamt of a Flood, Caused by a Storm
There’s a bridge there: ‘The Suspension Bridge’.
A Performance Artwork about waiting, weather, windows, bridges, breathing here ~
tiny and enormous floods
I dreamt of a flood, caused by a storm. In Chester, a small city in the north of England where I mostly grew up.
There’s a bridge there: ‘The Suspension Bridge’, officially: ‘Queens Park Suspension Bridge’, which connects the area where my parents’ house is, Queens Park, to another area known as The Groves. From The Groves, it will only take most bodies a couple of minutes to walk to the town centre, so this bridge is important for residents of Queens Park to access the city.
In my dream, The Groves side of the bridge was submerged in swirling, treacherous water. My family were there, and together we walked on the bridge as far as it was possible, to the edge of the water. Water raged on either side of us. A bus swam through the river; it wasn’t clear whether or not it made it to the other side safely. Other people in my dream reached the edge of the water and decided to swim across. We discussed this option, but it felt frighteningly unsafe, so we decided to turn back.
Back on the Queens Park side, we went down some steps beside the bridge to a semi-enclosed area. There was a young man there with his family. He had floppy blonde hair, white skin and long eyelashes. He sat, looking calm and present. All of my attention was on him. My chest filled with love. My only desire was that our bodies remained close together; perhaps it was not about physically touching, but being close enough to always be able to see each other. I understood that he was waiting and his family was waiting with him, because there was nothing else to do. We waited together.
~
welcome to wait with us in 709 – a dance studio on the seventh floor of the theatre academy.
this performance is three hours long. there will be regular possibilities to come and go from the space, and a separate resting area will be available in a nearby dance studio. you are also welcome to leave whenever it feels right for you. however, the piece is best experienced either in its entirety or by moving in and out over the full duration.
we offer an invitation to wait into/ through/ amongst, and even against our waiting space1.
this performance includes theatrical smoke, intense drone sounds, and bright lighting. there will not be sudden or startling sounds. no flashing lights.
the performance does not contain spoken text.
a small publication will be given to the audience to read in the space. an audio version will also be available. most texts will be in english.
there is a ramp to 709 studio, 118 cm wide. the doorway is 170 cm wide. the threshold is 3 cm high. to 702 there is a ramp 244cm wide, the doorway is 173 cm wide. the threshold is 2,5cm high.
detailed access information will be updated here later.
if you are unable to attend due to health, disability caring responsibilities, work, or distance, you can request a special copy of our publication by post. this includes an invitation to experience a remote version of our waiting space. more information on this will be shared here later.
1a nod to Crip Genealogies (2023) for inspiring this description.
~
Working~Waiting group
- Performing artists: Viki Konto Poulou (BA Dance) and Niko Wearden (LAPS)
- Lighting: Aju Jurvanen (MA Lighting Design)
- Sound: Maija Suominen (LAPS)
- Costume and illustration: Joma Richter (MA Dance)
- Dramaturg and curatorial thinking: Aarni Pieski (BA Dramaturgy and Playwriting)
- Audience facilitation and access support: Pääsky Miettinen (MA Dance Pedagogy)
Perfromance space: Dance studio 709
I dreamt of a flood, caused by a storm. In Chester, a small city in the north of England where I mostly grew up.
There’s a bridge there: ‘The Suspension Bridge’, officially: ‘Queens Park Suspension Bridge’, which connects the area where my parents’ house is, Queens Park, to another area known as The Groves. From The Groves, it will only take most bodies a couple of minutes to walk to the town centre, so this bridge is important for residents of Queens Park to access the city.
In my dream, The Groves side of the bridge was submerged in swirling, treacherous water. My family were there, and together we walked on the bridge as far as it was possible, to the edge of the water. Water raged on either side of us. A bus swam through the river; it wasn’t clear whether or not it made it to the other side safely. Other people in my dream reached the edge of the water and decided to swim across. We discussed this option, but it felt frighteningly unsafe, so we decided to turn back.
Back on the Queens Park side, we went down some steps beside the bridge to a semi-enclosed area. There was a young man there with his family. He had floppy blonde hair, white skin and long eyelashes. He sat, looking calm and present. All of my attention was on him. My chest filled with love. My only desire was that our bodies remained close together; perhaps it was not about physically touching, but being close enough to always be able to see each other. I understood that he was waiting and his family was waiting with him, because there was nothing else to do. We waited together.
~
welcome to wait with us in 709 – a dance studio on the seventh floor of the theatre academy.
this performance is three hours long. there will be regular possibilities to come and go from the space, and a separate resting area will be available in a nearby dance studio. you are also welcome to leave whenever it feels right for you. however, the piece is best experienced either in its entirety or by moving in and out over the full duration.
we offer an invitation to wait into/ through/ amongst, and even against our waiting space1.
this performance includes theatrical smoke, intense drone sounds, and bright lighting. there will not be sudden or startling sounds. no flashing lights.
the performance does not contain spoken text.
a small publication will be given to the audience to read in the space. an audio version will also be available. most texts will be in english.
there is a ramp to 709 studio, 118 cm wide. the doorway is 170 cm wide. the threshold is 3 cm high. to 702 there is a ramp 244cm wide, the doorway is 173 cm wide. the threshold is 2,5cm high.
detailed access information will be updated here later.
if you are unable to attend due to health, disability caring responsibilities, work, or distance, you can request a special copy of our publication by post. this includes an invitation to experience a remote version of our waiting space. more information on this will be shared here later.
1a nod to Crip Genealogies (2023) for inspiring this description.
~
Working~Waiting group
- Performing artists: Viki Konto Poulou (BA Dance) and Niko Wearden (LAPS)
- Lighting: Aju Jurvanen (MA Lighting Design)
- Sound: Maija Suominen (LAPS)
- Costume and illustration: Joma Richter (MA Dance)
- Dramaturg and curatorial thinking: Aarni Pieski (BA Dramaturgy and Playwriting)
- Audience facilitation and access support: Pääsky Miettinen (MA Dance Pedagogy)
Perfromance space: Dance studio 709