FRINGE '04: Asleep in Mid Air

STRIDENT is Wellington’s very own hothouse of Dance, Design and Music, creating a live filmic experience, working theatre in a cinematic way.

Asleep in Mid Air takes us on a journey with a family of gypsies caught in purgatory longing for home.

In a seemingly dark and desolate world they charm their audience with stories of home and exhibitions of the ludicrous.

Inspired by Len Lye’s theory of composing motion, this is a journey through the subconscious, escorted by courtesan and enfant terrible, they are out of reach but inside us all.

This is what Strident fans have to say about the preview of Asleep in Mid Air:

‘ young, quirky, surreal, humorous and very bloody good ‘

‘ STRIDENT breaks down the boundaries of performance that we create and does not privilege any particular aspect ‘

‘ a passionate, experimental dance theatre troupe bridging the gap between worlds ‘

‘ a bunch of dream like guides, a trouble ridden circus family come out at night to seduce us to a gentle place ‘

The STRIDENT Crew

Claire Martin - Choreographer/Dancer

Since graduating from the New Zealand School of Dance in 1992, Claire has survived as a freelance dancer, actor and artist as well as developing her own body technology research. Claire has worked with companies as diverse as Trouble, Jealous, Company Blue Vault, All and Sundry and with practitioners such as Colin McColl, Duncan Sarkies, Stephen Bain and Enrique Pardo’s Pan Theatre in Europe.

Justine Cooper - Choreographer/Dancer

Justine is a study gypsy taking inspiration and knowledge from New Zealand, Melbourne and London. She has performed in cabaret, street theatre, National Theatre Ballet School, Meryl Tankard Australian Dance Theatre and various companies in London. Justine has been at the forefront of developing the companies various experiments with film and projection and continues to explore the physical mapping of stories through movement and voice.

Katharina Waldner - Choreographer/Dancer

Since graduating from UNITEC in 1995, Katharina has been dancing and choreographing for Isadora’s Tribe, Footnote, Strident and the New Zealand School of Dance. Fringe 2000 premiered her first full length work Do You Really Wanna and she has most recently choreographed for Fringe 2002 for the play Post Punk.
Katharina is currently editing the short film ‘Go Lucky’ that she wrote and directed for the company in 2003.

Peter Daube – Composer/Musician

Peter is an accomplished actor, writer and practitioner of devised theatre. He is also a highly gifted musician, songwriter and singer. He has produced 6 albums to high critical acclaim – receiving a 5 star review in Rip It Up for the latest album from his band Poultice. Peter brings to Strident his impressive musical skills but also a desire to collaborate in all aspects of the company. His original compositions and songs were one of the stand-out hits of counterclockwise.

Carolyn McLaughlin –Producer/Dancer

Since graduating from the New Zealand School of Dance in 1991 Carrie has studied in New York City with The Limon Dance Company and at The Alvin Ailey American Dance Centre.
She has performed with Maclary Theatre Productions ,THROW Dance Collective, Distortion Collective, Isadora's Tribe and Strident. She has sung as a member of The Beat Girls for the last 7 years both nationally and internationally at Arts Festivals and in theatre shows. Recently she has enjoyed performing at Downstage and for Auckland Theatre Company.

Gabby O’Connor-Installation Artist

Is a contemporary installation artist with a Degree in sculpture from the Victorian College of the Arts, Melbourne University.
She recently completed a Masters in Fine Arts with First Class Honours from the College of Fine Arts, University of New South Wales. She has an interdisciplinary work practice that includes projection, photography, paper and light installations, and contemporary craft. She has worked with musicians, dancers and costume designers to create performance based collaborative works for the past eight years. She has exhibited and worked as and Artist in Residence in Australia, New Zealand and Japan. She currently teaches at both Massey University and WelTec.

ENDS

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