Light to the Darkness
A number of months ago Robert Golden was asked to create an animated film to accompany the words of a song, newly written, to go with a traditional melody from World War 1. The words were written by Burton Bradstock resident David Powell, teacher, mentor and musician and the melody by Scottish Piper William Laurie, who was at the Battle of the Somme.
Here is the animated film.
The song and the film has been shown and shared as part of a number of WW1 commemorations in Bridport, Dorset and will inspire other community events and projects.
Here is the film of the main performance of Light to the Darkness held at Bridport Arts Centre in November 2018.
Bridport Youth and Boys dance with their artistic director Nikki Northover and her assistant choreographer Amie Symes, worked to develop a dance project inspired by the WW1 stories, the music and animation.
17 young dancers created a new work which was shown at the Lyric Theatre, Bridport on February 13th and at the Electric Palace as part of the 3 shows on the 8th and 9th March. Nikki Northover the Director of Bridport Youth Dance and Bridport Boys Dance talks about the work.
Creating the film and dance included researching with Bridport Museum and Heritage Centre, looking at artefacts to explore costume making and working with film and images to create the choreography. This included developing the animation, films and documentation of the performances including photographs.
Opera Circus raised funding through the Heritage Lottery Fund and Bridport Town Council to help fund Bridport Youth Dance’s new choreography and performances, the local musicians and recording of the Light to the Darkness song with children and to support the making of the film and animation.
The work in progress of the dance was shown at The Complete Freedom of Truth’s Bridport Residency during the week of the February half term 2019 (18 – 24).
"The show skilfully woven together through Narrative and Dance by choreographers Nikki Northover and Aimee Symes, backed up by the cream of lucky old Bridport's musicians, composers, designers, sparks, theatre technicians, costume designers and makers and yet more choreographers, was a truly magnificent joint effort of community creativity. The dances evoked a multitude of themes starting from the Creation, through war an peace, light and dark, love and hate and hope...." Andrew Dickson, composer Bridport
"Powerfully dramatic conflict was complimented by intriguing displays of circus skill, including balancing plastic bottles on arms and heads. It was a joy to watch and appreciate the hours of practice it must have required. There was an emotionally charged end of the first act as shoes were removed and left at the front of the stage, echoing a dark shadow of history, delivered with the weight and sincerity it deserved." Colin Ward. Bridport
Thanks to all those who made creating this work possible:-
Musicians involved in recording as follows
Robert Lee
Dave Lee
David Powell
Barry Bates
Lauren Glover
Bill Cain
Dominic Faulkner
Additional musicians at the performance
John Dobinson
Chris Savory
Student voices, from the Minerva Trust Choir
Chloe Rainey
Lucy Rainey
Roman Palmer-Lambert
Mathew Knight
Immy Bull
Lily Raynor
Jade Wilkinson
Readers
Margie Barbour
Debra Bates
Dewi Lambert (On Lecturn)
Animated film/film of performances and photography
Robert Golden
The staff and volunteers of Bridport Arts Centre and The Lyric Theatre.
The Mayor of Bridport, Barry Levine
Project Manager (TCFT) Molly Scarborough
Tina Ellen Lee Opera Circus
Rosie Russell
Niki McCretton
With thanks for their support to Bridport Town Council, Bridport Arts Centre and the Lyric Theatre.
With special thanks to the Heritage Lottery Fund.
A number of months ago Robert Golden was asked to create an animated film to accompany the words of a song, newly written, to go with a traditional melody from World War 1. The words were written by Burton Bradstock resident David Powell, teacher, mentor and musician and the melody by Scottish Piper William Laurie, who was at the Battle of the Somme.
Here is the animated film.
The song and the film has been shown and shared as part of a number of WW1 commemorations in Bridport, Dorset and will inspire other community events and projects.
Here is the film of the main performance of Light to the Darkness held at Bridport Arts Centre in November 2018.
Bridport Youth and Boys dance with their artistic director Nikki Northover and her assistant choreographer Amie Symes, worked to develop a dance project inspired by the WW1 stories, the music and animation.
17 young dancers created a new work which was shown at the Lyric Theatre, Bridport on February 13th and at the Electric Palace as part of the 3 shows on the 8th and 9th March. Nikki Northover the Director of Bridport Youth Dance and Bridport Boys Dance talks about the work.
Creating the film and dance included researching with Bridport Museum and Heritage Centre, looking at artefacts to explore costume making and working with film and images to create the choreography. This included developing the animation, films and documentation of the performances including photographs.
Opera Circus raised funding through the Heritage Lottery Fund and Bridport Town Council to help fund Bridport Youth Dance’s new choreography and performances, the local musicians and recording of the Light to the Darkness song with children and to support the making of the film and animation.
The work in progress of the dance was shown at The Complete Freedom of Truth’s Bridport Residency during the week of the February half term 2019 (18 – 24).
"The show skilfully woven together through Narrative and Dance by choreographers Nikki Northover and Aimee Symes, backed up by the cream of lucky old Bridport's musicians, composers, designers, sparks, theatre technicians, costume designers and makers and yet more choreographers, was a truly magnificent joint effort of community creativity. The dances evoked a multitude of themes starting from the Creation, through war an peace, light and dark, love and hate and hope...." Andrew Dickson, composer Bridport
"Powerfully dramatic conflict was complimented by intriguing displays of circus skill, including balancing plastic bottles on arms and heads. It was a joy to watch and appreciate the hours of practice it must have required. There was an emotionally charged end of the first act as shoes were removed and left at the front of the stage, echoing a dark shadow of history, delivered with the weight and sincerity it deserved." Colin Ward. Bridport
Thanks to all those who made creating this work possible:-
Musicians involved in recording as follows
Robert Lee
Dave Lee
David Powell
Barry Bates
Lauren Glover
Bill Cain
Dominic Faulkner
Additional musicians at the performance
John Dobinson
Chris Savory
Student voices, from the Minerva Trust Choir
Chloe Rainey
Lucy Rainey
Roman Palmer-Lambert
Mathew Knight
Immy Bull
Lily Raynor
Jade Wilkinson
Readers
Margie Barbour
Debra Bates
Dewi Lambert (On Lecturn)
Animated film/film of performances and photography
Robert Golden
The staff and volunteers of Bridport Arts Centre and The Lyric Theatre.
The Mayor of Bridport, Barry Levine
Project Manager (TCFT) Molly Scarborough
Tina Ellen Lee Opera Circus
Rosie Russell
Niki McCretton
With thanks for their support to Bridport Town Council, Bridport Arts Centre and the Lyric Theatre.
With special thanks to the Heritage Lottery Fund.