Bitef
DVB’s international cast explores the importance of appearance and image in our lives. When reality has a different script from the one in our dreams, who wouldn’t make up stories to fool themselves? „Deprive the average man of his vital lies and you’ve robbed him of happines.“ (Henrik Ibsen) DVB PHYSICAL THEATRE DVB Physical Theatre was formed in 1986 by an independent collective of dancers who had become frustrated and disillusioned with the preoccupation and direction of most dance. The company has produced 15 highly acclaimed dance pieces, which have toured internationally, and 4 award-winning films for television. The company is led by Lloyd Newson. ARTISTIC POLICY DVB Physical Theatre’s work is about taking risks, aesthetically and physically, about breaking down the barriers between dance, theatre and personal politics and, above all, communicating ideas and feelings clearly and unpretentiously. It is determined to be radical yet accessible, and to take its work to as wide an audience as possible. DVB is motivated by artistic inspiration and creative need: these, rather than financial, organizational and touring demands dictate the creation of new works. Great emphasis is placed on the process by which new work is created. The company has fought successfully for funding to cover lengthy research and development periods in order to maintain rigorous artistic integrity and quality in each new project. For every one of its works since 1987, DVB has commissioned set designers and living composers to help investigate the relationship between body, architecture and music. The focus of the creative approach is on reinvesting dance with meaning, particularly where this has been lost through formalised techniques. DVB’s work inherently questions the traditional aesthetics and forms which pervade both modern and classical dance, and attempts to push beyond the values they reflect to enable discussion of wider and more complex issues. DVB (Dance and Video B)’s strong commitment to film and video continues. This reflects its ongoing interest in how two primarily visual media can enhance one another and reach a crossover audience from within both forms. The company’s reputation relies on pushing its own
boundaries and on the constant re-examination of the roles and relationships of men and women in our society. Its policy insists on the importance of challenging our preconceptions of what dance can, and should, address. LLOYD NEWSON Lloyd Newson’s work since 1986 as the Director of DVB Physical Theatre has had a dynamic impact on contemporary dance by challenging the traditional aesthetics and forms which pervade most modern and classical dance. An important aspect of this challenge is his personal rejection of abstraction in dance with his concentration on connecting meaning to movement and in addressing current social issues. His stage and film work with DVB has consistently received major British and international awards. All works created since 1987 have been to commissioned scores. He has directed workshops in Britain, Europe and Australia and has taught dance technique independently in London and to major companies in the UK, Australia and South America. Newson’s interest in dance arose while completing his degree in psychology, an interest that led to a scholarship to London Contemporary Dance School. From 1981 to 1985 he was a dancer and choreographer with Extemporary Dance Theatre, during which time he worked with a wide range of choreographers, including Karole Armitage, Michael Clark, David Gordon, Daniel Larrieu and Dan Wagoner. Photos: Jiri Volek, Jiin Her Wang & Fiona Cullen Co-produced by Théâtre de la Vide and the Festival d' Automne; Romaeuropa Festival and Accademia Filarmonica; Royal National Theatre, London; Spielzeiteuropa and Berliner Festspiele. Commissioned by Brighton Festival. This project received support from the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation towards initial practical research and development activity. An Artsadmin associated project