RPS 8 Launch!

Feeling kinda wiped out after the RPS8 festival launch. So much going on! Many artists to meet, many art forms to take in, and many mini locations within bcurrent's new home at the Wychwood Artscape Barns.

Enjoyed co-hosting with Malube, although felt rather unprepared. But ultimately unlikely to have been without cheat sheet even with more prep time...although perhaps would've had 1 sheet rather than five :-)Always impressed by how many hands are involved in setting up an event (table, table clothes, food, brochures, signs). I think Shawn (bcurrent's production manager) gets big points for all her hard work. Also pleasantly surprised by appearance from remote rAiz'n Ijeoma!

After the launch, the rAiz'n ensemble did our organic/informal check-in then commenced a very diligent review of the danceforms we've learned this year: West African, Gumboot, Ballet, House, and Bharatha Natyam. Our goal is to see if these dance forms can inform (or move) our expression of Identity, which is the theme of our piece in development, "defin8". We all felt the suitability of a basic Bharatha Natyam "walk" for some of our upper crust characters. Ballet may have a similar application. I was interested in the difference between rAiz'n ballet review (supportive, fun) and my memories of childhood ballet class (judgemental, uptight).

We performed an excerpt of defin8 at the Summerworks launch party last night and then again tonight at the RPS8 launch. I can tell audiences find it amusing...I think our challenge will be to convey the difficulties with self-identification *clearly* without being too obvious.

It's nights like this (flowing from family-feel launch event into fun yet focused dance review) when I'm aware of how fortunate I am to be part of the rAiz'n ensemble!

Tanya.