Surreptitious Sound Play

» www.pmstudio.co.uk/project/guerilla-dance-project

This journal details the research and development of 'Surreptitious Sound Play', a project which employed a combination of everyday items and pervasive technology to create experimental dance performances in public spaces. The project was initiated by composer Tim Bamber, interactive experience designer Robin Ray, and experimental dance company, Guerilla Dance Project.

Apr - Jun 2011

Most people will be familiar with the following items: a newspaper, a cup, a book. Now consider the following scenes: a café, a train, some steps. What the aforementioned lists have in common is a sense of normality – everyday items in everyday places. It is generally not considered unusual to see someone reading a book on the train, or drinking cup of coffee in a café. Soothing and relaxing as they can be, most people would agree that these are fairly prosaic activities. Surreptitious Sound Play used a combined everyday items, locations, and situations with pervasive technology, to create spontaneous experimental dances in public spaces. The project was intitiated by composer Tim Bamber, interactive experience designer Robin Ray, and experimental dance company, Guerilla Dance Project.

Taking the historical building of St George's concert hall as a departure point, Tim, Robin, and Guerilla Dance Project used the residency to explore how musical compositions that reflect the surroundings, combined with dance, can encourage us to reflect on the beauty that permeates our daily routines and the every day spaces we inhabit.

Commissioned by Watershed and supported by iShed, Guerilla Dance Project in collaboration with composer Tim Bamber and interactive experience designer Robin Ray, were awarded a Music and Sonic Art Residency in April 2011. The residency is additionally supported by Sound and Music, St George's Bristol, and conductor Charles Hazlewood.

Tim Bamber is a composer, field recordist and sound artist based in London. He has worked on a number of independent and commercial Feature Films, Shorts and Documentaries.

Guerilla Dance Project is an innovative dance company led by Laura Kriefman. Using everyday items as props, Guerilla Dance Project take their performances to public spaces, where commuters, pedestrians, and tourists all comprise an unwitting and delighted audience.

Guerilla Dance Project have performed at The Place, the V&A, National Theatre, in Zagreb, Latitude Festival, and various venues across London.

To find out more about Surreptitious Sound Play you can visit the Pervasive Media Studio website, where the artists have kept a blog to record their progress, research findings and more.

Watch:

Surreptitious Sound Play A project which employed a combination of music, everyday items and pervasive technology to create experimental dance performances in public spaces.

Introducing Surreptitious Sound Play Laura Kriefman and Tim Bamber introduce 'Surreptitious Sound Play', and talk about their professional backgrounds, aims, and hopes for the residency.