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Blink Dance Theatre

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25.01.2022 Meet the wonderful Ana, our costume designer for MH. Fernanda Covarrubias is a Mexican Eco-Fashion Designer and stylist with over 13 years of experience within the Fashion industry. Fernanda grew up surrounded by sewing machines and fabrics; as one of her closest aunties is a seamstress. After graduating from the Fashion School, she worked in different clothing factories, which gave her the experience and knowledge in the clothing manufacturing process, from swimwear to jean...s, etc. After a few years of gaining experience in the fashion field, she launched her own clothing brand label, which was made of Deadstock fabrics and was 100% locally made and distributed in Guadalajara Mexico. After over a year living in Australia, she founded her own clothing brand, which bears her name Fernanda Covarrubias; It is based on Upcycled and deadstock materials and is Australian made. She has a Blog, The Second Runway, where she promotes Sustainable Fashion and Slow Fashion Styling. Her aim is to create awareness about the impact that fashion has on the current climate crisis and also in the Fashion worker's lives. She is really enjoying living in Geelong and working with the Blink team on this project! Check out Ana's blog here: https://secondrunway.co/ www.blinkdancetheatre.com.au

25.01.2022 A MH update for those asking; we’re still in the editing phase with our filmmakers, Annika and Marcus and also continuing to work with our wonderful composer. Was so great to visit Josh in his home studio last week. Our team are looking forward to sharing this 7 min dance film with our community at a local screening event mid next year. Stay tuned! We’ve also commenced research and development for a new full length Memory House, coming to you live in 2021. Until then, enjoy... these images captured by the talented and generous Paul Gosney. Supported by Geelong Arts Centre's Creative Engine, Memory House is a short dance theatre film in production by Blink Dance Theatre that explores the physicality of memory, the body as home and the Jungian archetype of the house as a metaphor for self. Geelong Arts Centre . Performers: Jessica Lesosky, Sofia Reinking blinkdancetheatre.com.au

24.01.2022 Our shiny new website is now live! Please visit and sign up for our newsletter and be the first to find out about upcoming opportunities, performances and more! Special thanks to Michelle for all her wonderful work. Let us know what you think! www.blinkdancetheatre.com.au

23.01.2022 Sitting on the tram - an old tram. Half asleep, gazing out the window. The smell of rubber dust flying up. A lady climbs onto the tram. Blue cardigan and green skirt. She walks past and I breathe in her perfume. I gasp. My eyes full of tears. I'm looking, I'm looking. ... Feeling warm, small and loved.....and sad. I'm looking for her silver hair, my nan's red painted lips, her laugh, her twinkly blue eyes. Tears are rolling down my cheeks. Start to breathe again. Wipe the snot on my sleeve. She's not here anymore, but for a few seconds.....she was everywhere. . . . Memory House (creative development) Words: Elise Wilkinson Image: Jane Acopian blinkdancetheatre.com.au

22.01.2022 A group for local performers and creatives that regularly work with Blink Dance Theatre and those interested in future opportunities with us - dancers, actors, movements artists, designers, choreographers, writers.

22.01.2022 This is a fab series of online presentations promoting positive mental health and wellbeing in the performing arts, led by a highly qualified team. https://www.artswellbeingcollective.com.au//new-mental-h/

22.01.2022 We recently had to farewell this beautiful performer. Our recent project Memory House has required us to shift and alter things in response to the pandemic (more details coming soon) and our wonderful Nia has moved interstate. She sent us this fun little outdoor Melbourne street groove before she left. Thanks Estefania for your expansive open heart. We will miss you x Performer: Nia Nurit Footage shot by Nia on an iphone, edit by Jeanie Irving.

22.01.2022 Nice to be back in central Geelong today. A great production meeting with the wonderful creative engine staff Geelong Arts Centre. Thank you Penny and Emily for your amazing support. We are grateful and excited to continue to move forward with projects the best that we can. blinkdancetheatre.com.au

21.01.2022 Fantastic curriculum resources by Geelong Arts Centre team. Join one of our performers Thaedra, as she shares her personal journey of reconciliation with her Aboriginality through connection to Country.

21.01.2022 Last week's socially distant warm up impro by our Memory House cast.

20.01.2022 That’s a wrap! An epic few days of filmmaking at Geelong Arts Centre for Memory House. What an absolute dream team. Thank you Annika and Marcus for your incredible expertise and support. Now comes the editing! We look forward to sharing our new short dance film with you in the near future. Image: Jane Acopian blinkdancetheatre.com.au

20.01.2022 LUIS CERVERA// We are so pleased to introduce you to the first of our contributing artists involved in Memory House II. Luis has made great headway on our Set Design and Construction and is enjoying lots of wonderful conversations about concept development. "I find this project completely fascinating. Thinking about the body as a home and a way to represent that idea through the language of tectonics has been a fun, challenging, and interesting process through a series of in...trospective questions. I'm hoping to suggest a sense of the aforementioned through the pieces that I'm designing and constructing and at the same time let them act as a tool of expression for the performers and producers." BIO: Luis Cervera is a developing architect and concept artist from Mexico City. Luis studied 3 years of Architecture in the faculty of design at La Salle University Mexico and through these years he represented the university twice on an international level, the first occasion was in Mextropoli 2017 where he designed and presented his project in this yearly event where architects such as Peter Zumthor and Renier de Graaf were part of the special guests. Posteriorly in 2018, he was in the top 5 international finalists in the "Trekking Cabins Design Competition" by Beebreeders and top 3 in "Selva Maya" for a Mexico Campus Party competition. In late 2018. Luis worked as a photography assistant and editor for Reinking Micali studio in Mexico City while being a freelance digital renderer, producing high-quality images, floorplans, designs, and 3D simulations for design and construction.In 2019 Luis moved to Victoria, Australia where he is continuing his architectural studies at Deakin University, and expanding his network and experience as a freelance artist. blinkdancetheatre.com.au

19.01.2022 A blog entry by our Artistic Director, a few years old now but may still be relevant for some of you right now. DO NOT WAIT There is a large pile of books beside my bed that could seriously be mistaken for a bedside table. Yep, someone went on a spending spree after discovering The Book Depository. I have just finished reading, A Director Prepares written by Anne Bogart. It includes 7 essays on Art and Theatre with chapters on Memory, Violence, Eroticism, Terror, Stereotype..., Embarrassment and Resistance. Anne talks candidly about what drives her, providing insight into the commonalties of the artistic process and the numerous mistakes she has made which have ultimately initiated professional and personal growth. Theatre makers may be familiar with Anne’s popular movement training system Viewpoints, which draws inspiration from modern dance techniques. She is also the artistic director of the SITI Company, founded with Tadashi Suzuki in 1992. As a dance theatre maker, I found the final chapter very inspiring. Anne talks about resistance and how it should be cultivated, how every day we fight our natural resistance to get out of bed, to get ready for work, to do all the things that need doing. Every single act has a varying degree of inertia to overcome, even tasks we enjoy. However, she believes resistance can also be a creative ally for artists by generating energy, intensifying commitment and when overcome can yield elation. The bigger the obstacles overcome, the bigger the joy. Her advice is to meet resistance head on, to embrace it as a necessary part of the creative process and for theatre makers to keep on making work they believe in: Do not wait. Do not wait for enough time or money to accomplish what you think you have in mind. Work with what you have right now. Work with the people you have around you right nowdo not wait for what you assume is the appropriate, stress free environment in which to generate expression. Do not wait for maturity or insight or wisdom. Do not wait until you are sure of what you are doing. Do not wait until you have enough technique. What you do now, what you make of your present circumstances will determine the quality and scope of your future endeavours. And at the same time, be patient Lyndel Quick Image: Written on The Body by Blink Dance Theatre. Directed by Lyndel Quick. Photo Credit: Brett Wallis

19.01.2022 Like many other artists, we’ve had our projects completely upended these last few months. It’s required us to make some hard decisions and to be flexible and responsive in what feels like a constantly changing landscape. There was a bit of grief letting go of what we had planned to make. The interesting thing about letting go of things, is that we make space for new things to come in. We’re excited to share that MEMORY HOUSE has now evolved to become a short dance theatre fi...lm. The central theme of the work remains the same - exploring the body as home, the Jungian archetype of the house as a metaphor for self and the body as a site for recalling and creating memory and movement patterns. We’ve had to scale the project down to small group of 5 local performers and an amazing group of creatives to share the journey with. We feel so fortunate to be able to continue to make work and be creative, despite what's going on in the world. And whatever comes in the next few months, we will remain nimble and open to change. We look forward to sharing more about our wonderful creatives and introducing them over the coming weeks, but here’s a snapshot below. CREATIVE TEAM PERFORMERS: Jessica Lesosky, Elise Wilkinson, Sarah Hall, Jules Hart, Thaedra Frangos PRODUCERS: Elise Wilkinson, Jessica Lesosky CONCEPT/MOVEMENT DIRECTION: Lyndel Quick FILM MAKERS: Annika Glac and Marcus Struzina (Glass Kingdom Films) SET DESIGN: Luis Cervera COSTUME DESIGN: Ana Fernanda Covarubias COMPOSER: Josh Mitchell DOCUMENTARY AND MEDIA: Eric Ditloff (Hello Friend Media) PRODUCTION SUPPORT: Jane Acopian MENTOR PROGRAM: Sofia Reinking This project is possible through the generous support of our project partners: Geelong Arts Centre City of Greater Geelong @geelongconnectedcommunities blinkdancetheatre.com.au

19.01.2022 When the warm up turns into a dance party. Image: Jane Acopian blinkdancetheatre.com.au

19.01.2022 RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT// our team have started on script prep for our next instalment of the Memory House project, a full length devised work premiering late 2021. (Audition workshop date pending.) We would be delighted to hear from anyone who’d like to contribute some recollections, anecdotes and short personal stories about memory and life. If you’d like to participate, please direct message or comment with your email below and we’ll be in touch with further details. Thanks...! blinkdancetheatre.com.au Image credit: Jane Acopian

19.01.2022 Hear from perfomer Jess about the Blink working process, in creative development for Memory House. NB: footage taken pre-covid, during and post restrictions. blinkdancetheatre.com.au... This project is supported by the Creative Engine program @geelongartscentre, @cityofgreatergeelong, @geelongconnectedcommunities and @theloftdanceandyoga Video: Eric Dittloff @hellofriendmedia

18.01.2022 Thanks for the great write up Forte! More info on upcoming grants and how they can help local artists. Image of Memory House performer Sarah Hall by Jane Acopian.

15.01.2022 Our first company rehearsal yesterday for Memory House II with AD Lyndel Quick. Facilitation via Zoom wasn’t quite how we’d imagined we’d get started and although that in-person connection was sorely missing, it was still a fab session. We are on our way and look forward to finding out this week whether we’re able to rehearse together in person soon. Image: Jane Acopian blinkdancetheatre.com.au

15.01.2022 It's time to put pen to paper. Our Creative Engine grants are open for submissions and we want to hear all about the bold and exciting works you're ready to dev...elop. Geelong Arts Centre is proud to invest in creativity and aid artists towards professional practice, with numerous grants of support, access to rehearsal and performance studios and access to one on one mentor support with a dedicated producer. On offer: 2 x Ignition: $5,000 plus occupancy, marketing and professional development support 2 x Live and Local: $2,000 plus occupancy, broadcast infrastructure and marketing support 2 x Jump Start: $1,000 plus occupancy support 2 x Place to Make: In-kind occupancy support Be quick. Applications close 5pm, Sunday 30 August bit.ly/311QmAp

15.01.2022 We’re excited!! Can’t wait to share our short film MEMORY HOUSE with you all here - Thursday 18th March, Village Cinema. A friendly reminder that it’s a 7pm arrival for 7:30pm start. Our private function has a licenced bar set up in the upstairs foyer and also inside the cinema, refreshments available before and after the screening. Please note that doors close at 7:30pm and we are unable to admit latecomers. As per the cinemas covid policy, masks must be worn and can be remo...ved when eating/drinking. The event finishes at 9pm. With over 300 seats sold already, we only have just over 120 remaining! If you’re yet to purchase, please do ASAP on the link below. BOOKINGS https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/memory-house-premiere-ticke blinkdancetheatre.com.au

15.01.2022 Thank you to everyone who attended the MEMORY HOUSE PREMIERE last night. The audience were such a warm and receptive crowd and our team felt so supported by your excitement and joy. We loved sharing the night with you all and our two year project finally now has a sense of completion. Thank you once again to our major funding partners Geelong Arts Centre, @cityofgreatergeelong @geelongconnectedcommunities ... Special mention to the wonderful Emily Donoghue and Penny McCabe from Geelong Arts Centre for all your support on the night. Thank you to our incredible filmmakers Annika and Marcus at Glass Kingdom Films and for the documentary, Eric Dittloff at Hello Friend Media. You guys rock! And finally, thank you to Village Cinema for hosting us! blinkdancetheatre.com.au

14.01.2022 And finally, a big warm welcome to our wonderful filmmakers, Annika and Marcus. These two are incredibly talented and generous of spirit and it's fabulous to connect with them again after 20 years. (Lyndel first performed in one of Annika's independent dance theatre projects many years ago!) We are so thrilled to have them on board for Memory House. BIO Annika Glac and Marcus Struzina have been working as a filmmaking team for the last ten years and formed Glass Kingdom film... production company. After Annika’s time at the VCA and Rusden she created six theatre productions which won several awards and inspired her to direct her first short dance film The Kiss based on Gustav Klimt's painting. The film premiered at the International Biennale of Films on Art Centre George Pompidou and had Australian and US distribution. Marcus Struzina first studied Painting and Photography at the Canberra School of Art and Photography at RMIT Melbourne. As a cinematographer, he has worked on countless short films which have received awards around the world. Their first feature film collaborations was Annika's debut feature BELLADONNA a Co - Production between Australia and Poland. The film participated in Shanghai Film Festival, Off Camera Film Festival, Cannes Film Festival, Indian International Film festival and saw a theatrical Release in 2010. In 2014 they completed their second feature film, which Annika wrote and directed and Marcus shot and produced. BUNNY won the Jury Prize at the Cannes film festival Cinephiles section. The film was sold throughout Europe ( Canal+) and released on ITUNES and Vimeo. They are currently in pre production on RADIANT a film about Marie Curie. More info: www.annikaglac.com www.glasskingdom.com.au www.blinkdancetheatre.com.au

13.01.2022 Behind the scenes glimpses of our new development, Memory House. Looking forward to filming next week! . Video: Hello Friend Media

13.01.2022 Next up in our creative team introductions is the wonderfully clever and insightful Eric Dittloff, who is creating a short doco capturing behind the scenes moments of our dancefilm, Memory House. "I'm a local storyteller who produces commercial imagery as Hello Friend Media. Stories have hooked me since I first discovered the written word could send people to strange worlds. The obsession with video started after I accidentally filmed over some old baby tapes on the family VHS recorder (woops). I believe the power of the arts is to help an audience escape their default reality for a time and then come back to it with something they didn’t have before. Great art can also connect us through very personal experiences that seem impossible to communicate any other way." Find out more about Eric's work: https://hellofriend.media/

12.01.2022 Check out this interview by wonderful local writer, Ross Mueller, from a few years back. It was just days before we debuted our much loved second full length work, Written on the Body in 2014. https://themuellername.wordpress.com//blink-in-the-sunshi/

11.01.2022 Great tour this morning @powerhousegeelong blinkdancetheatre.com.au

11.01.2022 Things are progressing with the development of our short film version of Memory House; although with new restrictions we've decided to push back the shoot until October. Which has lots of positives really - mostly it gives us more time to dive deep into creative planning (as well as adjust to lockdown V2) Still plenty to organise in the interim with our creative team whom we shall introduce to you over the coming week. We were lucky to squeeze in a fun photoshoot a fortnight ago, here's a little behind the scenes preview. blinkdancetheatre.com.au

11.01.2022 "I am very excited to be collaborating with the talented creative team from Blink Dance Theatre on Memory House. I trained in and performed for many years as a contemporary dancer and it remains my favourite medium to write music for. I'm hoping that once restrictions are lifted I'm able to come along to a few rehearsals and perhaps even sneak my way into the company warm-ups." - Josh Mitchell BIO Josh is a composer, sound designer and performer. He composes original scores ...and creative sound design for film, theatre and dance as well as Virtual and Augmented reality applications. He enjoys playing his scores live and has performed at the Adelaide Fringe, Melbourne Fringe, Sydney Fringe, Melbourne Comedy Festival, as well as in various theatres around Australia. He also gigs regularly with his indie rock band, Lake Mountain. Find out more - www.joshuamitchellcomposer.com blinkdancetheatre.com.au

10.01.2022 Behind the scenes - our amazing DOP, Marcus Struzina with equally amazing Blink performer, Sarah Hall. Supported by Geelong Arts Centre's Creative Engine, Memory House is a short dance theatre film in production by Blink Dance Theatre that explores the physicality of memory, the body as home and the Jungian archetype of the house as a metaphor for self. Looking forward to sharing it with you all next year. Paul Gosney @elbowroom. ... blinkdancetheatre.com.au

08.01.2022 Thank you for a great Launch event last night @geelongdesignweek! blinkdancetheatre.com.au

08.01.2022 Blink are incredibly grateful to be supported by Geelong Arts Centre. In practical terms, it has enabled access to world class rehearsal and performance spaces... and specialist equipment, however the real highlight has been the full commitment of the Geelong Arts Centre team, to work with us as partners, to support and nurture artistic conversations and ideas. To value the contribution of local artists and how important they are in enriching the creative ecology. Lyndel Quick, Artistic Director Our collaborators @BlinkDanceTheatre are producing a short dance theatre film, Memory House, that will explore the physicality of memory, the body as home and the Jungian archetype of the house as a metaphor for self. Discover more about Memory House and the current opportunities for funding and support through https://geelongartscentre.org.au/creative-engine/. #CreativeEngine #GeelongArtsCentre #RegionalArts #ArtsFunding

06.01.2022 Fancy working for a pretty fab boss? Here's your chance!

06.01.2022 New project! Coming later this year. Thrilled to report that we’ve been successfully awarded a creative communities arts grant from @cityofgreatergeelong to start work on a new little something. Thank you to the arts and culture team at COGG. Watch this space. blinkdancetheatre.com.au

05.01.2022 In rehearsal for MH film @geelongartscentre a little while ago. Still: Eric Dittloff @hellofriendmedia blinkdancetheatre.com.au

03.01.2022 A great write up today in the Geelong Indy about Ana, our wonderful Costume Designer for MH. We The Makers is a fabulous online exhibition featuring local makers and designers, organised by the equally fab team at the National Wool Museum Geelong Read the online article here: https://geelongindy.com.au/news/28-08-2020/my-geelong-18/

03.01.2022 I remember the day I lost my innocence. I woke up and decided to get drunk. My head felt clear and light. I wanted danger and excitement. Spinning in circles Giggling... But nothing really happened. Nothing at all. It just kind of felt empty in that huge space. . . . . Memory House (creative development) Words: Thaedra Frangos Image: Jane Acopian

03.01.2022 Women in Conversation. What a great series. This one features our wonderful supporter and colleague, Iris Walshe Howling.

03.01.2022 A great zoom meeting this morning with our Memory House creative team. So much gratitude for these wonderful people and looking forward to rehearsals and filming in Sep/Oct. We continue taking steps forward while being mindful of the challenges and strange times we all find ourselves in. Which is more important? asked Big Panda, the journey or the destination? The company said Tiny Dragon. ~ James Norbury ... blinkdancetheatre.com.au

03.01.2022 Summoning the wild woman, the mother, the virgin and the crone. Dancer: Jessica Lesosky Image: Jane Acopian ... blinkdancetheatre.com.au

02.01.2022 Something closed must retain our memories, while leaving them their original value as images. Memories of the outside world will never have the same tonality as those of home and by recalling these memories, we add to our store of dreams; we are never real historians, but always near poets, and our emotion is perhaps nothing but an expression of poetry that was lost. ~ Gaston Bachelard, The Poetics of Space. Image: Jane Acopian... Dancer: Jessica Lesosky blinkdancetheatre.com.au

01.01.2022 Okay folks, ticket sales are going through the roof and we're up to 350 now! Still seats available but only until 3pm Thursday when bookings must close. We'd love you to come along and share our short film premiere at Village Cinema. Date: Thursday 18th March Time: 7pm arrival for 7:30pm start Venue: Village Cinema, Ryrie Street, Geelong... We will be screening our short film, followed by a doco outlining how it was made, as well as a live artist forum. A friendly reminder that it’s a 7pm arrival for 7:30pm start. Allow time for parking! No need to print tickets, just show our friendly FOH staff your tickets on your mobile device. Our private function has a licenced bar set up in the upstairs foyer and also inside the cinema, refreshments available before and after the screening. Please note that doors close at 7:30pm. As per the cinemas covid policy, masks must be worn and can be removed when eating/drinking. The event finishes at 9pm. If you're yet to book your tickets, please do ASAP on the link below. We can't wait to see you all tomorrow night! BOOKINGS https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/memory-house-premiere-ticke blinkdancetheatre.com.au