Collaborating artists
Concept, choreography & direction: Freddie Opoku-Addaie & Jorge Crecis
Performers: Jorge Crecis & Freddie Opoku-Addaie
Original score & composition: Aki Paivarinne
Costume styling: Sophie Etterli with performers
Observation, reflections & feedback: Rosemary Lee and Simeilia Hodge-Dallaway
Supported by: Royal Opera House ROH2, Swindon Dance, East London Dance and The Place. Support in kind from Dance City, Newcastle.
Performances
Rich Mix, London – 11-12 June 2010
The Place, London – 16 May 2010
Dance House, Lemesos, Cyprus – 19 Dec 2009
The Place, Robin Howard Theatre-full evening of Freddie’s work: Mis-thread, Silence Speaks Volumes and Set in Stone – London 7–9 May 2009
East London Dance’s Dance Currents 2009, Stratford Circus, London – 4 Apr 2009
Clore Ballroom, Southbank Centre, London – 31 Jan 2009
Swindon Dance, Town Hall Theatre, Swindon – 21 Nov
Queen Charlotte Hall, Richmond Community College, Richmond – 18 Oct 2008
By Freddie Opoku-Addaie & Jorge Crecis
A powerful and physically explosive duet, which challenges perceptions of male identity and bonding. Two men, trapped in an unknown game of power, dominance and perseverance, seek company and communication. Bf explores the quest for a shared existence in the face of an individual’s loneliness and the difficulty of communication.
“We come from very different cultural backgrounds and have both been exposed to different artistic environments. We met in 2007 whilst working with Candoco, and were drawn together to make our own work, looking at our similarities and differences and the nature of collaborations. Through the process we explored issues of body, muscle and flesh, male bodies interacting, two men dancing, masculinity, race, skin colour and power, sharing and competition, togetherness and loneliness. We also considered the state of mind whilst performing on stage. One of our continued intentions was to keep an extreme awareness through a sense of ritualistic celebration while performing.” Freddie & Jorge
Bf-f
In 2009, the Royal Opera House ROH2 commissioned Freddie and Jorge to rework Bf for two female dancers, Azzurra Ardovini and Sofia Harrison. The original work had a specific dark quality; it was an intense piece full of human tension and unresolved communication. Freddie and Jorge handed this to Azzurra and Sofia to explore how two female artists would respond to the same quest.
Bf-f performances
15-16 July 2009, Clore Studio, Royal Opera House
18 July 2009, Latitude Festival, presented by the Royal Opera House
Reviews
“Fresh and intense.” Londondance.com ›
“I saw Freddie’s work at the Place Prize and loved the intense physicality of the choreography. Then I worked with Freddie and Jorge at Candoco, where they worked really well together – there was a special energy between them. So when I heard they were collaborating on a project, I was really keen that it was part of this weekend (62C at the Southbank, 2009), as I was curious to see what two great artists would produce together.” Rafael Bonachela, choreographer
Gallery
