Eve, like most 2/3 year olds I imagine is totally obsessed with stickers, so she was in some kind of dreamland when she walked into the Painting/Drawing studio at MAC. Craig and I were finishing off the last scene of Dance Steps. I never really thought of it as a sticker show, but clearly it is. Eve, Robin and their youthful friends Jack and Tom helped us finish things off.
We’re pleased with the show. It seems to work as we had hoped. Those who commit themselves to the piece seem to find themselves getting hooked. There is a quest element, searching the building for the next scene. Then there is detective work, establishing how the scene should be read. The performance strand follows as participants cast themselves in role. Finally there is the slowly unfolding narrative that binds all fourteen scenes together.
There is a sense that this show has more mileage, that it could work in a great range of contexts and adapt itself to a host of spaces. But that will have to be a way down the line. At the moment my stomach turns as Eve pull out her latest page of smiley face stickers.
Dance Steps can be found at MAC all day between now and the end of Sunday 6th April. It would be great to get some feedback on it….
James
With its shiny vinyl surface Dance Steps appears quite random and patchy but the layered readings require active commitment from participants. I did it with a 4-yr old and missed loads the first time. 2nd time the 4 yr-old (Jacob) was gleefully offering instructions to elder bro & me. He loved it and still talks about it.
The show has fantastic possibilities.