Message from Artistic Director, Kimberley Cooper on Velocity
The act of making dance is not for the faint of heart. To pull movement from the air and your body, to speak through that movement, to be abstract, to be literal, and see your ideas through a jazz lens is a huge challenge. It takes courage, rigour, and ideas. It can feel like being on a runaway train. It can be terrifying, exhilarating and fun, it can also be very difficult.
DJD is unique in the world and we want to survive for a long time. To ensure our future, we have incorporated a bi or tri annual dancer choreographed performance into our practice. This is a chance for our dancers to grow as artists, to flex, stretch and define their choreographic chops, to make jazz dance in a supportive environment.
Catherine Hayward has been investing in her choreographic process for many years. She has created work for many DJD dancer choreographed performances and was A.D. of the last one—Borderland in 2015. She is also a vital part of the independent dance community. Her journey is taking her to wonderful places, she is also an excellent leader and she has done a fantastic job of creating her own work and directing this performance.
The company has bravely stepped up. If you know us, I am excited for you to see this side of them, if you are new to us, what a lovely introduction. I hope you will be enchanted and come see what else they can do in future performances. Bravo team! You have all stepped up beautifully, congratulations!
Enjoy!
Kimberley Cooper