Roxana (far right) and Lullabies producer Katy Noakes (far left) surrounded by children from the Rosemary Nursery @ Alexa Ledecky

Trinity neighbours Rosemary Nursery came along for a workshop in the afternoon. They were welcomed in a cosy space that really reflected the warm and intimate feel of the Lullabies project. The children and carers sat comfortably on colourful cushions and carpets and watched an audio-visual piece that showcases the Lullabies gathered by Roxana and her team.

The Lullabies rickshaw created by Designer Ruth Ramsay @ Alexa Ledecky

They then learnt to sing a Somalian lullaby with two project participants before having their photo taken on the Lullabies rickshaw. The rickshaw was created by Designer Ruth Ramsay with the idea to involve further communities by cycling around more cities to gathering more lullabies.

Trinity Engagement Office Edson Burton reading his poem amongst an audience of adults and children @ Alexa Ledecky

The workshop was followed by an evening sharing attended by a larger, mainly adult audience. The audio-visual piece was screened again and followed by a live Kurdish lullaby singing and a poem reading.

Adults and children interact after the screening and live performances before a Q£A with the Lullabies creative team @ Alexa Ledecky

It felt particularly special and soothing to have children and adults come together as part of the sharing. During the feedback session, an audience member said: “Loved having kids around made it beautifully relaxed, comforting and accessible”.

Lullaby contributors serve home made Somalian food to audience members @ Alexa Ledecky

Everyone was able to enjoy freshly cooked Somalian food as part of the sharing, which was kindly prepared and served by local project participants. This brought a particularly heart warming touch to the evening and allowed everyone to engage in informal conversations.

Two audience members sit with colourful pieces of bunting and pens on their knees @ Alexa Ledecky

As well as discussing the project with Roxana and her team in a Q&A, the audience could give written feedback about the sharing, of which: “Beautiful songs, images, words and feelings. Thank you to all who shared. It has inspired me to explore my own heritage through song” and “So much love down the generations. Singing of fears and making them less”.

The IGNiTE and Lullabies teams pose together in front of the Rickshaw @ Alexa Ledecky

Read more about the Lullabies project on Roxana’s website and about our other artists in resident including Ania Varez, Viki Browne and Vicki Hearne.

About IGNiTE

IGNiTE is Trinity's in house programme of world-class, innovative theatre and dance about issues that matter to people now, starting conversations and sparking debate. IGNiTE is supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England and by Bristol City Council.

Photo Alexa Ledecky

Photo Alexa Ledecky

Trinity has been selected to be one of 40 community arts centres to take part in Here and Now, a national and local celebration of culture within communities running alongside the National Lottery’s 25 year anniversary.

Like Mercury residency, Bellatrix and Emma Houston Dance Collective. Photo credit Khali Ackford

We are pleased to announce that we are looking for exciting new work to present as part of our programme of shows in Spring 2022.

We are keen to hear from artists and companies whose work responds to our current theme of Art of Resistance in exciting and innovative ways, work that is timely and relevant for our diverse local audiences and work that will inspire and engage.

What we’re looking for:

• Performance ready Theatre, Dance, Spoken Word and Cross-art form, work that responds to the themes of arts and resistance and social activism.
• Work that can be presented across two seasons: 1) between January and 31st March 2022, 2) between 1 April and 31st June 2022.
• Small-medium scale work to be programmed as single shows (on occasion we may programme more than 1 day of a performance).
• Work that can be presented outside of a traditional raked seating format. Work that is relatable and exciting to our community whether that be our local residents in inner-city Bristol, service users who regularly meet at the centre or a community that we might not have met yet but who will benefit from experiencing live performance at Trinity.
• Work that has not been previously presented in Bristol in its current state.
• Work that involves wrap-around activity that can engage our community (Q&A, workshops etc)
• At least 2 of the performances we select will be created by Bristol based artists who are based within 15 miles of Trinity Centre.

We will provide:

Between £750 and £1500 in fees to include performance fees, travel, accommodation and expenses. (Please note that you must have a bank account in your organisation’s name or be registered as self-employed) Technical support for get-in, show and get-out. Advice and guidance from relevant members of staff at Trinity and relevant partners on developing your audiences.

Pay What You Can tickets for audience members and free tickets for community participants

How to submit:

We’ll ask you to submit a tour pack of no longer than 4 pages that includes show information, engagement/wraparound activity plans, a tech specification and marketing strategy.

We’ll ask you to answer a question about how you’ll work with us to engage with our community and to tell us which season (1 or 2) your work is available for.

We’ll ask you to complete an equal opportunities form, so we can make sure these opportunities are reaching the right people, but this won’t be used in the decision to programme your show.

How we decide who to programme:

At Trinity we believe that the most important decision makers are our community. Therefore we programme our Trinity Presents Arts Programme using a Programming Forum made up of local artist and community members and people who use our building on a regular basis.

Deadline: The deadline for submissions is 9am 04 Oct

Click here to submit your tour pack and information

A release-based contemporary technique class which is inspired by the Erick Hawkins contemporary dance technique and encourages efficient, easeful and dynamic dancing. Lisa's practice and teaching is also influenced by her many years of training in Martial Arts, Alexander Technique, Yoga, Contact Improvisation and other somatic practices.

Classes are suitable for professional dancers and experienced movers, as well as those with less experience but open to trying out the technique.

Despite the soft, fluid, serene, almost effortless look, Hawkins’ movement required substantial strength and specialized technique. ... a technique known for its directed, free flow of movement initiating from the center (Renata Celichowska, author of The Erick Hawkins Modern Dance Technique).

Class opened to experienced dancers.

Classes run on the following dates, 10.30am - 12pm:

2015 is the UNESCO International Year of Light and we are preparing a Sci/Art showcase day Sci/Art to celebrate.

There will be a light lab of workshops to play with ideas behind the physics of light and how they can be used in dance and other arts.

We are also hosting an exhibition where artists and scientists from academia and industry can show off some of their great light-inspired work.

The day will culminate in a show by several dance companies, including SWDT, performing light inspired repertoire. See the movie at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3GALsWsE4g for an idea of what dance inspiredby the physics of light might look like.

Q&A and Development Day

Want to get involved? Wondering what we're on about? Join us Saturday July 11th from 5pm for a Q&A followed by development day (you can leave after the Q&A if you just want to have a nose).

To book a place at the Q&A/Development Day (no charge) email info@southwestdancetheatre.com

The main event will be held Sunday 8th November 5-9pm also at the Trinity Centre

Light - fusing arts and science is sponsored by IOP Publishing, subsidiary of the Institute of Physics

Tickets

All day: £10 (£7 concs)

Light lab and exhibition only: £8 (£5 conc)

Performance only: £8 (£5 conc)

Light Steps takes children on a magical journey using light and colour, music and dance.

This interactive performance is for all the family to enjoy. We follow Alex, a kaleidoscopic rag doll, through portal moments in time, tracing a wonder-ful day from sunrise to sunset. We experience the world of the arts through Alex’s wondrous eyes. The piece takes inspiration from artist Spencer Finch’s exhibition; The Skies can’t keep their secret, with live music and dance.

Show 10.30am

For children age 3+ (and their families)

2015 is the UNESCO International Year of Light and SWDT are preparing a Sci/Art showcase day to celebrate.

There will be a light lab of talks and workshops to play with ideas behind the physics of light and how they can be used in the arts.

We are also hosting an exhibition where artists and scientists from academia and industry can show off some of their great light-inspired work.

The day will culminate in a show at 7:30pm by several dance companies, including SWDT, performing light inspired repertoire and a video piece.

Light Expo 5pm-7:30pm: Street Art, graphic design, photography, photonics tech, careers

Light Lab 5pm-7:30pm: DIY photonics experiments, light physics & technology talks, physics in art demo

Show 8pm-9:30pm

South West Dance Theatre inc: Wave-practicle duality quantum photosynthesis The Big Bang

Guerilla Dance Projects: LED tap

Katerina Mina & Linda Lamon: Rainbow of Light Official IYOL song live

Joe Stathers: Light in video

Under 16's: FREE entry

“When you go Home, tell them of us and say, For your Tomorrow, we gave our Today” (John Maxwell Edmunds).

This emotional show mixes up all sorts of dance styles to not just remember but bring to life the people who lived and died during World War II on remembrance Sunday, the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings.

Using tap, ballet, acrodance and contemporary we move from a carefree world of singing and dancing, several years on from the close of the Great War – “the war to end all wars” - before war is then declared again, and watch the hopes and camaraderie of the first journeys off on campaign, the goodbyes, the waiting – on the Western and the Home Front – and the brutal finality for so many who lost their lives or loved ones.

South West Dance Theatre have produced this show in conjunction with the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings, with the aim to commemorate all those who have suffered in any war.

In addition, as an all-female company their focus has narrowed in on the hopes, fears, losses and work of the women during the war but to emphasize the context there are scenes from conflict and the trenches.

There will be a collection for the Poppy Appeal during the event.

South West Dance Theatre is a Community Interest Company established in 2010 to promote dance and dancers in the region and support local causes. We produce dance theatre drawing on a range of disciplines including ballet, tap, acrodance, contemporary and Latin.

Hype perform on the Trinity stage at Harbourside Festival 2019. Photo Alastair Brookes

Young female street dancers will be taking over Arnolfini as part of the Trinity supported 'Let Us Dance' project that runs alongside Arnolfini's 'Still I Rise' exhibition.

Running in the gallery space every Sunday, until Dec 15, 'Let Us Dance' is a celebration of young women. Street dancing teenagers, enter the gallery space, dance to soundtracks from their mobile phones playing their choice of songs and then leave the space. This is a simple act of resistance, defiance and tremendous skill.

Trinity have been working with Bristol-based dance groups to invite young women aged 13-19 to get involved. Some of the groups taking part already have strong connections with Trinity; HYPE meet weekly at Trinity and are supported by Trinity's Community Kick Start initiative and Rise Youth Dance have performed their annual showcase at Trinity. Also performing are BS13 / Storm who took part in Trinity's Dances Stage at Bristol Harbourside Festival last July.

Head down to Arnolfini every Sunday between 1pm and 4pm and you might just catch one of the vibrant surprise performances of young women taking ownership of a space they are usually denied.

Let Us Dance is presented by Arnolfini, with the support of Trinity Centre.

A Bristol reading from the brilliant debut collection of YouTuber, writer, and poet, Leena Norms. Plus a local support line up TBA.

Leena Norms is a British poet and writer from the West Midlands. She has been sharing her poetry online for over 10 years and her video essays have amassed over 11 million views to date, covering everything from literature and second hand fashion to protecting the planet and surviving your twenties.

Bargain Bin Rom-Com is the first collection of poems by Leena Norms. From the politics of ice-cream to the permission slip you didn’t know you needed, this is a tongue-in-cheek look at living on a planet that is filled with both doom and glitter.

Please note, this is a seated event.

About Trinity Presents:

This is part of Trinity Presents - our in-house programme of music, bringing world-class artists and emerging talent to inner-city audiences.

About The Den:

The Den is Trinity’s new, seasonal outdoor venue. Situated within the historic grounds of Trinity, The Den is designed to feel like a magical corner of a festival, with its own bar, food offer and a backdrop of the vibrant community garden.

This show was pre-recorded at Home in Manchester as part of their PUSH Festival. Thanks to Conor A and Hannah Woods for making this livestream possible.

Thanks to all our Digital Partners also live streaming tonight Disability Arts Online, I'm Here, Where Are You?, Cambridge Junction, Fibromyalgia Action UK - FMAUK, The Disabled People's Channel & Morecambe Fringe.

You can find out more about Theatre, Dance and Performance at Trinity here.

This is brought to you by Trinity Presents. Click here to see more arts, community, well-being and education content or follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Trinity are working with external artists, partners and organisations as part of Trinity Presents Online to provide exciting content, relevant to Trinity's diverse audiences and in line with our Equal Opportunities and Free Speech Policies. Click here for more information about our Policies. While we endeavour to ensure content we share is relevant and appropriate, Trinity is not responsible for individual content created by third parties.

From simple and short movement sequences we go on to explore more complex phrases, moving through space, playing with flow and dynamic range.

Class opened to experienced dancers.

Classes run on the following dates, 10.30am - 12pm:

IGNiTE Artist Ania Varez is developing the performance piece “Guayabo” as part of her residency (photo @ Alastair Brookes)

Ania Varez is a young Venezuelan artist who left her country’s violent dictatorship and moved to the UK. The crisis she escaped is rarely mentioned in mainstream media but Ania has been using art to share her and her family’s experiences with others.

She joined Trinity as an IGNiTE resident artist in September to develop her new show “Guayabo”, or “heartbreak” in Venezuelan slang. In late October, she invited people to join a sharing session in which she presented her work.

Ania's homeland, Venezuela is experiencing a silent humanitarian crisis (photo @ Alastair Brookes)

All the elements that formed part of Ania’s performance painted a sharp nightmarish picture of her city, a place that has lost all of its warmth and safety. It was brilliant to not just watch but to actually actively take part in the interactive performance Ania created as part of her residency with Trinity.

Prior to entering the performance space, we were greeted by Ania and added to a WhatsApp group by her assistant to receive messages and media during the performance. We were then invited to walk into the space – a dark room with two rows of seats lined up to face one other. At one end of the rows; a TV, at the other end; a large lamp, switched off. The only other light source in the room was dim, the atmosphere was heavy.

Only a few minutes in, Ania invited us to lie down on the floor while she told the story of a murdered corpse being found in a park while she and her lover were peacefully laying down on the grass. This was a tipping point in the performance; by involving our bodies in the story-telling, it felt like we were brought incredibly close to Caracas, her home city, and to the terror that reigns there.

People wrote who they loved on apples as part of Ania's grief party (photo @ Alastair Brookes)

From writing the name of our loved ones on an apple, a mundane fruit that is now impossible to find in Venezuela, to joining efforts to smash a piñata, we were all made part of her grief party. The poems she wrote and read and the ongoing TV screening of the footage she gathered during a rare visit to her family were striking and raw. “In this city, laughter feels like a miracle”, “The last second of panic before you close the front door”, “Until there’s a bullet in the back of everyone you know”.

During the Q&A that followed the performance, we were asked if the stories that involved violence were too descriptive and shocking, but were all positive that they gave the show strength and impact.

Guayabo is about creating connections between places where the connections have been broken. (photo @ Alastair Brookes)

One thing felt very clear: “Guayabo” is not a teary-eyed drama seeking the audience’s compassion. It’s an invitation to connect Ania’s isolated family in Caracas and England. An attempt to create a positive link between two places that have been completely disconnected, if only for an hour. The large lamp that stood unlit in the room was set up to switch on if Ania’s mother replied to her WhatsApp message: “Are you safe today?”. We all sat waiting for the lamp to turn on for a solid minute, but it didn’t. Instead, Ania recorded a voice message of all of us clapping and cheering for her mother as a gesture of acknowledgement and support.

The 31st of October marked the 2 year anniversary of Ania hugging her sister for the last time before leaving. She marked the day by performing “Guayabo” at SPILL Festival in Ipswich.

About IGNiTE

IGNiTE is Trinity's in house programme of world-class, innovative theatre and dance about issues that matter to people now, starting conversations and sparking debate. IGNiTE is supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England and buy Bristol City Council