201 Dance Company presents the UK tour of
SKIN
This is not my body this is not my body this is not my body
Following a successful run at Edinburgh Fringe 2017, 201 Dance Company are pleased to present a UK tour of their acclaimed show SKIN. This intimate journey of self-discovery will be performed this Autumn, from Friday 7 September at Old Market, Brighton – Thursday 1 November at Cambridge Junction.
This outstanding dance/theatre piece explores a boy’s journey through gender transition. Blending urban and contemporary hip-hop style and original music, award winning choreographer Andrea Walker directs a cast of 7 dancers in a fast paced, emotionally charged story of identity, family, mental health and belonging.
In just 4 years 201 Dance Company have created a buzz at Edinburgh Fringe Festival and throughout the UK with their unique style of dance with a theatrical narrative. The company strive to confront issues and challenge social prejudices. Their performances crosses genres and has also been seen in New York at the Manhattan Movement Center and New York Symphony Space; 201 Dance Company had 3 consecutive sell-out years at Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and won an outstanding award for choreography developed at The Broadway Dance Center. In August 2015 choreographer Andrea Walker was nominated for an Inspire: Change Maker Award by London Dance.
SKIN is notable for bringing the issue of mental health in young trans people to a popular art form. In 2017, Stonewall reported that 45% of trans youth attempted suicide, 84% self-harmed, 64% experienced transphobic bullying, and 9% received death threats at school. 71% of LGBTQ+ youth said teachers did not intervene when they witnessed LGBTQ+ bullying, while 40% of students are never taught about LGBTQ+ issues. This suggests a need for more conversations and public awareness surrounding the mental health of transgender youth, and issue that 201 Dance Company are keen to be part of the conversation.
Alongside performances of SKIN, 201 Dance Company will partner with Gendered Intelligence, a trans-led awareness raising and advocacy company, to run training that aims to make arts centres more inclusive and welcoming for trans audiences, artists, and participants.
ANDREA WALKER – DIRECTOR / CHOREOGRAPHER
Andrea is the founder and Artistic Director of 201 Dance Company, and choreographer of 201’s award winning Skin and Smother. Based in Brighton, Andrea began dancing aged 14 in Rome, Italy, and continued his study and exploration of dance at The Metropolitan Arts Institute in Phoenix, Arizona, and at The Broadway Dance Center in New York, he graduated with a Certificate of Excellence and won the Outstanding Student Award in June 2014. Most recently, he choreographed and danced Ebony Bones’ European tour, and he is currently choreographing a world-premiere for the Joffrey Ballet in Chicago, due to premiere in April 2019. Other credits include working with Coldplay, Aggro Santos, Kimberly Walsh, Xbox, T-Mobile, Martini and D&G.
KIT REDSTONE – DRAMATURG
The Dramaturg for SKIN is Kit Redstone who has also written a play about gender and masculinity called Testosterone, which he co-created with Rhum and Clay Theatre Company. He also wrote The Word Was God, an absurdist love story between a transgender man and a call centre operative which premiered at Graz’s National Theatre, Austria.
PATRICK COLLIER – PRODUCER Patrick is a London based theatre producer. Other recent work includes Access All Areas’ “MADHOUSE” (Shoreditch Town Hall and The Lowry), Graeae Theatre’s “Aruna and the Raging Sun” in Chennai (part of the UK/India year of culture), Theatre Temoin’s ‘The Marked’ (Pleasance King Dome 2016), Access All Areas’ ‘The Misfit Analysis’ (VAULT Festival 2016, Pleasance and touring 2015), Sparkle and Dark’s ‘I Am Beast’ (Pleasance 2015), Fourth Monkey Ensemble’s ‘Elephant Man’ (touring 2014-15), Sparkle and Dark’s ‘Killing Roger’ (touring 2014), Theatre Témoin’s ‘The Fantasist’ (London, Edinburgh and touring 2011-2013), Access All Areas’ ‘Eye Queue Hear’ (touring 2013-15), Theatre Témoin’s ‘Nineveh’ (Riverside Studios London 2013), Theatre Re’s ‘The Little Soldiers’ (Pleasance Queen Dome 2013), Metta Theatre’s ‘Monkey & Crocodile’ (Touring 2013), ‘The Rub’ for the New York’s Tremor Theatre Collective (New Orleans 2012), and Iris Theatre’s ‘As You Like It’ (Covent Garden Open Air Theatre 2012). Patrick is Executive Director at Access All Areas, and Producer and Associate Director for 201 Dance Company.
SKIN was shortlisted for the 2017 Amnesty International Freedom of Expression Award.