Former OHS pupil causes dance mayhem at Fringe
Former Oban High School pupil, contemporary dance master choreographer Bill Coleman, with avant-garde composer Gordon Monahan, will present a theatre dance piece inspired by American actor Buster Keaton at the Edinburgh Dance Base Festival 17.
Both eye-popping spectacle and unique score, Dollhouse encompasses tap dancing and performance art while mechanical and electronic objects, both handmade and found, deliver disrupting and surprising rhythms for the ears and eyes. Coleman told The
Oban Times about the show which runs from August 15 to 27.
Mr Coleman, who works all over the world, recently had rave reviews from a show in Toronto.
1. What was it that inspired your show or performance?
I was inspired by the American actor Buster Keaton. A basic inspiration for his work was interacting with things breaking and falling so that became a basis to the show.
The process itself became the inspiration but, like any creative journey in the studio, we wandered far from Buster and the silent comedies in which he starred.
2. Can you describe your devising process, and how did you find inspiration for creating your work?
Unbridled exploration played a large part in the creation.
3. What was it that inspired you in becoming a performer, or setting up your company?
I started tap dancing at 15, which was basically a case of making noise while moving around in front of people. I had shown glimmers of creativity at school with a play and some funny dances at dance school but it wasn’t until I had encountered contemporary dance and its ‘ you can pretty much do anything’ appeal, that I became interested in making performance.
4. What was your favourite part of the rehearsal or devising process in creating your performance?
Working with composer, Gordon Monahan.
5. Do you have a routine or pre-show ritual that you have to do before you perform?
As a dancer I warm up, but for this show I fill my pants with brittle objects and set mousetraps.
6. What is your favourite dance performance you’ve seen, and why?
Appalachian Spring by Martha Graham, I think is my favourite. It’s so clear and simple. I was lucky to dance in it at the 50th anniversary performance in Washington.
7. If you could describe your show in three words, what would they be?
Aural, kinetic mayhem.
8. What are you most looking forward to in bringing your show to the festival? The audiences. 9. What’s your favourite Edinburgh haunt?
Edinburgh’s Botanic Garden.