Éowyn Emerald & Dancers
Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2024
August 6th-11th, 2024 | 19.45-20:40
Presenting Venue: Assembly @ Dance Base 3 | Venue #22
“Emerald has once again come up with the goods.” – The List (Fringe 2021)
Programme Details:
Éowyn Emerald & Dancers Presents: Your Tomorrow
Choreography: Éowyn Emerald
Performers: Katie Armstrong & Jack Anderson
Lighting Design: James Mapes
Music: Dave Brubeck, Bing Crosby, Victor Young and his Orchestra, alt-J, Joe Magnarelli, Michael Galasso, Ólafur Arnolds, Alice Sara Ott, The Chemical Brothers, Arcade Fire, Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie
Costumes: Éowyn Emerald
Photo: Chris Scott
Please note: Ferrero Rocher are including in the performance and contain hazelnuts.
About the work:
144 Ferrero Rocher: This piece is partly inspired by Éowyn’s grandparents, who immigrated to Canada from Glasgow in the 1950s. In this story, the chocolates are a nod to the exuberance of love and the intimate generosity of sharing a sweet during the rationing of post-war Britain. Ferrero Rocher were a favourite of Éowyn’s Nana, and while not produced till 1979, they are easily recognizable as a chocolate and roll satisfyingly.
For “Your Tomorrow,” Éowyn has taken inspiration from her personal experiences and her work with individuals living with Parkinson’s. In addition to living through her grandfather’s diagnosis when she was a teenager, Éowyn has been teaching to dancers with Parkinson’s since 2017 through Dance for Parkinson’s Scotland. In developing this work she began by using the pathology of the disease and its limitations on an individual’s movement as both a foundation for the work and as a point of departure. “Your Tomorrow” explores Parkinson’s impact on the individuals and families living with the disease through the emotional intricacies of relationships as only dance can express them. It acknowledges the devastation any disease can have on a relationship while celebrating the intimate connections and bonds that make us who we are.
Company Details:
Artistic Director/Choreographer/Producer:
Éowyn Emerald
Technical Director/Lighting Designer
James Mapes
Bios
Éowyn Emerald is a Canadian born choreographer, dancer, and teacher, who was hailed by The Times as “a talent to watch.” A classically trained dancer, Éowyn’s work is physical, technically demanding, and places a strong emphasis on partnering and performance. Éowyn received her BFA in contemporary dance and choreography from The University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Additional training from The Juilliard School, Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company, Utah Regional Ballet, and the RDA Craft of Choreography. Éowyn’s company, Éowyn Emerald & Dancers (ÉE&D) was founded in Portland, Oregon in 2011 and relocated to Scotland in 2017, she returned to Vancouver, B.C. in the summer of 2022. In her 2014 Fringe appearance, Éowyn was hailed by the Times as ‘a talent to watch,’ and her 2016 Fringe included 21 sold out performances. Éowyn has received the RDA Monticello award, a NFAA A.R.T.S. Choreography Award, three first place Weiler Choreography awards and was twice selected as a Critic’s Choice by The Times.
James Mapes is a lighting designer, writer, and installation artist from Portland, Oregon, USA. He has toured the world, created multiple board games, and been published in an anthology honouring Ursula K. Le Guin. He is always happy to work with ÉE&D. He has a family; they are great.
Jack Anderson was a professional Irish dancer, touring internationally for several years with Rhythm of the Dance and Celtic Legends before going on to work with Breandán de Gallaí as an original member of Ériu Dance Company. Since retraining at the Scottish School of Contemporary Dance and Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance, Jack has been a freelance dancer based in Glasgow. His work as a performer includes Éowyn Emerald & Dancers, Shotput, Michael Clark, Farah Saleh, Rob Heaslip, Company Chordelia, Barrowland Ballet, and Indepen-dance. He has taught company class as a guest teacher for New Adventures and Stopgap Dance Company, and dances with lots of different people working for Paragon Music, Scottish Ballet and Dance Base. Jack’s work with Éowyn Emerald & Dancers includes performing various roles at: Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Dundee Rep, DanceLive, Hidden Door, and DanceStages Festival in Shanghai, China.
Katie Armstrong is a freelance dance artist, performer, teacher, and choreographer based in Glasgow, Scotland. Katie trained at Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance, since graduating she has worked with various companies and artists throughout the U.K. including: Rambert Dance Company, National Theatre Scotland, Scottish Opera, Company Chordelia, Jack Webb and Drew Taylor, for Simon Fildes and Wyn Pottratz, for turned prize winner Tai Shani, Jenn Wren and Barrowland Ballet. Katie has worked with Éowyn Emerald & Dancers since 2018, working on various productions for different festivals and events including Edinburgh Fringe Festival and the Shanghai DanceStages Festival.
The company
Éowyn Emerald & Dancers is currently based in Vancouver, BC and is led by Canadian born choreographer and dancer, Éowyn Emerald. The company was founded in Portland, Oregon in 2011, and was based in Scotland for 5 years before relocating to Vancouver. Employing technical virtuosity and emotionally complex storytelling, her work strives to communicate, challenge, and evoke a clearer picture of the relationships that unite us.
Éowyn Emerald & Dancers have appeared at Dance Base (Edinburgh), DanceLive (Aberdeen), On The Boards (Seattle), Risk/Reward (Portland), J.A.W. at Portland Center Stage, DanceStages (Shanghai), ACT & Fresh Edit (Dundee), Presentation House Theater (North Vancouver), Arts Umbrella (Vancouver), Ballet Victoria’s Kirk Hall, Hidden Door (Edinburgh) and six times at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe to critical claim. Additionally, the company has presented five performance seasons in Portland. In her 2014 Fringe appearance, Éowyn was hailed by the Times as ‘a talent to watch,’ and her 2016 Fringe included 21 sold out performances. Éowyn has received the RDA Monticello award, a NFAA A.R.T.S. Choreography Award, three first place Weiler Choreography awards and was twice selected as a Critic’s Choice by The Times.
Websites www.eowynemerald.com
IG: @eowynemeralddancers
Tickets: edfringe.com
Contact: info@eowynemerald.com
thank you to:
BigSnit Media for ÉE&D website and media.
Edgar Badua for design.
Cedar House Media for printing.
Chris Scott.
Josh Murry Photography.
Joel & Sam.
Joel at Gearhead.
Acting Coach Scotland, Dance Glasgow and The Work Room for their in-kind support of rehearsal space this summer.
The partners, children, and individuals involved in the support of making and touring this work: Jack Anderson, Katie Armstrong, Jonathan Krebs, Daniel Navarro Lorenzo, Millie Thomas, James Mapes, Lyndsay Hogland, Morag Deyes, Robert Ouimet, Edgar Badua, Caz McCall, Lillianne Barrett, Anne Barrett, Chris Scott, Grant Anderson, and Richy, Tom, Oz, Istari, Hero, and thank you again to all the babysitters supporting this tour to the Edinburgh Fringe!
Citymoves Dance Agency for their support for this work in its early and middle stages of creation.
Dance Base and Morag Deyes for a six day presentation of the work at MultiStory.
Scottish Ballet for its generous support.