Puppets - Scissors Dance
Jose Navarro Puppets - Dance
2pm - 2:30pm @ the Bar
Peru
During this year's Rhythms Event we will have a series of activities related to the Peruvian Scissor Dance. This set of performances includes a puppet show, the dance itself, and a short film "Danzak". The Scissor Dance is an original dance from the south of the Andes, in Peru, in which two or more dancers (danzak) dance, followed by their respective orchestras of a violin and a harp. The dancers dance in turns, doing explicit moves and challenging steps, such as dancing with just one foot. Basically, the scissors dance is an impressive manifestation of physical art and skills, but to the Andean man it represents a complex ritual. A series of mysteries stalk around the dancers (the ones who do the ritual) who, in a surge of force and elasticity, test their skills with the gymnastic jumps at the sound of a harp and a violin, while they cut the air with their scissors (one in each hand).
The Performer:
Jose Navarro is a British - Peruvian artist who studied Art at Peru's National University of San Marcos in Lima; was trained in Mime by the master of that art- Juan Arcos and has an MA in Advanced Theatre Practice - 'Puppetry and Object Theatre' from the Central School of Speech and Drama in London. He has participated as a soloist with his own shows, at many well-established performing arts events and venues in Latin America, Asia, Middle East, Europe, and in the UK. These performances include festivals and shows like "The Agony of Rasu-Ñiti", (directed by Sara Joffré), at the Cervantes Institute in London 1999. "RITUAL SCISSORS DANCE" (under the artistic name of ‘Pishtaco') at the Edinburgh International Fringe Festival in Scotland 2000, The Mayor's Thames Festival, The Museum of London 2006. "OH...PERA" at the CSSD London 2005. "BURLESQUE" at the Biennale of Adult Puppet Theatre in Lima, Peru 2006, "MINIMO" at the Shakespeare's Globe Theatre 2002, at the Iper International Straatanimatic Festival in Belgium 2006-07, and the Buiten Gewoon Theatre Festival in Doetinchem, Holland 2007. Jose is also trained in Arts Education, delivering mime, puppetry and Scissors Dance classes at schools and in community centres.
For more information: Jose Navarro's website or contact us.