Jack Productions

Here we go!

Last week was our first rehearsal here in Europe for “The Human Abstract”, the first endeavor of JACK productions, and I am so glad to be a part of it from the beginning! Lucas and I worked for a few days at the Scapino Ballet studios in Rotterdam in preparation for the real work that will begin in Melbourne in July. We made several phrases, worked on material, Listened to some of the music that is being created and spoke about the whole concept for the piece, which sounds really exciting.

I love the beginning of the creative process, it all feels so easy and carefree and you never know where the work will lead or what interesting decisions the choreographer will make. You just have to show up and do your best, and the rest always seems to fall into place, at least by the time you are on stage! I am so interested in see the work of Lucas in Australia; I think it going to be so innovative and fun with some truly new ideas coming through.

I cannot wait for the long voyage over to Melbourne and the hard work that will be happening in the coming months before that. Many thanks for reading and I cannot wait to see how the work develops.

Cheers,

Sabina

Hey everybody,

So we have started rehearsals for ‘Human Abstract’!

I started working with Sabina Perry (our international guest artist for this production) here in Holland at the Scapino Ballet Studios. It was great to get on the body some of the ideas I have been discovering during my research period.

We made good progress and had a lot of fun!

I think some of the laughing may even stay in the production…

See ya soon,

Lucas.

It’s been a big week for JACK!

‘Human Abstract’, our first project, has hit the press, tickets are on sale and it’s time to share the love!

Peter Brook says “A large part of our excessive, unnecessary manifestations come from terror that if we are not somehow signalling all the time that we exist, we will in fact no longer be there.” The idea is that we all make such a fuss because if we don’t, no one will notice. Maybe they won’t, maybe they shouldn’t, but in ‘Human Abstract’, Lucas Jervies is going to find out… by making a fuss. Lucas is not alone in creating these “excessive, unnecessary manifestations”, he has pulled together a terrifying cast of dancers ready to explore and expose their own fear and paranoia. Six leading dancers of the Australian Ballet and an international guest will give movement and voice to Lucas’ vision. Robert Curran, Andrew Killian, Danielle Rowe, Kevin Jackson, Laura Tong and Leanne Stojmenov will be joined by Canadian Sabina Perry on the Merlyn stage at the CUB Malthouse in July.

Not all the ‘fun’ will be happening on the stage. Up until now, and surely well into the future, the challenge for us has been in the planning and organising of a dance event. Business plans, marketing plans, theatre contracts, ticketing arrangements, artist contracts, public liability insurance, funding applications, websites and blogs. Who ever would have thought that we could swap our pointe shoes and lycra for laptops and paperwork? We did. And we do. It hasn’t all been easy, as full-time dancers with the Australian Ballet, it has been emails between rehearsals, contracts over lunch, sponsorship meetings before class and phone calls between eye shadow and mascara. And it’s not over yet…

Keep checking in with JACK in the coming weeks as the story continues to unfold.

Laura and Robert