BODY IN QUESTION

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photos Suzon Fuks

MULTI-MEDIA DANCE THEATRE SHOW (video & slide projections, life-sized puppet, original soundtrack) BODY IN QUESTION is a diary come to life, portraying the true story of an Australian dancer who – after paralysing an arm in a motorcycle accident – journeys through the worlds of medicine, rehabilitation and disability, in recovery of self-expression. He finds new angles on perceiving the body, and new ways to move. "Body image" and concepts of "normality" are questioned. Moving and inspirational, poetic and humorous, it is accessible and appealing to a wide audience of all ages. 55 minutes - no interval - top of page PRESS COMMENTS Reinventing the choreographic space, Cunningham throws himself into startling body-to-body tussles with his puppet to find new artistic strings. A flag-ship show of the festival. - TELERAMA, Paris A moving alliance of dance, video, vibrant musical score, a triumph of creative expression and dance over all our human frailties – SUNDAY HERALD SUN, Melbourne A stylish work that seamlessly integrates movement, spoken and written text, animation and an extraordinarily live-looking puppet. Director Fuks has collaborated with Cunningham to craft a multi-layered and intensely personal work – THE ADVERTISER, Adelaide Cunningham - a dancer with inner radiance - develops his story through words and inventive movement. A show to see. - THE AUSTRALIAN Mesmerising and confronting. His dance is never less than passionate and contains not an iota of self-pity. - THE SUN HERALD, Sydney Cunningham is a magnetic performer. The choreography is inspired. Composer Lee McIver should be praised for a beautiful soundtrack. Suzon Fuks’ direction explores new territory. This collaboration by Igneous is an important contribution for Australian dance. - REVOLVER MAGAZINE, Sydney - top of page

James Cunningham

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WHO MADE IT IGNEOUS the collaborative brainchild of Belgian multi-disciplinary artist Suzon Fuks and Australian dancer James Cunningham, established in 1997, creates multimedia movement-based performances for the stage, screen and alternative spaces, documentary photography, and conducts forums, workshops and masterclasses. Igneous’ interests lie in process, interaction, diversity, and challenging values. International residencies allow them to collaborate with other artists and across disciplines: Department of Performance Studies University of Sydney, Brisbane Powerhouse, Asialink in Kochi (India), Dance4 Nottingham, University of Brighton, and a fellowship at the Australian Choreographic Centre in Canberra. The show Body In Question toured in Australia, India, and throughout Europe. Since 1999 igneous productions include Body In Question a multimedia solo dance show, The Hands Project a performance with a cast of 17 in which the audience move from room to room, Fragmentation a site-specific installation performance at Dance4 Nottingham UK, Thanatonauts - Navigators of Death a "serial" multi-site performance delivered over 7 days and later adapted to a screen-based video

JAMES CUNNINGHAM After attaining an Advanced Certificate in Performance (Dance) from the Centre for the Performing arts, Adelaide (87-88). He joined Dance North of which he was a performer for 3 years (89-91). has worked in contemporary dance with Cheryl Stock, Graeme Watson, Nanette Hassell, Chrissie Parrott, Jane Pirani, Sally Chance and Lloyd Newson. In 1999 he received an Emerging Artist’s grant, as a choreographer, from the Australia Council through Ausdance. In 2000 he performed with internationally renowned DV8 Physical Theatre in a work that was commissioned for the Olympic Arts Festival in Sydney and was also performed in London and Hong Kong.

SUZON FUKS is originally from Belgium, and has been directing for the stage and screen from 1985 around the world. Her early training was in dance, theatre and music at Lilian Lambert Academy, Brussels (69-76) and she completed a Visual Arts Masters degree (79-84) at La Cambre, Brussels. She has made award-winning films and solo performance shows, and toured internationally with the European performance companies La Mandragore (87-90) and Ilotopie (92). Her photographic exhibition Keeping the Light has been shown in 7 major cities throughout the world. The National Library of Australia and the State Library of NSW have acquired her documentary photographs. Suzon is fluent in both French and English.

IAIN COURT is a lighting designer and production manager involved in most facets of the performing arts including performing in theatre, musicals and dance, directing, designing and stage management. His most extensive work has been in lighting design - from the banks of the Parramatta River to medieval churches in Italy. He is interested in the interplay between multimedia and live performance and completed a Masters in this area. Iain is also an educator and has worked on training films and the nationally accredited entertainment industry standards.

LEE McIVER composed the original soundtrack combining music, soundscape, interview collage & voice-over. Graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts, artistic director, composer of contemporary music for cinema and theatre. Since 98, he co-manages the recording/production facility Spin Studios, records and tours internationally with the band Juju Space Jazz. - top of page

2005	- cultural week at François-Rabelais University, Tours, France - Mimos Festival in Perrigueux, France
2004	- International Day of Puppetry in Baden & Blickfelder Festival in Zurich, Switzerland
2003	- BIAM (Biennale Internationale de la Marionnette) Parc de la Villette, Paris
	- 5th International Festival Puppet Theatre Blickwechsel, Magdeburg
2002	- Visions International Festival of Visual Performance, Brighton, UK
2001	- D'ici et d'Ailleurs Festival, Brussels, Belgium
2000	- Awakenings Festival, Horsham, Victoria
	- High Beam Festival, Adelaide
1999	- Swan Hill, Echuca, and Portland, Victoria
	- Mixed Metaphores Festival, DanceHouse, Melbourne
	- Star Court Theatre, Lismore, NSW
	- Rex Cramphorn Studio, Centre for Performance Studies, Sydney University- Premiere
1998	- The Edge Theatre, Newtown, Sydney - work-in-progress showing - top of page

IGNEOUS' CHRONOLOGY
2006	- upcoming fellowship residency at the Australian Choreographic Centre, Canberra , with new work MIRAGE - LIQUID SKIN performed at Les Giboulées de la Marionnette in Strasbourg (F) and at the 22nd Banialuka Festival of Puppetry in Bielsko Biala (P)
2005	- LIQUID SKIN preview at the international festival of puppetry in Magdeburg and premiere season at Theater Der Welt Festival in Stuttgart (G). - 10 week-workshop with mentally ill out-patients of PA hospital, organised by Helicon Dance for Access Arts
2004	- Screening of “THANATONAUTS, Navigators of Death” at the Brisbane Powerhouse
	- From March to end of November, in Europe: touring "BODY IN QUESTION" & making 2 new productions: “liquid skin” --& “PENELOPE” with Belgian company Parcours/Félicette Chazerand
2003	- Company-in-residence at Brisbane Powerhouse
	- Research & experimentation in networked performance, mentored by Keith Armstrong, funded by the New Media Arts Board, Australia Council for the Arts
	- Began collaboration for “PENELOPE” & participated in a panel about multimedia/hybrid arts during the Magdalena Festival Australia
	- Make your Move dance classes held weekly at Brisbane Powerhouse
	- Movement Video Labs for professional artists: 2 at Brisbane Powerhouse, 1 in Lismore
	- Kalaripayatt master-classes with Vinildas Gurukkal on his second visit to Australia supported by Australia-India Council, Arts Queensland & Ausdance Qld
	- The shooting of “THANATONAUTS, Navigators of Death”, a screen-based video supported by Brisbane Powerhouse, Australia-India Council, Arts Queensland & QPIX
2002	- 5-week residency at Dance 4, Nottingham UK, working with renowned dance film artist Rob Tannion
2001	- 6-week residency at Brisbane Powerhouse, collaborating with South Indian martial artist
2000	- Three month Asialink Residency in South India
	- "Cheating Death" - a dance video
	- "The Hands Project" inter-generational site-specific performance with a cast of 17 performers spanning 3 generations.
1999	- The Premiere of "Body in Question"
1998	- "Doctor’s Verdict" for Sydney Fringe (Jan)
1997	- "Awakening" for Bodies & Building Dance, Montreal; "Micro-Macro" for Dance on the Edge, "Crash" for Sydney Fringe
	- "Keeping The Light, A Diary of South India" premiere at The Great Synagogue Museum, Sydney – a photographic exhibition touring 7 major cities of the world between 1997 & 2001
1994	- "Moving" multimedia performance with musical ensemble Korzmotion Krunk, for TAP Gallery, Sydney
	- "From the Earth to the Sky" - a dance video shot in Kerala, India - top of page

CONTACT

James Cunningham & Suzon Fuks, artistic directors
3/27 Waverley St - Annerley - QLD 4103 - Australia
Tel:+61-7-3255 8355 - Mob:+61-407-437 355