A semi-immersive performance experience at one of Jersey's most iconic locations!
The Show
Choreographer Yamuna Kyamo Huygen and musical duo Minihi are collaborating to create a dance piece designed around the relaxed vibes of the surf club where countless islanders came of age. The evening will feel more like a night out than a performance, as the dancers of Ballet d'Jerri take over the upper bar at the Splash with integrated dance segments interspersed with the chance to order a drink, chat with friends, and get your own dance rhythm on.
The title Nova Movando means “New Movement” in Esperanto, a universal language developed in 1887 that aimed to facilitate communication across cultures. Yamuna wanted to create a piece for trained dancers that felt more like that universal language of dance that every person feels anytime they step along to music. The beautifully simple concept is just to explore the relationship between colours and emotions, how our immediate, often subconscious, responses to hues are shaped by personal experiences and cultural narratives. Through a diverse range of movement styles and physical expressions, we explore the feelings that colours can evoke, highlighting the joy of individuality and honouring the beauty of each unique perspective that contributes to the vibrant tapestry of collective emotion.
The Schedule
If the weather is nice, arrive early and enjoy the sunset on your way in. Sunset time is 19:55 on Friday and 19:53 on Saturday and the tide will be mid and on its way out.
The audience will be welcomed into the space from 20:00. There will be a mix of live and recorded music from Minihi and their band.
The first dance piece will start around 20:15. No need to go anywhere or find a seat, each set will be 5-10 minutes long and they are designed to be experienced from wherever you are in the space.
Dance pieces will occur at intervals throughout the evening until 22:15. Recorded music will continue until Midnight.
Performances:
Exclusive private opening: 29th August 2024 at 20:00 (to inquire about tickets please get in touch at info@ballet.je)
The Location
Since 1954, Watersplash has been a surf hotspot; presenter of the coolest bands; backdrop to the evolving lives of Jersey's youth; and a synecdoche of the people of our island. Famous for drum and bass nights and chill sets from up-and-coming local bands on Sunday afternoons.
The Artists
Yamuna Huygen Kyamo is a multi-disciplinary dancer and choreographer from Belgium, renowned for her innovative Nova Movando method.
Yamuna's passion lies in the never-ending journey of discovering her own unique movement, constantly pushing the boundaries of various art forms such as waving, tutting, tricking, and contemporary dance. Her philosophy emphasizes that dance training should elevate people and liberate them to explore their own new movement using existing structures, rather than confining them to traditional boundaries.
Trained at the Royal Ballet School in Antwerp and having worked with the Opera Ballet of Flanders, Yamuna is now a dancer with the Anton Lachky Company. She has performed in the Kathak production ‘Women Speak’ in India with the Maya Sapera Company and has traveled extensively to train with dancers from different backgrounds and cultures. Over the past four years, she has also collaborated with Denis Inghelbrecht, a fellow multi-disciplinary tutting dancer and choreographer, to create new works.
Minihi is the creative outlet of percussionists and composers Zands and Louise Anna Duggan. The London-based musicians construct vivid soundscapes where the classical palette intersects with the world of groove and electronics. The pair have performed and recorded both individually and together with artists including Agnes Obel, Squid, Patrick Wolf, Melt Yourself Down, Lady Gaga, Thom Yorke, London Contemporary Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Kae Tempest, Dan Carey, Alex Somers and Nicholas Britell to name a few. They have also composed bespoke pieces for theatre, TV and film including ITV’s Tom Jones, BBC immersive Dr Who, and Macbeth at Shakespeare’s Globe. After releasing their debut track ‘Tokaido’ on the legendary Deutsche Grammophon label, they have since released two critically acclaimed albums, Recaptures (2021) and Stasis Loops (2023). Minihi will be joined in Jersey by composer and Multi-Instrumentalist Jay Chakravorty and Percussionist Calie Hough.
Minihi means sanctuary in ancient Breton French, and is the original name of a remote island reef near Louise’s birthplace of Jersey.
Dress Code
We want everyone wearing all white! Our friends at Jersey Opera House will be taking us on a lighting journey that will be most effective if the entire crowd can act as a screen. Apart from that we are going for a relaxed vibe, please be comfortable and consider wearing footwear you can dance in.