Alien Species

By Dudendance

Plastic waste is having an irreversible, devastating effect on the planet, especially in the sea. A recent study has found micro-plastics, not only in sea creatures but now present in human blood.

Dudendance imagine a new Alien Species emerging when plastics mutate into living beings. The spectacular costumes can be shed, shaped and transformed in tandem with the wind and sea. Dudendance have created a juxtaposition of visual sensation combining organic forms with artificial materials –costumes that suggest sea creatures transform into trash.

An outdoor performance and headphone installation that weaves together ethereal dance, otherworldly soundscapes and sculptural costumes.

Alien Species will be appearing on beaches around the Scottish Coast during Summer 2022 and 2023. This Tour is funded by Creative Scotland’s Touring Fund for Theatre and Dance.

ABOUT DUDENDANCE

Dudendance are one of Scotland’s leading visual theatre companies and have been working internationally and locally since 1984. The company first started to make work outdoors in 2010 after having worked for twenty years in theatres and unconventional spaces. The company is passionate about making performance in the Scottish landscape bringing awareness of natural places to local, national and international audiences. They have worked for many years in South America and adapted to many different presenting scenarios.

Recent site-specific work includes the community project INTO THE WILD with a cast of 24 young people to save Battlehill Woods in Aberdeenshire. THIS SIDE OF PARADISE, performed with the Arches at the Glue Factory Glasgow and for Edinburgh Fringe as associate artists at Summerhall with a young local cast, SPACEMAN toured Brazil as part of British Council’s TRANSFORM UK/Brazil with an entourage of 20 participants for public spaces.

Since 2014 Dudendance have created BORDERLANDS and The Lady Vanishes with white costumes by Heather MacCrimmon. The piece was originally created for the ruined Border Abbey’s along the Border Abbey Way and subsequently The Lady Vanishes for the grounds and ruins of country estates as well as civic spaces such as the Southbank Centre and Merchant City. This version included live singing and film collaborating with Aberdeenshire singer/songwriter Fiona Soe Paing and won the Lustrum Award for “greatest moments” of the Edinburgh Festival 2017. Out of the Wild with young people of Selkirk was commissioned by the YES festival in 2018 and subsequently performed to much acclaim at the Alchemy Film Festival Hawick with a short film in 2019. Recent work in 2019 includes Argentine / Scottish co-production and film DETOUR on Route to a Movie for Alchemy and SOUND Festivals and Borderlands for Fontane200. Working with over 30 local people (choirs and dancers) the performances were seen by very large audiences (1000K each day). Dudendance also make film and work with young people some of whom go onto join the company.