Coronet Inside Out: Lea Anderson
(This is a past event and is no longer running)
Independent dance artist, founder member and artistic director of The Cholmondeleys and The Featherstonehaughs companies Lea Anderson has shared her dance film Elvis Legs (Quarantine Mix) as part of Coronet Inside Out. The film also includes an exclusive behind the scenes look at the creation of the piece.
Elvis Legs (Quarantine Mix)
A dance film choreographed by Lea Anderson, designed by Simon Vincenzi edited by Grace Porter with music by Steve Blake and Drostan Madden.
Elvis Legs was originally created in 1995 as part of a full length show Featherstonehaughs Go Las Vegas. This show toured the UK and Europe performing in middle-large scale theatres and festivals but unusually Elvis Legs came to have an extended life of its own as a dynamo of excitement, danced on the spot so eminently suitable for performing in cabarets, clubs, pubs and parties.
It was noted by Anderson that when performed in close proximity to an enthusiastic (and possible refreshed audience) Elvis Legs dance produced a reaction akin to the response of screaming fans in the presence of the original Elvis Presley.
During the lockdown it became apparent to Lea Anderson that an ambitious ensemble project was sorely needed to keep up morale and to employ out of work dancers. Anderson and Vincenzi conceived of a lockdown/jailhouse version with the dancers rehearsing at home and filming their part on Zoom (the lockdown communication de rigeur).
Only when Anderson started a Kickstarter campaign and successfully raised the £13,000 (with donations received from nearly 200 supporters from all over the world) needed to make the film, did the team realise how truly challenging it would be. Costumes and set were delivered to the dancer’s homes and each artist effectively had to take on the roles of performer, technician, sound operator and wardrobe assistant in order to get their section completed.
Cast:
Harry Alexander
Makiko Aoyama
Maho Ihara
Patricia Langa
Nicholas Pinnock
Anna Pons Carrera
Georgia Redgrave
Frauke Requardt
A Lea Anderson Cholmondeleys Production