A Box, a Cock, and a Feather (18+)

A Box, a Cock and a Feather is an intriguing evening of contemporary dance performances, where a double bill selected by top foreign professionals following an open call delves deep into the psyche. The performances explore what it means to be Maltese, women’s issues, sex, island life and much more. These productions were selected by a panel of top foreign professionals of the contemporary dance world an part of an artistic development program for emerging and mid-career choreographers who submitted a proposal for a 40 to 50 minute contemporary dance work. The performances form part of the New Contemporary Dance Work project, and are being produced in collaboration with ŻfinMalta under the artistic direction of Paolo Mangiola, and the Malta International Arts Festival. The choreographies being performed are “Cock and Feather” by Francesca Zammit and Marie Keiser-Nielsen, and “From Malta with Love” by Diane Portelli. Cock and Feather by Francesca Zammit and Marie Keiser-Nielsen “Cock and Feather” is a dark fairy tale told through dance and physical theatre. It is an exploration of themes of gossip, feminism and how stories travel and change through time and space; an exploration of relationships in general, and female relations in particular. It is a piece about women and the issues they face in terms of empowerment, feminism and commodification. The project recognizes the constant struggle of the female body within patriarchal society and the ways in which feminism seek to reclaim this body and the sexuality it possesses. The 40 minute, staged dance piece will encapsulate gothic elements and kitsch juxtaposed with minimalism. The choreography outlines the journey of gossip as a hen loses a feather and the whispers of the hen-roost turn the small incident into a terrible tragedy. The choreography will therefore be based on a contemporary dance study of animals (chickens in particular). It will represent the sexy in society’s double- standards, the comedic air of chickens and the brutal and gothic death of the chicken in pursuit of beauty. From Malta With Love by Diane Portelli Since there are so many aspects that make up Malta and its people, I researched what four artistic mediums would be best to bring to life the true essence of what Malta is and what it means to be Maltese. As a choreographer I always felt that in order for a performance to be complete,all artistic elements involved, should draw inspiration from a common source in order to create a performance that is holistic in its approach and execution. ‘Letters from Malta’ offers inspiration for each of the four chosen mediums namely choreography, costume design, music and visuals. These four elements together, will culminate in a contemporary dance performance that is descriptive and conceptual, rather than narrative in nature, where each creative element brings out different aspects of Malta and its people. A Box, a Cock and a Feather will be held on the 2nd of July 2018 at 9pm at the Valletta Campus Theatre, Valletta. Kindly note the performances are suitable to an adult audience only (18+).