Job Vacancies at Sonia Sabri Company
Sonia Sabri Company is entering an exciting phase and looking for exceptional talents to join the team. See job opportunities below:
For details & application pack please contact info@ssco.org.uk
‘Sharing The Light’ was my first professional dance job and one that would bring me back to Birmingham, a city which holds many established dance memories. Originally from Ludlow in Shropshire, Birmingham was the place that ignited my passion for dance and the possibility to pursue it as a career. When training on the CAT scheme I was introduced to many different dance forms and ways of creating dance, including collaborating with dancers training in Kathak and Bharatnatyam, which at the time built my initial awareness of the breadth of dance. It would be five years on from that initial training, now as a graduate dancer, that I would step back into the studio with Sonia as choreographer and director.
I walked into the Hippodrome building for our first company rehearsal and if I was being completely honest, I was nervous and apprehensive but equally excited and ready to jump into the creative space. We spent the first day establishing what we needed to know about the project and planning initial ideas for the schools and communities' choreography. By the end of the day, I knew that I would be collaborating with some very experienced people and therefore wanted to be as much of a ‘sponge’ as possible throughout the process.
This project saw myself and the other dancers: Helen, Selene and Aakanksha also delivering workshops in schools and with community groups. I worked with Helen in the first week at Harborne Academy to create a section of choreography related to the themes of ‘offering’ and ‘receiving’. Additionally, myself, Helen and Selene all went to Montgomery Primary School to deliver a workshop with their Year 4 class, inspired by Kathak gestures for animals where the students discovered new ways of moving and telling a story through their bodies. The beauty of working across different schools and year groups is that no one experience is the same and although we had clear themes and ideas, it would always be the students that brought the dance alive through their interpretation of the movement.
The second half of the week was spent rehearsing and creating the choreography for the final performance days. I absolutely embraced learning new ways of moving and collaborating with everyone and Sonia always maintained the highest creative vision throughout. The process also came with the test of being adaptable, as we knew that we would only have the opportunity to rehearse with the Dundu Puppet’s on the day of the performance. When it came down to the many logistical changes and practicalities of performing in public spaces, I felt very grateful for the intensive rehearsal period. Without having the movement fully embodied, the challenges would have forced me to make errors. However, we had Sonia talking us through our performance via an ‘in-ear’, which was the calm guidance I needed amongst the potential chaos of crowds and transitioning through The Bullring Shopping Centre both indoors on the Friday and outside on the Saturday.
I can't thank everyone enough who was involved in this project, from our Stage Manager Rosie, to the Security Team as part of The Hippodrome, I felt the passion for delivering exceptional experiences to the people of Birmingham.
What an exceptional experience it was, one that undoubtedly will stay with me forever.
It was around
mid-September when I was flying back from my holidays and as soon as I landed,
I received an email from the company. I was invited to be part of the cast for
a ‘last minute’ project titled Sharing
The Light. The project was due to start in a week and the only things I had
clear in my mind was that it would have been a large-scale outdoor production
in collaboration with another company from Germany with a huge puppet. That
meant new project, new performing scenario, new collaborations and colleagues:
it sounded very exciting.
Physically, it was
very tiring. We were dancing a traditional folk south Asian dance style
combined with elements of contemporary dance and everything was very fast and
jumped. Moreover, due to the nature of the show, a large-scale outdoor
performance, our dance needed to be very powerful and most of the time we were
dancing in unison. This required a lot of concentration and maintaining a high
level of energy throughout the piece. We also had to keep reminding ourselves
that in the actual performance we would have dance with shoes, outside on a
normal floor, without any help from the usual dance floor that we all love when
we jump and hop.
It was challenging to
figure out in my mind the structure of the whole show because we didn’t have a
clear idea of what would have happened on the day, due to the wheatear
forecast, the multiple collaborations with the Dundu company, the musicians,
the community cast and the crowd. We almost met all of these people just on the
day of the performance and it was hard to imagine the final result during the
rehearsals process.
Ritual Lift Selfie
Costume Fitting
The days of the shows were very full and overwhelming. We met all the
people collaborating with us on stage and behind the scenes, we checked the
performing space and we had to memorize different performance scenarios depending
on how the weather was at the last minute. For security and practical reasons,
we decided to use the in-ear connection during the performance. That means we
could be in constant connection with Sonia, who could give us instructions as
well as guiding us throughout the performance. That was something very new to
me which, on one hand, was rescuing me and on the other hand was worrying me
because I never used it before and I wasn’t sure whether it would have
deconcentrated me from the performance. The first day, we performed indoor, and
as soon as Sonia gave me her first instruction through the in-ear, I went
totally wrong immediately after applying what she just had asked me to do. I
knew it was going to happen!! The adrenaline probably played an important role
during that first moments, but after that everything went well and having the
voice of Sonia was like having a secure mom’s voice that guides you.
The second day was epic. We performed outdoor, the costumes and the
puppet shined as stars, the crowd was so excited and sending us so much energy
that I didn’t even feel tired for one second.
It was really emotional to see how dance and music, art in general, have
the potential to gather hundreds of people together and bring happiness and
hope. It was a real celebration with a lot of joy and light. As a group,
despite all the adrenaline, tension and crowed situation, we always found
moments of laughing and joking, which made the experience even more enjoyable
and relaxing.
It was very touching to see how each member of the company was giving 120% of themselves to help the group and to make sure that we all could have the best show ever both during the creative process and the performance days. I firmly believe that is what makes the difference between someone that just does their job and someone that really loves what they do. And this is the power of this amazing and inspiring Sonia Sabri Company family.
Photo by Ciara Clayton
Sharing the Light – Welcome Diwali
We are delighted to be a part of Sharing the Light - Welcome Diwali in partnership with Birmingham Hippodrome + Bullring & Grand Central. This is a large-scale FREE outdoor participatory performance event taking place across Friday 21 and Saturday 22 October at Bullring & Grand Central, co-produced by Sonia Sabri Company and German Puppeteers Dundu – The Giants of Light.
From dusk (6.30pm) Birmingham will burst into life to welcome Diwali with a festival of light. Featuring breathtaking puppets by Dundu, dhol drummers and dance performances by Sonia Sabri Company.
The dance processions will involve a wonderful group of community dancers led by four fantastic dance artists:
The four dancers taking part in Sharing the Light are:
She performs regularly with Kathakaaars alongside organising and leading Kathakaars sessions. She started touring for “Same Same But Different” in 2019 and toured the show in 2021 and 2022.
She has also performed in the opening ceremony of the Birmingham Commonwealth Games and has recently performed in the company’s new production, “Mughal Miniatures Preview” in 2022.
Selene also performed and toured interdisciplinary works by the research oriented artist and writer Monika Jaeckel in 2020 and the poet Adam Kammerling in 2022.
Ella has worked with and toured works by Kiera Martin, Sarah Golding, Robert Clark and James Cousins.
Ella is really enjoying being back in the West Midlands as part of this project and looks forward to bringing joy through dance to the people of Birmingham.
Find out more about the event here:
https://www.bullring.co.uk/events/diwali
and make sure that you follow us on our social media channels for behind the scenes action!
We have been lucky enough to work with Greta Zabulyte on several projects and she has been instrumental in photographing and filming the creation and performances of our new piece Mughal Miniatures Scene 1: The Awakening.
Future Dance Leaders Strategic Apprenticeship Programme
Deadline extension
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Mughal Miniatures Scene 1 : The Awakening at Birmingham Botanical Gardens by Greta Zabulyte
Apprentice Call Out
Are you a talented, young, Midlands based dancer or dance producer, working in South Asian dance traditions, looking for career enhancement, mentoring and creative collaboration opportunities? This could be the opportunity for you!
Artist-led dance and music organisation Sonia Sabri Company, supported by partners Birmingham Hippodrome and Black Country Dance Hub, is looking for 5 emerging dancers, and/or dance producers, that are Midlands based or are able to demonstrate a strong connection to the region, to undertake a bespoke 8-month Apprenticeship Programme.
This is a paid Apprentice Programme is for dance artists and producers from South Asian backgrounds and/or who specialise in South Asian dance forms. The programme offers real-world training opportunities at the heart of our touring company, in response to the marked lack of clear progression routes for dancers whose principal practice is in South Asian forms, in the wider dance sector.
The Apprentice Programme will run from October 2022 – May 2023 (flexible working; not full-time).
Outcomes
· Develop your networks and career prospects
· Enhance your collaborative skills, in particular creating artistic work in dialogue with other dance forms
· Be inspired and more knowledgeable to pursue future work in a variety of contexts e.g., schools and education, outdoor touring, community work
· Be more employable
· See yourself as not just a dancer, but a dancer-deviser
· Receive a £1,000 ‘no strings attached’ seed cash commission to create/produce a new piece of performance.
Criteria
· You will be aged 21 years old or above, there is no upper age limit.
· You will be working professionally as a dance artist or producer for a maximum of 5 years (doesn’t need to be consecutive or full time)
· You will be interested in not just performance, but work that encompasses children and young people, and community based creative projects.
· You will be interested in getting experience of a variety of roles in a touring dance company (education, administration, education, performance).
· You will be interested in how your dance specialism can be brought into dialogue with other dance styles and artforms.
· You will be disciplined, committed, and have good availability across the project period.
What will the Apprenticeship entail?
Fees
This is a paid Apprenticeship opportunity. In addition to your ‘no strings’ attached commission of £1,000, your time to undertake the Apprenticeship programme will be paid at £100 daily rate or £510 weekly rate.
How to Apply
Please send your CV, or portfolio, or examples of your work, alongside either:
The supporting cover letter/video/voice note should indicate clearly:
Please let us know if you require this pack in large print or other accessible formats - we are very happy to help.
To informally discuss the project and opportunity before you apply, please reach out to Ciara Clayton, Programme Manager, to arrange a call: ciara@ssco.org.uk
Please send all applications to info@ssco.org.uk with subject header ‘Future Dance Leaders Application’.
Due to the unprecedented recent events over the last ten days and the recent Bank Holiday we are extending our deadline to apply to Monday 26th September 2022.
Mughal Miniatures Scene 1 : The Awakening at Birmingham Botanical Gardens by Greta Zabulyte
Apprentice
Call Out
Are you a talented, young, Midlands based dancer or dance producer, working in South Asian dance traditions, looking for career enhancement, mentoring and creative collaboration opportunities? This could be the opportunity for you!
Artist-led dance and music organisation Sonia Sabri Company, supported by partners Birmingham Hippodrome and Black Country Dance Hub, is looking for 5 emerging dancers, and/or dance producers, that are Midlands based or are able to demonstrate a strong connection to the region, to undertake a bespoke 8-month Apprenticeship Programme.
This is a paid Apprentice Programme is for dance artists and producers from South Asian backgrounds and/or who specialise in South Asian dance forms. The programme offers real-world training opportunities at the heart of our touring company, in response to the marked lack of clear progression routes for dancers whose principal practice is in South Asian forms, in the wider dance sector.
The Apprentice Programme will run from October 2022 – May 2023 (flexible working; not full-time).
Outcomes
· Develop your networks and career prospects
· Enhance your collaborative skills, in particular creating artistic
work in dialogue with other dance forms
· Be inspired and more knowledgeable to pursue future work in a
variety of contexts e.g., schools and education, outdoor touring, community
work
· Be more employable
· See yourself as not just a dancer, but a dancer-deviser
· Receive a £1,000 ‘no strings attached’ seed cash commission to create/produce a new piece of performance.
Criteria
· You will be aged 21 years old or above, there is no upper age limit.
· You will be working professionally as a dance artist or producer
for a maximum of 5 years (doesn’t need to be consecutive or full time)
· You will be interested in not just performance, but work that
encompasses children and young people, and community based creative projects.
· You will be interested in getting experience of a variety of roles
in a touring dance company (education, administration, education, performance).
· You will be interested in how your dance specialism can be brought
into dialogue with other dance styles and artforms.
· You will be disciplined, committed, and have good availability
across the project period.
What will the Apprenticeship entail?
Fees
This is a paid Apprenticeship opportunity. In addition to your ‘no strings’ attached commission of £1,000, your time to undertake the Apprenticeship programme will be paid at £100 daily rate or £510 weekly rate.
How to Apply
Please send your CV, or portfolio, or examples of your work,
alongside either:
The supporting cover letter/video/voice note should indicate clearly:
Please let us know if you require this pack in large print or
other accessible formats - we are very happy to help.
To informally discuss the project and opportunity before you apply, please reach out to Ciara Clayton, Programme Manager, to arrange a call: ciara@ssco.org.uk
Please send all applications to info@ssco.org.uk with subject header ‘Future Dance Leaders Application’.
Deadline Monday 26th September 2022.
IN REHEARSALS WITH
"SAME SAME...BUT DIFFERENT"- DAVID EVANS
In rehearsals the body is worked, and this leaves me with a feeling of having put in a hard day’s work.
I enjoy how dance, and this show in particular, with its
movement, playfulness, and music, touches the many parts of my being,
physically and emotionally.
As well as dancing, I am extending my repertoire by incorporating sections on my acoustic guitar.
This is my first time playing the guitar to accompany dance and there is something very particular about dance and music performed together live and how they become a duet.
I usually write music by myself, so it’s been a journey of discovery
for me learning new ways of collaborating to help tell the story of these
sections.
At the centre of my
own immigrant experience has been this process of navigating difference and belonging.
It’s been a process of discovery, but it has also been a process of frustration
and contradictions. Moments that mark us out as different. It might be dress,
accent, what you eat, what makes you laugh. Even when these differences are
received positively, they are still seen as differences. However, these
experiences of feeling different are not limited to me or the immigrant
experience. It’s something we all experience at one time or another. The
beautiful thing is that we have a choice to engage with our own and each
other’s differences, embrace them, celebrate them, and at the same time see the
many ways in which we are all the same.
Throughout the show, there are many discoveries that our characters have about the world, each other, and themselves.
I am so
looking forward to seeing how the audiences and children in particular react to
the show and to hear their joy and laughter as the performance unfolds.
Co authors David Evans and Lisa Godsal
I have loved leading the creative part of these sessions, taking the children through a task that allows them freedom to create their own movements and then share and perform to their classmates.
A highlight for me was our day in Broadmayne organised by Arts Reach. We had two workshops that day, one with ‘Premix’, an inclusive performance company for 7 - 11 year-olds. We had a brilliant time exploring some of the props (like bells and a long red ribbon) and the different dance styles from the show through improvisation and play. As a key theme of the show is celebrating difference, I think it’s really important that all children are included in the work that we do.
“I really enjoyed the show because all the other shows are different to this one, and this one was funny, I don’t normally enjoy shows and this one was the best one I’ve been to, it’s really joyful. I get really into it, it’s really good”.
Rural touring is unpredictable, you don’t know what the spaces will be like until you arrive and you might be performing to 2 people or 200 people.
Every day is different but every day is an adventure!