‘A Thread’ is a contemporary dance production by the incredibly talented choreographer Jean Abreu. Jean was inspired by renowned Brazilian sculptor Elisa Bracher’s installation ‘The Endless Still Point’. ‘A Thread’ explores the concept of balance through a powerful dance production that sees five dancers discover, construct and deconstruct as they rebuild their world of trolleys, weights, cables, sheets of lead and one giant leaden ball. The entire production revolves around the leaden ball as the dancers endeavour to find balance within and around themselves and each other.

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‘I became curious about how much physicality is involved in the making of a sculpture. In Elisa’s work, this physicality is intense, brutal and at the same time poetic and fragile. I was fascinated by how I could transfer this process into choreography. I had the desire to translate the sculpture into a dance; to create a dialogue between bodies and materials.’ Jean Abreu.

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As Costume Designer, Abdul was tasked with designing, cutting, and constructing a selection of individual outfits that were both unique and worked as an entire set. The costumes also required bespoke belts that would be able to securely pull a 50kg sculpture with comfort, durability and appear visually in sync with the outfits and sculptural materials present on stage.

 

Photography: Jessica Della Torre

Production: ‘A Thread’ by Jean Abreu Dance

Choreographer: Jean Abreu 

Artist/Sculptor: Elisa Bracher

Dramaturg adviser: Guy Cools 

Dancers: Lewis Wilkins, Maria Fonseca, Rosana Ribeiro, Stephen Moynihan Wayson Poon and Yuyu Rau

Costumes: Abdul Hamid 

Composer: Heinali (Oleg Shpudeiko)

Producer UK: Natalie Richardson for Konzept Arts & Ideas

Production Manager: Dom Martin for Blueboxx

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