Beware Fierce Flaming Firebirds
Perched on high, glowing red, dragon women twitch, unfurl folded fiery wings, quiver from sleepy ember beds. Waking to watch and protect, with flaming breath and red hot wings, courage and passion mirrored in their eyes and fire burning in their hearts, dragonesses fly. Sparks fly, wind howls, firebirds scream like jets, dive and rock and pass. Phoenixes rise in a bewitching infernal dance.
‘Porth is quite an amazing show!’
Porth (Portal) was commissioned by Pontio Bangor with financial support from Arts Council Wales in 2015 and performed 3 times on an exterior wall of the new Pontio building. It is a 10 minute intense and dramatic vertical dance work which appeals to all ages. It is loosely inspired by the firebird story in which the embroiderer Maryushka was stolen by an evil sorcerer masquerading as a falcon, who turned her into a firebird and lifted her away in his talons. As she died she shed her feathers onto the land below. The legend says that the feathers live on showing themselves to those who love beauty and show beauty to others. Porth was performed again, 4 times, in Jan 2016 at Venue Cymru for the Take pArt event. It has since been performed on the National Government building in Llandudno junction in Spring 2017 and then with a reworked projection by Rob Spaull of Mediated commissioned by Pontio and performed there in July 2017.
‘Completely blown away by Porth…’ ‘…mesmerising…’ ‘…full of ingenuity and artistic brilliance…’
Credits
Choreography: Kate Lawrence
Dancers: Lindsey Butcher, Kate Lawrence, Julia Taffe/Despina Goula, Cat Ryan, Lisa Spaull
Music: Rob Spaull
Costumes: Ceri Rimmer
Projection: London School of Music and Drama projection mapping students, OD Vision
Photos by Iolo Penri
Commissioned by Pontio with financial support from Arts Council Wales