Presenter Resources
SOCIAL!
the social distance dance club
Conceived by Steven Hoggett, Christine Jones and David Byrne
Executive Producer, Mara Isaacs
DESCRIPTION
Safety. Sound. Light. Your Very Own Spot.
An antidote to social distancing, SOCIAL! turns empty performance spaces into socially distant dance spaces. Collaborators David Byrne, Stephen Hoggett and Christine Jones have joined forces to create a way for us to be together while apart. Audience members learn a series of dance moves in advance via video, then come together to dance in person in their own 6 ft colored circle and pool of light. By creating safe spaces for us to move together with others, SOCIAL! is a way to access the transcendent experience of being a part of something bigger than ourselves.
“…IF THIS PANDEMIC IS TEACHING US ANYTHING, IT IS THAT WE NEED TO RETURN TO OUR BODIES. LIFE IS PRECIOUS AND SO IS MOVEMENT…”
- Gia Kourlas, New York Times
VIDEO
HOW IT WORKS
BEFORE THE SHOW
Ticket confirmation comes from presenting organization with an invitational video featuring David Byrne.
The video features David as a choreographic instructor, following pre-recorded instructions shouted over the music.
The video sets the tone and gives an idea of what the experience is and how it will feel: no body issues, no skills needed, and plenty of humor and inclusivity.
ENTERING THE SPACE
The event will be ticketed. We will work with each presenter to determine how tickets will be coded, timed and/or allocated to different entrances to allow for safe and socially distant entry into the venue.
Inside the event space, color coded circles on the floor define each audience member’s corresponding dance space.
Stools or seats will be made available if someone gets tired or requires additional support.
The show will be wheelchair accessible. Additional accommodations for hearing and/or visually impaired may be available on a venue by venue basis.
THE SHOW
A 55 minute playlist (mixtape style) takes you on a musical journey.
SOCIAL! is a communal gathering space, and a place to reconnect with our bodies and our fellow citizens, offering us a chance to wake up to the moment and hold space - for each other, for joy, and for cautious abandon.
SOCIAL! is designed to run for multiple ‘performances’ each day, exact schedule to be determined in conjunction with the venue.
THE SPACE
The space is designed with safety in mind, using the visual language of social distance signage and a graphically designed layout made of solo dance spots for each participant
Each audience member will be assigned to their own 6’ diameter circle to move in - each of these is no less than 6’ from the nearest neighboring circle
A robust sound design will enhance the dynamics across the hour
An intricately cued lighting plot, featuring both spotlights and general lighting, will be crafted to both shape, guide, and elevate the audience experience
A DJ will be staged on a platform in the center of the space
PRODUCTION HISTORY
Park Avenue Armory, NYC
(Upcoming March 2021)
SCHEDULE
Per Presenter
Pre Hang
1 Day Before 1st Performance
Focus/Programming
Lay Circles
Meeting/Training with Dance Ambassadors.
Sound Check
Day Of 1st Performance
Work Notes
Dress Rehearsal
Performances Begin
PERSONNEL
5 Personnel
- Production Manager/Lighting Supervisor
- Sound Supervisor
- Stage Manager
- Dance Captain
- Producer (Octopus Theatricals)
ADD'L Personnel
- David Byrne
- Steven Hoggett
- Christine Jones
KEY ARTISTS
Steven Hoggett
Recent credits as movement director include Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Broadway, West End & International), Angels in America (Broadway), The Crucible (Broadway), The Glass Menagerie (A.R.T., Broadway & EIF), The Last Ship (Broadway), Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night Time (West End, Broadway), Once (A.R.T., Broadway & West End), Green Day’s American Idiot (Broadway), Rocky: The Musical (Broadway), Peter & The Starcatcher (Broadway) and Black Watch (St. Anne’s Warehouse). Ocean at The End of the Lane, Pinocchio and The Light Princess (National Theatre), The Twits and The End of History (Royal Court), St Joan (Public). As Director, recent credits include Close to You: Bacharach Reimagined (West End). Music Video credits include Biffy Clyro, Imogen Heap, Bright Light, Goldfrapp, Calvin Harris and Franx Ferdinand. Film credits include How To Train Your Dragon 2 (Dreamworks) and Freak Show (Maven Pictures). Steven was a founding member of Frantic Assembly Theatre Company, and with Scott Graham co- wrote The Frantic Assembly Book of Devising Theatre (Routledge).
David Byrne
is a musician, composer, and producer. Recent works include the Broadway debut of David Byrne's American Utopia as well as the forthcoming Spike Lee directed film version, the launch of his Reasons to be Cheerful online magazine, and the solo album American Utopia. Byrne co-founded the band Talking Heads, for which he was the guitarist and lead singer, and established the record labels Luaka Bop and Todo Mundo. Other artistic achievements include the theatrical piece Joan of Arc: Into the Fire; a series of interactive environments questioning human perception and bias, The Institute Presents: NEUROSOCIETY; the theatrical production Here Lies Love; and the book How Music Works. Among his many laurels are Academy, Grammy, and Golden Globe Awards.
Natasha Diggs
is a world renowned dj, producer, record enthusiast and Resident of NYC's premiere dance party Soul in The Horn. What started out as a deep love for music and collecting records in her teenage bedroom transformed into a life purpose of uplifting her community and liberating dance floors around the globe! Coined as the 45 Queen known for rockin parties with her signature 7" vinyl sets, Ms. Diggs has collaborated and played with artists such as Erykah Badu, Mark Ronson, Lauryn Hill, Anderson.Paak, Q-Tip, Roy Ayers, Patti Labelle & many more!
Justin Ellington
Broadway Credits include: Other Desert Cities Off-Broadway credits include: Heroes of the Fourth Turning (Playwrights Horizons); The Rolling Stone, Pass Over, Pipeline (Lincoln Center); Mrs. Murray’s Menagerie (Ars Nova/The Mad Ones; The House That Will Not Stand, Fetch Clay Make Man (New York Theatre Workshop); He Brought Her Heart Back in a Box, The Winter’s Tale (Theatre for a New Audience). Additional credits include: Familiar (Steppenwolf); Father Comes Home From the Wars, How to Catch Creation, Until the Flood (Goodman Theatre); Floyd’s, Trouble In Mind (The Guthrie); and Kill Move Paradise (Wilma Theatre). International credits include: As You Like It (Stratford Festival), The American Clock (The Old Vic) Over het IJ (Amsterdam); The Windybrow Arts Festival (Johannesburg). Awards: American Society of Composer and Publishers Award, Grammy Award, Cinema in Industry Award, Henry Hewes Award, Obie Award. www.justinellington.com
Christine Jones
is a collaborative artist working in theatre, opera, public art, and the digital realm. She is the Creator and Artistic Director of the critically acclaimed THEATRE FOR ONE, which has recently moved online with its own platform. She is a Director of one of a kind experiences for companies like Rag & Bone, and productions such as Queen of the Night (Drama Desk Award for Best Unique Experience). She is a Tony Award- winning Set Designer: for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Its I & II, as well as American Idiot. Other credits include: The Cher Show, Spring Awakening (Tony Nomination), and Let the Right One In (St. Ann’s Warehouse and West End). Opera designs include: La Traviata and Rigoletto (Met Opera). Currently, she is developing a digital experience with Radiohead. She has an Obie for Sustained Excellence in Design and teaches at NYU’s Tisch as well as at Princeton.
Yasmine Lee
is a movement artist who has worked across film, television, theater, the concert dance stage, music video, national commercials and events in over 30 countries and in every state in the USA. Select credits include: On Broadway: Harry Potter and The Cursed Child, The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Nighttime, The Crucible, ONCE Musical, and RENT. Other: Katie Perry for SNL, Opening Ceremonies to the XXII Winter Olympic Games, PEARL The Show, MOMIX, Brown Butterfly, Across The Universe (SONY Pictures), The Dunham Technique Video (Smithsonian Institute), Amici Di Maria De Filippi Season 9 (RAI TV), Off Broadway: Wild Goose Dreams, Tender Napalm, Knives In Hens, Sweeney Todd. A hoofer at her core, Yasmine believes we can become whole by dancing; Both the large expansive dance and the small intricate dance are filled with potential. Explore the groove and taste revolution... sweet Freedom.
Kevin Adams
has received 4 Tony Awards for his work on Broadway which includes The Cher Show, Spongebob SquarePants, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, American Idiot, Next to Normal, The 39 Steps, Spring Awakening, Hair ,Passing Strange, Everyday Rapture, Take Me Out, A Class Act and Head Over Heels. Off-Broadway includes the original production of Hedwig, The Scottsboro Boys, Carrie, Rent and new work by Tony Kushner, Edward Albee, Neil Simon, Terrence McNally and Christopher Durang. Opera: Metropolitan Opera (Rigoletto, L’Amour de Loin, Marnie, La Traviata), New York City Opera, English National Opera. He has designed solo shows for Eric Bogosian, Anna Deveare Smith, Eve Ensler, Sandra Bernhard, John Leguizamo and Michael Moore. His work has been seen on the West End often and has toured internationally.