This is pretty straight forward really. The way the ensemble sessions are structured, and the master plan for the final performance will be decided when everyone meets. It will be Pete Benson's brief as Artistic Director to lead the staff team and coordinate this aspect of the festival planning. Here is a note from Jo on some ideas that she and her team have had for the ensemble work:

In terms of the overall artistic thrust of the festival, we would like to focus on cross disciplinary work and the incorporation of different genres into performance work.

We are suggesting that the following elements could be explored in ensemble sessions and skill based workshops, in terms of the contribution they can make to live performance:

• Music – live, recorded, voice etc.
• Visual Art
• Technology – video work, projecting images etc.
• Movement and Dance

This would mean building up to a final ensemble presentation at the end of the festival where some or all of these elements could be in some way combined.

We would like to know your thoughts on this – what you think you could contribute in terms of skill based workshops and ideas for how this might work in ensemble sessions.  Also, it would be interesting to know if you have particular interests/experience that could give focus to ensemble groups and if you have ideas for other elements which could be explored in this way. 

The overall theme of the festival is ‘Odysseys and Oddities’ and is broad enough to encompass a range of different kinds of work.