In a unique collaboration between the Powerhouse Youth Theatre, critically acclaimed dance theatre company Force Majeure, and performers from Dauntless Movement Crew, Jump First, Ask Later will bring parkour to a whole new audience, with several dates at the Sydney Opera House from late September.
When young parkour enthusiasts in Fairfield, one of Sydney’s most culturally diverse suburbs, found themselves locked in a battle with the local council for the right to use certain spaces to practice their art, the Powerhouse Youth Theatre stepped in.
Forming Dauntless Movement Crew, the artists have been able to transform a hobby into a more theatrical form. Seeing the potential, the Fairfield Council then partnered with PYT and DMC, securing them a safe training environment to develop their skills.
Jump First, Ask Later: Parkour from the Streets of Fairfield is the result of this collaboration and will run at Sydney Opera House from September 22nd to October 2nd.
The Opera House’s Head of Children, Families & Creative Learning Bridgette Van Leuven said: “The remarkable thing about Jump First, Ask Later is that it portrays the very real experiences of the artists themselves. You’re not watching a performer’s interpretation of someone else’s story, you’re living the creative expression of experience in real-time with the artist. I am humbled to be able to help these young people tell their stories and hope this experience encourages our young audiences to find their own voices in the same way.”
The artists involved will also be collaborating with the Opera House to develop a series of digital experiences for sister schools across Australia and Korea, as part of the Global Conversations: Korea 2016 series.
In addition, a full performance, with Q&A session, will be broadcast on ABC TV and iView.
For more information, please see the Sydney Opera House website.
———-
