Associate Artists Take Award-winning Dance Piece to Tate Britain

Central’s associate artist, London-based arts company Fevered Sleep– described by the Guardian as ‘boundary-smashing’ - and their Co-Artistic Director, Central’s Professor of Interdisciplinary Performance David Harradine, bring a new version of their highly acclaimed dance piece, ‘Men & Girls Dance’ to Tate Britain this summer. 

Specially re-worked for the gallery, this adapted durational version of ‘Men & Girls Dance at Tate Britain’ will be performed by six professional male dancers and a cast of nine girls aged between 8 and 11. Interaction between children and adults is part of everyone’s experience and daily life, but can be subject to assumptions and stereotypes. This work offers an alternative perspective, a celebration of friendship and positive relationships.

Professor David Harradine commented: “It’s really exciting for us to have been invited to re-imagine ‘Men & Girls Dance’ at Tate Britain. It opens up a whole new way for us to think about the material and its relationship to the audience. We’ll be exploding the structure of the theatre version of the show, and turning it into a whole new piece that people will come across, perhaps unexpectedly, as they move through the spaces of the gallery. We can’t wait to see how it works!”

Alex Farquharson, Tate Britain Director said, “We are pleased to present Fevered Sleep’s Men & Girls Dance at Tate Britain in the galleries at Tate Britain as part of our summer activities for families. This thought-provoking work has been re-choreographed for the spaces at the gallery and will offer an alternative and celebratory perspective on interaction through dance.”

Fevered Sleep and Central

In spring 2017, Fevered Sleep and Central were nominated for a Guardian University Award in the ‘Social and Community Impact’ category, which recognises an initiative that has benefited significant numbers of people in the local community, at a national level, or globally. 

Both Fevered Sleep and Central are committed to research and to artistic excellence; passionate about widening participation in the arts and in deep thinking; and fearless about asking difficult questions and offering provocative answers. These shared beliefs are the foundation of our collaboration. Our ambition is to build new bridges between academia and the creative industries; between researchers, artists, and audiences; and between the processes of making art and doing research.

About the show

‘MEN & GIRLS DANCE AT TATE BRITAIN’
Dancers: Robert Clark, Nathan Goodman, Kip Johnson, Nick Lawson, Matthew Morris, Anwar Russell and 9 girls

• Durational performances will take place between 2pm and 6pm in the Collection Displays, Ground Floor, Tate Britain, Millbank, London SW1P 4RG
• Visitors are invited to view the performances at any time between 2pm and 6pm
• Free admission

What the press said about ‘Men & Girls Dance’

Fevered Sleep’s almost recklessly brave participatory dance project brings together a group of untrained girls to dance with five trained male dancers. The result is an utter delight…sometimes comic, often tender and frequently exuberant. (Guardian)

The show radiates a sense of friendship…Such open and human interaction between men and girls may not always be possible but Fevered Sleep successfully makes us question why that is.  (The Stage)

In a time of ever-increasing suspicion and abuse a theatrical undertaking such as this is challenging taboos. Fevered Sleep’s quietly radical, hour-long effort wears its importance with a creditable lightness and grace. It’s meaningful and fun. (Times)

Men & Girls Dance was nothing more dangerous than watching real families at play and, because of that, seeing these men and girls dancing happily together was a little piece of normality, beautifully presented for an audience to enjoy. (Dancing Times