Assisted Solo is a new, multi-layered, personal dance piece by acclaimed choreogra-pherperformer, Philip Connaughton, his long-time collaborator Lucia Kickham and French punk dance artist Magali Caillet.

Three performers dance their memories and hopes in this raw allegory of life. It’s about people using whatever they can to make their own perfect dance. It’s not always clear who’s assisting who.

The show will debut at Dublin Fringe Festival from 7 until 15 September.

This funny and touching work will explore Philip’s relationship with his mother as she ex-periences advanced dementia whilst also celebrating the roles we, as a society, play in ‘as-sisting’ each other through life. The artists will be joined on stage with a intimate present day film of Philip’s mother, Madeleine, shot by Luca Truffarelli, which will play throughout the piece as each artist assists each other in their own dance.

Madeleine’s loving presence within the dance piece will make us question how we, as a society, deal with the ageing body whilst also celebrating the final days of her ‘solo’.

ASSISTED SOLO from Philip Connaughton on Vimeo.

Philip Connaughton, founder of the Company says: “The dynamics of my relationship with my mother have greatly changed over the last few years as I have become one of her carers whilst she lives with dementia. Our evolved bond has really opened by eyes into seeing how we as a society address our older generations and the illness. As dancer I am well versed in supporting my fellow dancers in our movements – with Assisted Solo I want to explore and highlight how important it is that we all support each other to live our best ‘solo’.”

Choreographer and performer Philip Connaughton has toured his work extensively throughout Ireland and France and performed at international venues including MOMA, New York. Recent dance credits include the Extraterrestrial Events, Whack!! and award winning Tardigrade. He has also worked in theatre and opera including Cork Opera House’s sell-out production of Annie, Der Vampyr for Cork’s Midsummer Festival, The Gate Theatre’s production of The Threepenny Opera for Dublin Theatre Festival and Noel Coward’s The Vortex – also at The Gate. He was Choreographer/Associate Director on Faust at The Everyman and in 2015 he also choreographed The Bloody Irish for PBS TV, America and I’m Your Man for THISISPOPBABY for the Dublin Theatre Festival.

Magali Caillet-Gajan is a highly acclaimed French artist having performed for over 20 years with various contemporary dance companies. She worked with Phillipe Decouflé on the Opening and Closing Ceremonies for the 1992 Olympic Winter Games of Albertville and has also worked with other artists, such as Christophe Salengro, Boris Charmatz, Odile Duboc, Mathilde Monnier and Les Carnets Bagouet.

Lucia is a Dublin-based dance artist. Having trained in The Netherlands, she has worked with many internationally acclaimed choreographers including Dutch company TRASH, Liz Roche Company, John Jasperse and Maria Nilsson Waller. Lucia has performed in Dublin Dance Festival, Belfast Theatre Festival, Edinburgh Fringe and toured throughout the UK, Sweden and The Netherlands. She has received the Dance Ireland Mentored Residency Award, was the recipient of the 2015 Tyrone Guthrie/Firkin Crane residency award and most recently received the 2018 Hatch Award from Dance Ireland. Her first full-length work On.Pulse. premiered in March 2017, supported by the Arts Council.

CREDITS

In partnership with Project Arts Centre and in association with The Everyman
It’s about people using whatever they can to make their own perfect dance
Choreography by Philip Connaughton created in collaboration with Company
Performers are Philip Connaughton, Lucia Kickham, Magali Caillet
Videography & Sound Design by Luca Truffarelli featuring Madeleine Connaughton, Philip Connaughton & Zdenek Houra
Costume Design & Creation by Emily Ni Bhroin
Set Design by Sarah Bacon
Lighting Design by Begoña Garcia Navas
Produced by Aisling O’Brien
Funded by The Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon. Supported by Dance Ireland. Developed at FRINGE LAB with the support of Dublin Fringe Festival