Ashleigh Berry

THE PROJECT
'Beside Ourselves' is a new dance theatre work that choreographer, Ashleigh Berry will be presenting in January 2015 as part of the performance festival Resolution at The Place. Featuring the talents of collaborators Luke Brown, Mary Mannion and Crystal Zilwood, the work will be Ashleigh's choreographic debut in London.

WORDS FROM THE CHOREOGRAPHER
"Beside Ourselves has developed out of the time I have spent living in London. After almost two years of bustling through the city's streets, braving the infamous public transport network and the odd occasion sitting quietly in the park, I have experienced my share of bizarre interactions with strangers. Beside Ourselves is a theatrical collage of these moments mashed up, however unexpected, quirky, incomplete or lovely"

THE WORK
The work examines the idea of the stranger and what defines 'strangeness' in someone. It puts three different people with varying agendas and conflicting views on personal space boundaries, into one confined public space. Here we watch them sit, stand, sniff, spit and sweat. We watch them politely adapt and negotiate within a public setting where personal space continues to be compromised. But what happens when the urge to abandon social conformity and punch someone in the face becomes all too much?

WHERE YOU COME IN
The season, although prestigious is unfunded. Even if we sell out, the box office funds go towards paying off the theatre costs leaving the artists involved with nothing. As artists we are used to the nature of this work and i am humbled by the support from my collaborators who see the vision for this work and want to make it happen as strongly as I do. Unfortunately their are other costs involved with the presentation of a work, particularly rehearsal space and marketing, that require additional funding to ensure the work reaches professional production quality. We are looking to raise $1000 (approximately £500) and we need your help.

The $1000 donation will used to cover:
50% of the costs incurred for three weeks part time studio space (we have some in kind support as well).

Any donation from $25 to $100 will be greatly appreciated as a contribution towards making the development of this new work a reality! Rewards and acknowledgements will be sent out and displayed through online marketing for the work and most importantly I will be incredibly grateful and humbled by any support you can show for my vision for this work and for my incredible collaborators/performers.

The challenge for artists is always about creating work that reaches audiences in a way that they will want to continue to support that artist. It is about creating sustainability in our art form, and that comes from pushing boundaries and making strong, emotionally evocative, thought provoking work. This will be the beginning for me, and yet it has taken me two years to reach this point. i plan to hit these London audience with something fresh, edgy and exciting and by having the freedom to work for three weeks in the studio without a financial pressure I believe I can do that. But I need your help!