SOMA Projects

S MA

Projects

Sonya Russell-Saunders

S MA the body // performance // technology // behaviour Website link www.somaprojects.uk

Email

Sonya Russell-Saunders is a curator

moment and the art work encountered

Art Market, this has enabled her to

and researcher devising experimental

and a space for active reflection.

begin in-depth practice and theoretical

and collaborative curatorial methods.

research and collaborate with highly

She works with multi-disciplinary artists,

In August 2016 she launched SOMA

performers and dancers to examine

Projects formalising her collaboration

performative practices, including the

with choreographer and performer

For full details of her past projects and

roles of the curator, artist and audience.

Martin Prosser. SOMA combines

research see:

Her approach to exhibition making

an interest in artistic practice

www.sonyarussellsaunders.com

is dynamic, live experiences and

that examines performativity and

situations are recorded and are

human behaviour through everyday

Contact:

relayed back into the site they were

technology. SOMA aims to be inclusive,

sonyarussellsaunders@gmail.com

created, engaging with site and

share knowledge and create new

situation specificity, documentary as

aesthetic experiences.

fine art, and the audiences experience

somaprojects.sonya@

of unexpected temporal and spatial

SOMA will work with a series of

gmail.com

situations.

Associates experts in order to produce innovative performative audience

somaprojects.martin@

Through sociological theory and

gmail.com

her own observations of human

@SOMA_Projects

centred events. www.somaprojects.uk

behaviour she designs and stages

Sonya has curated and produced

situations to create a meta art work,

over 18 exhibitions and performances

the sum of all the artistic practices

showcasing multi-disciplinary artistic

and the audience that activates it,

talent from across the UK. She holds

situated in a space where sociological

MA Contemporary Curatorial Practice

theory is embedded. These situations

BA Hons (First Class) History of Art and

allow moments where an audiences

Design. In April 2016 she was awarded

experience and understanding shifts,

Curatorial Professional Development

heightening awareness of the site, the

Bursary from New Art West Midlands

Image credit: Daniel Salisbury, 2015.

innovative artists.

Martin Prosser

Ana Rutter

Martin Prosser is a London based

As part of his works he teaches

Ana Rutter is an artist and a PhD

Ana has worked with Sonya Russell-

Performance Maker, Performer and

embodied movement practices to

candidate at Birmingham City

Saunders on two previous projects in

Writer.

get the participants to understand his

University School of Art.

2014 and 2015 and is an associate of

He has studied a BA in Performing Arts

process of work as well as having a

at the University of Bedfordshire, then

better understanding of themselves.

further continuing his studies at Brunel

SOMA Projects.

Her research is concerned with affective experience created using

She is currently developing a number

University with an MA in Contemporary

His work revolves around the

re-mediated gathered material,

of projects individually and in

Performance Making.

audience, looking at different ways of

she is interested in the everyday

collaboration and has shown locally and nationally over the last few years.

involving them into the performance.

and specifically the aural everyday

His choreographies and directed

Exploring with repetition, intimacy and

landscapes that we live within.

pieces have been performed around

technology to create original pieces of

the UK, as well as co-directing and

work.

performing in a live online stream

For further information on research and Her work in this project explores

projects please visit

notions of documentary and

www.anarutter.com

production between Ohio and London.

Website

collaboration, but with no critical

He has also worked as an Intern for

www.martindavidprosser.wixsite.

distance, it takes as a starting point her

Contact

theatre company Look Left Look Right.

com/martin-prosser/home

own personal response to place, event

anagabrielle@btopenworld.com

Martin makes up one half of SOMA

Facebook

how it is then re-constructed into works

Projects. Having worked with Sonya

www.facebook.com/

without linear narrative.

Russell-Saunders over two previous

martindavidprosser/

and situation; to what is gathered and

projects (Interaction Order and

She is exploring details and minute

Collective Representation), he finds his

parts of activities and interactions. The

interests are similar to Sonya’s.

fleeting moments of encounters which are often slightly out of focus and just out of reach.

Image credit: Rosella Galindo, 2016.

Image credit: Rosella Galindo, 2016.

Danai Pappa & Neal Spowage

Danai Pappa is a Greek born performer,

Neal Spowage is British born artist

He has supported The Chameleons

Danai and Neal have been

choreographer and video dance maker

who designs, builds and composes

Vox, The Damned and The March

collaborating since 2011 and have

based in London. She is a founding

with Sculptural Electronic Musical

Violets. He is a significant on-going

created three projects; each one a

member of Agony Art and curates

Instruments and realises works for

contributor to the Dirty Electronics

duet and each one designed to explore

performance events in East London.

them using the disciplines of Dance,

Ensemble in Leicester, and has been

their personal relationship and create

Her work has been shown across

Video Art and Live Art. Neal’s research

involved with various Dirty Electronics

images from movement and sound.

the UK and Europe and includes

interests include collaborative

events over the past eight years.

They investigate gender dynamics,

dance, dance theatre and site specific

relationships, movement, interaction,

interaction, sound as an artefact,

performances. She has a background

sculpture, objects as totems, live

ritual and totemic values combined

in humanities and has also studied

performance, negotiating expertise

with negotiations of expert/inexpert

dance and choreography at Middlesex

between disciplines, perception,

movement between disciplines, using

University. She considers choreography

gender dynamics, video documentation

junk noise sculptures as a creative

to be a tool to explore the world,

as art, the body and choreography.

conduit. Two of their collaborations,

formulate questions, answer them and

He completed a doctorate that

Cold Papaya and Frozen Venus, were

further stimulate her curiosity.

investigated these areas in 2016.

shortlisted for the Prague Quadrennial of Performance Design and Space in

www.danaipappa.co.uk

He is an experienced rock musician who has released a commercial CD album, SUGAR (2009), on Resurrection Records with the Screaming Banshee Aircrew and performed in the UK, Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands. www.nealspowage.com

Image credit: Neal Spowage & Danai Pappa, 2016, credit Neal Spowage.

2015.

Rosella Galindo

Rosella Galindo is a dance artist,

As a PhD student, she has presented

As a choreographer, she has

Aguascalientes’ dance historical record

researcher, and digital media producer

her research in the second Virtual

experimented with contemporary and

as well ascultural policies.

based in London. She is a member

Social Interaction Workshop (University

street dance languages. As a dancer,

of the International Dance Council

of Salford, Manchester) and Inter/

she has worked with DAP-Lab (dance

She has been awarded grants to

(CID/UNESCO) and the Cognitive

Sections (QMUL, London).

and technology), Ensamble 21 (jazz

conduct the research ‘Dance and

dance), Beyond the Groove Company

Interactivity: reflections on the

Science Research Group at Queen Mary University of London, where she

She directed the video documentary

(street dance) and ColectivoVortex

aesthetic experience of the performer

is a Media and Arts Technology PhD

‘Hacking the Body 2.0’, focused on

(contemporary dance), performing

in Dance with Digital Media through

student.

the homonymous project by Kate

around Mexico, Las Vegas (USA) and

the technique of Motion Tracking’

Sicchioand Camille Baker, which

London (UK). She was member of

(CONACYT, 2012-2014) and ‘The

Her aim is to merge arts, media and

employs DIY wearable technology

Mexico’s representative team (Beyond

Shadow of Dance: the historical

digital technology to create meaningful

for dance performance; and created

the Groove) in the Hip Hop World

development of Dance at the Cultural

interactive systems and explore new

‘BLight’, an interactive installation

Championship during 2013. She has co-

Institute of Aguascalientes’ (ICA, 2012);

artistic languages.

based on the challenge of tracking light

directed dance performance, managed

as well as a grant to create the artistic

with low technology.

dance groups and the executive

project ‘Dance to the Beat III: breaking

production of diverse live showcases

borders’ (ICA, 2010).

Rosella has collaborated with Split Britches in the Green Screening

During her graduate studies in Mexico

and theatre performances, such as

workshops to develop interactive

(MA in Art, Universidad Autónomade

Dance to the Beat (2007, 2008 y 2009),

Galindo freelanced for over eight years

digital scenography for stroke survivors.

Aguascalientes), she was invited

Aura Creativa (2012), Vorágine (2013),

as a filmmaker/media producer for

The project involves the research,

to London as a visiting researcher,

and Belly Gym dance academy artistic

social and performing arts. As well as

design and creation of technological

a performer and tech assistant to

programs and events.

working as a multimedia producer for

tools to support movement expressive

the cross-media Lab Design and

therapies, looking at Kinect Motion

Performance Lab (DAP-Lab) directed

Her academic research focuses on

Capture potential.

by Johannes Birringer and Michèle

contemporary dance aesthetics,

Danjoux, exploring motion-tracking

performance and technology,

systems, interactive interfaces, and

communication into interactive

fashion design/sound.

multimedia systems, reformulation of

the Aguascalientes’ Arts and Culture

artistic languages through digital media, performer’s aesthetic experience and Image credit: Rosella Galindo, 2016.

Instituteand CRENA (Mexico). www.RosellaGalindo.com

Jessica Campbell

S MA

Jessica Campbell is a freelance dance

She has worked with Sonya Russell-

artist interested in physical theatre

Saunders, under the direction of Martin

Projects

performance. Based in Birmingham

Prosser in Collective Representation:

\\ the body \\ performance \\ technology \\ behaviour \\

and London, she graduated from

The Smile and Chat policy, devising

Roehampton University in 2014 with

and performing repetitive pedestrian

SOMA combines an interest in artistic practice that examines performativity and human

First Class Honours Degree.

gestures and embodied movement

behaviour through everyday technology. SOMA aims to be inclusive, share knowledge and

within a gallery context and conceptual

create new aesthetic experiences. SOMA will work with a series of Associates experts in order

framework.

to produce innovative performative audience centered events.

Graham, Limon, Contact, Physical

Contact

Theatre, Ballet, Commercial and Street.

Jessicarhh.c@hotmail.com

SOMA Creative Projects Creative Directors

Her dance accomplishments include, contemporary, release, Cunningham,

She is also a skilled synchronised swimmer and gymnast.

She has worked with a number of

Sonya Russell-Saunders Martin Prosser

professional choreographers including

SOMA Associates

Balbir Singh and Anna Watkins, and is

Ana Rutter

mentored by Patsy Brown-Hope.

Dr Neal Spowage and Danai Pappa Jess Campbell

She has undertaken residencies

Rosella Galindo

with Motionhouse, Ballet Boyz, Dark

April Brunt

Island Dance, Third Row Dance Company and DanceXchange. She has

Future Associates

performed across the UK including

Tim Hodgson

the Paralympics Opening Ceremony,

Ben Baker

Olympic Stadium, London in 2012.

Anais Lalange Alicia Kidman

Image credit: Jessica Campbell , 2016.

Image: Still/Image, Ana Rutter, 2014.

Image credit: Interaction Order , 2014, photograph by Tim J Pratt.

gallery

Martin Prosser

S MA

Ana Rutter

Image: Moving/Past, Ana Rutter, 2014.

Image credit: SOMA rehersal, photograph Sonya Russell-Saunders, 2016.

Image credit: Looking/Watching, Ana Rutter, 2014.

S MA

Rosella Galindo

Image credit: Neal Spowage & Danai Pappa, 2016, credit Neal Spowage.

Image credit: Rosella Galindo, 2016.

Jessica Cambell

Sonya Russell-Saunders

Image credit: Jessica Cambell, 2014

Image credit: Interaction Order, 2013, film Tim J Pratt, performer Anais Lalange, photograpgh by Sonya Russell-Saunders.

gallery

Danai Pappa & Neal Spowage

Thanks Huge thanks to Deborah Kermode, Claire Marshall and Jessica Litherland at mac for their invaluable support, Rachel Bradley and Craig Ashley at New Art West Midlands for this fantastic opportunity, Prof.

Johannes Birringer and performers at International Metabody Conference, Brunel University who were inspiring and welcoming, Dr Philip Shelton for his time and knowledge on sociological theory, Ikon Gallery for supporting New Art West Midlands, and my collaborators Martin Prosser, Ana Rutter, Neal Spowage, Rosella Galindo, Danai Pappa, Jess Campbell and April Brunt.

S MA