East London Dance to Present STRATFORD LIVING Walking Tour with Works by Choreographer Willi Dorner

On 26 & 27 August, East London Dance will present Stratford Living, a human sculpture photography project created by the internationally-renowned choreographer, Willi Dorner (bodies in urban spaces). Created especially for Stratford, this is the first time Dorner's eye-opening living room project has been mounted in the UK.

Working with east London-based professional dancers, Dorner has choreographed a series of human sculptures in a range of private homes and public spaces in both the historic and more recently developed quarters of Stratford to offer a creative exploration of urbanisation and living environments in east London today. These living sculptures have been photographed in-situ by Dorner's long-time collaborator Lisa Rastl, and audiences are now invited to experience the exhibition of these photographs on a walking tour of Stratford on 26 & 27 August, to view many of the images in the places in which they were created.

Polly Risbridger, Director of East London Dance: "2017 continues to see East London Dance celebrating and championing the people, places and artists of east London and creatively tackling urgent contemporary issues such as the changing landscape of our local community. We are delighted to be collaborating with the internationally-renowned Austrian artist Willi Dorner for the first time and bringing his sensational project, living room to Stratford for its UK premiere."

Dorner's work was memorably seen in London in 2009 as part of Dance Umbrella, when his globe-trotting human sculptures project, bodies in urban spaces was mounted across the city - from Tower Bridge to City Hall. Stratford Living is the next chapter of Dorner's artistic exploration, reflecting again on the theme of the private individual in the public domain, as well as challenging the boundary between public and private worlds by transforming private homes into public exhibition spaces.

Following the world premiere of Stratford Living in August, the exhibition will be displayed at Sadler's Wells from 11-28 October as part of Dance Umbrella 2017.

Willi Dorner: "Stratford Living subverts conventional views of the everyday lived environment by making public the arranged systems that define our private spaces. We move within a strict framework of arranged systems and regulations. They are so everyday that, over time, they become invisible to us. This is also true for our most private spheres, our houses and apartments. The original project, living room, explores the notions of housing, interiors and exteriors as well as the urban district in which they are located. It opens up buildings and makes an urban district accessible "from the inside out" and thus also provides an insight into the private spheres of our fellow people that are usually not visible to the public.

Whereas in a private setting people tend to behave much more naturally as themselves, in the outside, public space, the private individual turns into a much more anonymous, uniform figure - one among many others. Stratford Living draws a line between the private and the public to make these contrasts more clearly visible - whereas the private individual appears in colourful clothes in a private living environment, the anonymous public person appears in black and white."

Polly Risbridger, Director of East London Dance: "East London is undergoing unprecedented change as the largest regeneration project of our time brings new spaces, homes, people and organisations to the area. By bringing an artist of Dorner's calibre and international reputation here and connecting him with local residents and organisations, Stratford Living shines a spotlight on the role of the arts in this changing cultural, physical and social landscape whilst simultaneously celebrating our local community."

IF YOU GO:

Willi Dorner's Stratford Living

A walking tour photographic exhibition in homes across Stratford

26 & 27 August

Tours start between 12 noon and 3pm

Tickets from £5

www.eastlondondance.org/events/willi-dorners-stratford-living

Stratford Living by Willi Dorner, commissioned and produced by East London Dance in association with Sarah Trist Dance Management Agency.

Stratford Living is part of Our Living Art, a community arts programme for residents of Chobham Manor, the first new neighbourhood at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. The programme is commissioned by London Legacy Development Corporation and is funded by Chobham Manor LLP, a joint venture between L&Q and Taylor Wimpey.

Stratford Living is made possible by INTPA - INTERNATIONAL NET FOR DANCE AND PERFORMANCE AUSTRIA of Tanzquartier Wien with funds by Federal Chancellery of Austria (BKA) and BMEIA.

Supported by Arts Council England.