Hello there!

My name is Thomas Bradley and I’m the facilitator of PLAYWORK-GROUP; a new choreographic ensemble based in Frankfurt, Germany. I’ve set up this crowdfunding campaign to help us finish our first short piece PLAYWORK before our premiere in Rome this July.

Check out the video above for a brief insight, or continue reading for more details on the project and how you can support us.

Massive thanks to Zachary Mentzos for filming and editing our campaign video!

1. Who is PLAYWORK-GROUP?

PLAYWORK-GROUP is a project-based ensemble, under the direction of Thomas Bradley, focused on choreographic research, practice and performance. The debut piece PLAYWORK involves four dancers: Thomas Bradley, Louella May Hogan, Marina Kladi and Ichiro Sugae. The ensemble is supported by their producer Mette Windberg Baarup.

2. What is PLAYWORK?

PLAYWORK is a 40 minute choreographic piece at the end of its creation phase. It is a study of choreography using social systems.

The piece features the four dancers of the ensemble, music by Belgian singer and composer Liesa Van der Aa and sculptural costumes by Thomas Bradley.

During creation, the ensemble have developed choreographic systems that determine how, when and where performers move in space. These systems are built upon spatial conditions, rules, objectives and strategies that demonstrate the performers’ choreographic relation; each performer has agency within the given framework, recognising how their decisions affect others.

The performers navigate multiple systems at once, which reconfigures the amount of dancers in the space. The capacity to register and respond to certain systems at play creates anomalies in the body, which are used by others as choreographic material. These processes generate complex, self-organising choreography.

Individual and collective decision-making gives rise to meaning and form, revealing a dramaturgy unique to PLAYWORK.

The piece itself is not 'about' choreography, like a subject or theme, with value placed more on 'how' the system works rather than 'what' the performers do i.e. choreographic context over choreographic content.

The piece’s methodology embodies the ensemble’s ethos:

‘Play seriously – seriously play.’

3. Where will it be performed?

PLAYWORK will have its premiere in Rome at Fuori Programma, July 7th with two more shows in Budapest at Sziget Festival, August 11th and 12th.

4. Why do we need your help?

The creation period has been supported by 3 generous co-producers thus far:

• Tha House, Madrid.

• Dresden Frankfurt Dance Company, and Friends of the Dresden Frankfurt Dance Company E.v.

• Sziget Festival, Budapest.

After many unsuccessful grant applications however, we are turning to our extended community to support the final phase of the creation period.

5. How the money will be used?

All contributions will go directly towards:

• Rehearsal wages (4 dancers, 10 days)

• Producer and Facilitator wages (production and artistic coordination)

• Costume (material and production)

Contributions directly support paid rehearsal time for dancers, administrative coordination, and the development of costumes.

6. Why does this matter?

Choreography matters.

A genuine interest in choreography reveals a necessary shift in the field itself; one from top-down power dynamics to decentralised decision-making in recognising that dancers are not objects to be sculpted, rather processes to be facilitated.

PLAYWORK addresses this directly in its systemic approach to choreographic practice and performance.

7. How can I help?

Firstly, thank you for your attention!

You can help by contributing any amount to our fund, or sharing our campaign across your social media networks!