Night of Breath

Night of Breath is comprised of Toby Young's Under the Surface, Kate Elswit and Megan Nicely's Breath Catalogue and an in conversation with Toby Young, Kate Elswit and their research collaborators. 

Under the Surface is a new choral work from composer Toby Young, commissioned specially for the occasion by the Life of Breath project. The piece explores the experience and isolation of people suffering from breathlessness, bringing this forgotten and invisible experience to life through song. The premiere will be conducted by renowned musical director Stephen Rice, and Bristol University Singers will perform alongside soloists from the internationally acclaimed Brabant Ensemble. Under the Surface starts at 19:15 and is 15 minutes long (approx). 

Breath Catalogue is a collaborative dance theatre work which combines choreographic methods with medical technology to create a cabinet of breath curiosities in performance. With different tasks, the performers’ breath becomes unpredictable, messy, and varied. The catalogue makes it possible to collect and retrieve different breath samples through the process of live dance in order to make breath perceptible to the spectator. The piece uses capacitance resistance sensors from StretchSense. A wearable technology which gathers breath data during the Breath Catalogue performance and transmits it. Doing so is more than “tracking”; it enables the development of feedback loops that create new choreographic structures, in the process allowing the dancers to interact with their own breath in new, intimate, and palpable ways. Breath Catalogue starts at 19:30 and is 75 minutes long (approx). 

The post-show discussion will start at 21:00. 

Accessibility

The venue has ramped access and wide aisled toilet at the front of the building. There is also a hearing induction loop installed. If you require the hearing induction loop please email us at least one week in advance of the event to let us know.

More Information

Note that there will be photography and filming taking place at the event. If you would prefer not to be filmed or featured in any of this material please let us know. We will also contact you after the event to ask for feedback. If you are not happy to be contacted let us know and we will remove you from the list.

For more information or if you have further questions please visit the festival website or contact us.

The venue has a licensed bar and street food will be available.

This project is a collaboration between the Elizabeth Blackwell Institute for Health Research, the Life of Breath project and the Public Engagement team at the University of Bristol and is made possible through the generous support of the Wellcome Trust.