Protein’s Real Life Real Dance back at Arts Depot

In 2006 seven young people who had been excluded from mainstream education devised a piece of dance theatre, I Woz ‘Ere 2, under the direction of Luca Silvestrini, Amy McGann and Phil Hill.  The production, which reflected on the young peoples’ real life experiences of school, was the result of a three week intensive residency funded by Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation run by Luca Silvestrini‘s company Protein at Arts Depot, North Finchley, with pupils from the Pavilion Study Unit, Totteridge.  It was filmed by Dan Williams for a documentary, Everything Stopped, which the Gulbenkian subsequently used to promote arts interventions in pupil referral units.  It was shown extensively throughout the UK and abroad over the subsequent years.

I Woz ‘Ere 2 and Everything Stopped were the first major projects in Protein’s Real Life Real Life programme, which aims to deliver dance experiences to people who have been excluded from mainstream education and provides opportunities to rebuild shattered lives.  Since 2006, Protein has delivered three further projects in pupil referral units around the country, and has extended its work into hospital settings.  The company is currently planning its third visit to Evelina Children’s Hospital at Waterloo, where its residency will be filmed for  BBC TV’s Children in Need.

Now, with funds from Monument Trust and Arts Council England, Luca Silvestrini’s Protein has returned to Arts Depot to work with the Pavilion Study Centre again, creating another piece of dance theatre of the pupils’ own devising.  This time, the young people, have brought their mums and dads along to join with them in creating it.  The result, due to be shown on Thursday 24 January to an invited audience, will be presented to the public at Arts Depot on Friday 25 January at 7.30pm, alongside the best bits from Protein’s critically acclaimed show LOL (lots of love).  To find out more about LOL Mix and to book tickets for this exciting event at Arts Depot click here.  Click here to watch extracts of the 2006 production of I Woz ‘Ere 2 .