We are going to present a dance piece named "Hiraeth". "Hiraeth", a Welsh word, expresses a specific concept of homesickness - a longing to return to a home or land that one has possibly never seen. Words expressing the idea of homesickness and a lost belonging exist in a number of languages, which proves the phenomenon to be universal. As war, exile and the need for asylum manifest, the appropriateness and use of these words increases. "Hiraeth" was choreographed and staged by Candoco artist Jemima Hoadley in 2015. Official premiere of the performance took place within the main programme of the Highfest International Performing Arts Festival, on 3rd October 2015, at Small Theater.
This production is presented by Armenia's first integrated dance collective, bringing together disabled and non-disabled performers collaborating to tell a story of the painful, yet remarkable journey of the Armenian people throughout their history: their yearning for a lost homeland and their efforts to regain an identity in new lands.
Disability Art Festivals: Will we always need them?
Currently, yes, till we will learn to see something different. Till everything different will become usual. Disability art festivals still teach us do not speak about people with special needs in third person, they help us to move toward them and change our view in general.
In this prospective disability art festivals are unique platforms with great potential to teach all of us to see the world surrounding us differently. They help us move toward an understanding who we are and who are these people and how do they explore the world.
If we consider Art as a tool which always focus on the work with human being, with the man himself, his integrity, disability art festivals engage us in this process of research and development of ourselves and the different world around us.
NCA Small Theatre and Candoco present Hiraeth at Tramways Unlimited Festival on Thursday 15 and Friday 16 September 2016 at 4pm each day.