STRUT

night time dance parade
Pollokshields-Govanhill

INFO FAO GLASGOW CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC PROCESSIONS TEAM.

 STRUT is a small-scale night time parade featuring 5 solo dancers, colourful lighting and stunning large scale building mapped projections for audiences to encounter from their windows and doorsteps - Currently planned to take place on Thursday October 7th (Pollokshields) and Sunday Oct 10th (Govanhill)

taking place over 2 nights, STRUT is borne out of the need to create work that resonates with the era of social distancing, closed venues and cancelled productions, Megahertz will work with the local community to cast 5 local dance heroes to perform their own viral dance routines alongside building sized video projections, colourful lighting and (not so loud) amplified music to create a micro carnival aimed at re-igniting the joy of audience experiencing live performance.

As such, the show aims to provide a short, free and exciting experience that can be viewed safely from people's homes or from the curbside.

STRUT is devised by Megahertz, a Glasgow based theatre company with a track record of producing site-specific work and touring dance shows, the project is Funded by Creative Scotland and supported by Tramway (as part of its Dance International Glasgow programme) and Govanhill Baths.

discretion to rule 3.2 of the guidelines:

In order to achieve our aims, we would like to discuss allowing the event to take place between 19h00 and 20h00- with amplified music at a reasonable level and passing through residential areas whilst keeping our “disruption to the life of the community” as minimal as possible and working ahead of the event to garner strong support from the residents whose streets we will be passing through.

“The timing of and playing of music at Processions will take place between7.30am and 9.00pm.As a general rule no music will be played before 9.00am or later than 6.00pm. Council officers will exercise a degree of discretion to allow the playing of music out with these times on condition that it can be demonstrated by Procession Organisers, to the satisfaction of the Council, that the playing of music will not disrupt the life of the local community.This discretion will only apply to the playing of music after 6pm and no later than 8pm.” -Public Processions Code of Conduct

We have used the Battlefield Lantern Parade as our example event. Their parade usually last from 6h30-8h30, involve several hundred people and is led by a brass band.
Our event will have less participants, won't be as loud and will be shorter.

Our proposal:

-Parade duration: 1h to fit within level 2 potential Covid restrictions

-The parade will feature a single dancer performing under bright lights from a battery-powered hand pulled cart. The dancer will perform a 2min routine before being replaced by another performer. (We have launched an open call for community dancers to perform exuberant solo routines in contrasting styles such as Contemporary, Bhangra, Jive, Romani, Hip-Hop, Afrobeats, Waltz, Tango, Northern Soul, Flamenco to represent the neighborhood's diverse community)

-5 community dancers will be selected from an open call to perform (paid commissions).

-Number of participants: 30 (to fit within the 50 max allowed within stage 2 Covid restrictions) To include: 5 dancers, 4 technicians, 4 Stewards, film and organisers crew as well as a handful of followers allowed to join in (but only a single performer is lit and is the focus of the show)

- The show is devised to be performed in darkness to create a magical effect of having a performer in colourful light. With Sunset on that weekend taking place at 18h30, we would like to have the parade happen during 19h00 and 20h00

- An important element of the show are video projections which will light the buildings on either side of the street. The projection equipment will be pushed inside carts and powered by 12V batteries.

-We will contact the residents from each of the streets we will visit to let them know about the event (flyers in each close) but won't advertise outwith the area to avoid people coming from other areas to take part. ( we aim for a the show to be watched from people's windows and curbside, with only a few people following the parade)

-We have chosen the days and locations as to avoid passing nearby St Albert's Church during Sunday eve's mass and the 2 mosques on Dixon Ave and Kenmuire street during Friday prayers.

-Our route has been optimised to pass through as many streets with tenements on both sides but we are willing to be flexible on route. There are 2 parts of the route during which we were wondering if it was possible to go over a pavement to cross over to the next street beyond a dead end (Leven St x Darnley St and Albert Rd x Victoria Rd), but we are willing to find alternatives if this isn't possible.

Show organisers and supporters:

-Megahertz : show directors and technical designers

-Tramway theatre/ Dance International Glasgow: promoters and technical production- under supervision from Glasgow Life

-Feral Arts: producers

-In House events: Health and Safety, permissions and stewards.

-Govanhill Baths: Community outreach to various local dance organisations.