Celestial (in development)




The Project:

Celestial reimagines angels as messengers of the queer extraordinary. Inspired by Renaissance depictions of angels, observed while on residency in Tuscany, Italy, the work aims to capture their timeless and ethereal nature. Angels manifest beyond binary forms of gender, as symbols of light.

Present in most spiritual cultures is a winged creature that serves as a messenger. In Bastin’s newest project dancers try and fail to become angels to explore the basic conditions of human existence; vulnerability, fallibility and the ultimate futility of life on earth.

Developed on residency in Tuscany, Bastin draws inspiration from depictions of angels in Renaissance Painting. As a symbol of the divine they live outside of time and beyond the material constraints of life here on earth.

The Creative Development:

This is a work for 20 dancers currently in development. The creative process experiments with what imagery from renaissance depictions of angels looks like in contemporary performance. We are working with scored movement, creating scenes from paintings and illusions of light.

This project has been supported by Lucy Guerin Inc, Temerpance Hall, Villa Lena Foundation and Critical Path. Currently danced by Al Jefimenko, Alexandra Dobson, Paris Robinson, Rachel Mackie, Iris Elgar, Val Emerald and Ashlee Barton