Dance Umbrella and Sadler’s Wells present Abby Z and the New Utility Radioactive Practice
Freesheet
Radioactive Practice is an exhibition demonstrating the infinite ways in which fully dimensional people (simultaneously stellar and flawed) can assemble, disassemble, reassemble, and labour furiously through space and time to find new potentials in their bodies and, in a utopic outlook, the world. And it’s never over. And it’s always messy. We live in messy times with lots of language to describe major themes tied to the current zeitgeist, but little space to address what falls through the cracks and lives beyond the bounds of what is easily put into words. Our minds, bodies and physical senses are disciplined far beyond the clear cut compartmentalised practices we have sought out to pursue, wreaking havoc on our abilities to codify through static systems and immobile infrastructure. Propulsion is needed. Where we are going can’t help but be attached to where we have been. To move forward, resistance is necessary and work is relentless. Radioactive Practice is our way of cross-training for those inevitable combustible circumstances.
As audience members, you will most likely experience a full spectrum of emotions and physical reactions as you watch this work. You are welcome and encouraged to entertain those reactions. Feel free to clap or vocalise your responses.
Abby Zbikowski
About Abby Z and the New Utility
Choreographer Abby Zbikowski created Abby Z and the New Utility in 2012 with dancers Fiona Lundie and Jennifer Meckley to experiment with the potential and choreographic possibility of the body being pushed beyond perceived limits, creating a new movement lexicon that triangulates dancing/moving bodies across multiple cultural value systems simultaneously.
In 2016, Abby expanded the company to nine performer/collaborators for her first evening-length commission. abandoned playground premiered to a sold-out run at the Abrons Arts Center in New York in April 2017, leading to Zbikowski being honoured with the Juried Bessie Award, and was awarded the inaugural Caroline Hearst Artist in Residence at Princeton University, along with commissions from national and international organisations.
Abby Z and the New Utility have been presented at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, the Boston ICA, 92nd St Y, Movement Research at Danspace Project, Gibney Dance Center, Bard College, New York Live Arts, and the Fusebox Festival in Austin, Texas, among others. In 2021 the company was granted residency support at the Wexner Center for the Arts in Columbus, Ohio to rebuild work following a year long pandemic shutdown. Currently, they are working out of Columbus and New York City with collaborators locally, nationally, and internationally.
Artistic Team & Credits
Choreographer / Director Abby Zbikowski
Performers / Collaborators Indya Childs, Ishmael Konney, Fiona Lundie, Mya McClellan, Jennifer Meckley, Benjamin Roach
Rehearsal Directors Fiona Lundie, Jennifer Meckley
Dramaturg Momar Ndiaye
Lighting Designer Jon Harper
Touring Technical Manager Sarah Chapin
Original Music Matthew Peyton Dixon
For Dance Umbrella
Artistic Director & Co-CEO Freddie Opoku-Addaie
Executive Director & Co-CEO Tania Wilmer
Festival Producer Jessica Greer
Head of Creative Learning Beth Peters
Technical Director Andy Downie
Head of Marketing Lucy White
Digital Content Manager Isabella Hubbard
Head of Development Dawn Prentice
Festival Administrator Teresa Skamletz
Dance Umbrella Festival Team
Assistant Producer Geni Lou
Stage Managers Amy Johnson, Carly Hook
Dance Umbrella Technical Team Clancy Flynn, Ella Corcoran
Production & Transport Edwin Shirley Ltd
BSL interpreters Sula Gleeson, Erin Hutching
Press & PR Bread & Butter PR, Midas PR
Website & Digital Advertising HdK Associates
Filming & Photography Roswitha Chesher, Foteini Christofilopoulou, Henry Curtis, Camilla Greenwell, George Maund
Print Design O Street, Cat Lips Creative, Isabella Hubbard
Audio Description SoundScribe
A huge thank you to all of the 2024 Festival Volunteers.
