May 20–22, 2023

Family Portrait

Video Installation

United Kingdom

Experience the beauty of family life in a fun and interactive video installation.

Family Portrait

Photo by Natasha Gilmore, Robbie Synge

JUNIOR

Overview

Experience the beauty of family life through Family Portrait, an interactive video installation work. This 40-minute theatrical experience captures Barrowland Ballet’s Artistic Director and her three children in striking cinematography and choreography, showcasing candid, natural moments in Scotland’s landscapes and seasons. Through their interactions and stories, you’ll get to know each character intimately, with a focus on the perspective and experience of the child. Scotland’s stunning nature and lands surround this emotional journey through family life. At the end of the performance, audiences are given a QR Code, which takes them to a video guiding them to create their family portrait using the ideas from the piece. 

About Barrowland Ballet

Barrowland Ballet is one of Scotland’s most exciting and successful contemporary dance companies built around the artistic work of choreographer Natasha Gilmore. The company produces high-quality, accessible dance theatre performances, installations and films presented nationally and internationally. The work’s themes are delivered with wit and humour, and the insightful observations of human behaviour are rooted in her personal stories. 

Barrowland Ballet’s work has gained critical international acclaim performing in festivals and venues worldwide. Natasha Gilmore was nominated for the ASSITEJ Award for Excellence 2017 for her work for young audiences, including Little Red, Whiteout, Tiger Tale and Poggle. The company also has a repertoire of intergenerational, short dance films, including Loose Leaf Tea, Whiteout, Wolf, Strings, and most recently, Hoods Off, featuring pupils from partner school St Albert’s Primary. 

Barrowland Ballet is recognized for its developing practice in contemporary dance work with and for neuro-diverse audiences and children with complex needs. The company’s recent production Playful Tiger, for young people with severe complex needs, was met with critical acclaim worldwide, including Edinburgh’s International Children’s Festival, ASSITEJ Artistic Gathering, Norway, Baboro Festival, Ireland and Takeoff Festival, England. 

The company’s immersive video installation Family Portrait won The Bobby Award for the “Best of the Fest” at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Dance films Strings, Wolf, Loose Leaf Tea and Whiteout, have screened at various prestigious film festivals, with Whiteout becoming an award winner at the San Francisco Indie Short Festival 2021, Denton Black Film Festival 2022 and Cinevox Dance Film Festival 2022. Wolf was awarded audience attention grabber at Knowbox Festival 2021, and Strings won the Humanity Award at Utah Dance Film Festival 2022. 

Alongside the company’s professional work, they produce high-quality participatory performance projects, including Wolves, The River and Bunty & Doris intergenerational performances. The company also runs Wolf Pack: a free, intergenerational company in Glasgow with participants of all ages. 

Credits

Co-creators, Co-directors Natasha Gilmore, Robbie Synge Choreography Natasha Gilmore, Aya Kobayashi, Robbie Synge  Music, Sound Design Davey Anderson Cinematography Elga Dudareva, George Cameron Geddes, Monika Smekot, Robbie Synge 

Dates & Times

May 20
11am – 11:40am
12pm – 12:40pm
1pm – 1:40pm
2pm – 2:40pm
3pm – 3:40am
4pm – 4:40pm
5pm – 5:40pm

May 21
11am – 11:40am
12pm – 12:40pm
1pm – 1:40pm
2pm – 2:40pm
3pm – 3:40pm
4pm – 4:40pm
5pm – 5:40pm

May 22
11am – 11:40am
12pm – 12:40pm
1pm – 1:40pm
2pm – 2:40pm
3pm – 3:40pm
4pm – 4:40pm

Venue

Brigantine Room

A large room that can transform into many different types of spaces with movable chair seating.

Wheelchair accessible

235 Queens Quay W

Toronto, ON

M5J 2G8

Keywords All AgesFilmKidsPerformancePublic Art