Aim

This campaign will help us to raise much needed funds to ensure equal and fair pay for all our talented, ethnically and disability diverse participants, particularly those who need additional support.

What is Room to Room?

Room to Room is more than a dance project. It is the idea that, even when we are physically isolated, we can resort to dance to process some of the disorienting unknowns that we are collectively experiencing. Room to Room is the method we have developed to harness human creativity through technology and share it with the community.

How did it all start?

Room to Room was born when Ana Maria Lucaciu and Catarina Carvalho, both out of work due to the coronavirus pandemic, decided to start a long-distance dance solo creation.

What has it developed into?  

We carefully matched three teams of artists in performer and choreographer pairs: Natalia Osipova and Joseph Toonga, Vidya Patel and Ana Maria Lucaciu, Hearns Sebuado and Catarina Carvalho. They were provided with a script of movement tasks. Each team will interpret the script and create a 5-to-7-minute solo. The pieces will result into three short dance films filmed and edited by Ravi Deepres. Thus, the single movement script takes many different routes, manifesting into a collection of highly individualized works.

What comes next?

We are currently approaching the filming stage, which is scheduled to take place in mid to late August. Starting from September, the solos will be released online on various social media, community and venue platforms bringing dance on screen to individuals who might not usually have access to art in traditional theatre venues. 

How could this campaign help?

We are freelance artists and have been hard hit by the pandemic. Room to Room is partly funded by the ACE, but we can’t do it without your support. As producers of Room to Room we strongly believe in fair and equal pay for our artists who devote their energy, time and talent to help us achieve our goal. Aside from paying our artists, your money will also help us pay for travel expenses, a British sign language BSL interpreter, covid safety measures and filming equipment. 

Our Team

Ana Maria and Catarina are freelance dance artists, choreographers, collaborators, instructors. They bring a combined 45 years of professional dance expertise to the project. 

Photo by David Wrench

Our three pairs of collaborators are:

Natalia Osipova and Joseph Toonga

Photo by Rick Guest/ Camilla Greenwell

Vidya Patel and Ana Maria Lucaciu

Photo by Indy Sagoo/ T.M. Rives

Hearns Sebuado and Catarina Carvalho

Photo by Gregory Batardon/ Aline Keyrouz

Ravi Deepres

Photographer and Film maker