A brand new outdoor dance production, by Def Motion.
‘Cog in the Wheel’ is a street dance choreographed & performed by Billy Read and crew, Def Motion. The piece explores a world where the production of smart phones is more important than human life. The dancers are not characters with stories and personalities, but are gears in a machine. They are a means to creating a product that can generate revenue. Based on true stories, Def Motion bring their vibrant, unique street dance to a difficult topic. Cog in the Wheel is a street dance that also incorporates, tutting, popping, mime, sign language and the deaf art form Visual Vernacular (VV).
Lead Artist/Choreographer: Billy Read
Performers: Billy Read, Ben Randall, Warren Murray, Kevaughn Laing, Kameel Myrie-Williams
Sound Design: Orique Johnson
Original Sound Composition: Reece Hayden. Rehearsal Directors: Johnny Autin and Sarah Butler Visual Vernacular Directors: Ishtiaq Hussain & Brian Duffy
Producers: Deaf Explorer
Funders & Supporters: Arts Council England, Midlands Arts Centre, 101 Outdoor Arts, Sense Touchbase Pears
Trailer
Tour Dates 2023
3rd August Birmingham Festival 2023 Centenary Square / 2:20PM https://www.birminghamfestival23.co.uk/whats-on/thursday-3rd-august/cog-in-the-wheel-def-motion/
4th August Stockton International Riverside FestivalHigh Street Plinth / 3:00PM & 4:45PM https://sirf.co.uk/performer/cog-in-the-wheel/
2nd September Liberty Festival Queen’s Gardens, Croydon / Times TBC
23rd September Derby Feste Cathedral Green / 3:15PM https://www.derbyfeste.com/event/def-motions-cog-in-the-wheel/
Cog in the Wheel was inspired by the poetry of Xu Lizhi (1990-2014). Click here to read about the poet.
BSL translation of the text – video
Audio Description – written introduction to the show