Stephan Koplowitz's TaskForce project is a three-year, site-specific dance performance project commissioned by the Transatlantic Arts Consortium and presented by Dartington Hall Trust in 2009. The second year of the project, called Liquid Landscapes, involves creating and performing eight unique dance pieces at iconic water-related sites in and around Plymouth, UK from June 1-28, 2009. Koplowitz and his international ensemble of dancers spent three weeks rehearsing the site-inspired choreography before debuting the performances.

1. Stephan Koplowitz: TaskForce
Liquid Landscapes (Year Two)
Plymouth, UK and Beyond June 1 through 28, 2009
presented by Dartington & funded by the Transatlantic Arts Consortium
TaskForce is a three-year project which began in California in 2008. It has been specially commissioned and funded by the Transatlantic Arts Consortium, a collaboration
between The Dartington Hall Trust, CalArts and Idyllwild Arts

2. Dartington presents
Stephan Koplowitz
TASKFORCE
20-28 June 09 Plymouth & Beyond
Cover of TaskForce flyer and
poster design by Scarlet-Design
LIQUIDLANDSCAPES
Eight unique performances, eight iconic sites, eight adventurous dancers:
one tour of site-specific dance performances in water-related public spaces
www.dartington.org/taskforce

3. Stephan Koplowitz: TaskForce is a site-specific performing
touring company that works on a project-to-project basis. Fluid in
its conception, TaskForce is made up of selected artists and
performers drawn from the cultural landscape of its host city or
region. It is a process oriented performance laboratory where
artists are asked to draw inspiration from the architecture,
history, culture and ecology of multiple sites within a single
geographic area all connected by a common theme.

4. Working within an intensive time frame (usually three weeks of
rehearsal + one week of performances) under the direction of
veteran site-artist, director and choreographer Stephan
Koplowitz, each artist is given a different creative "task" to be
explored and performed at the various sites. The content of each
performance is made up of a combination of site-specific
choreography, site-adaptive material and improvisational scores
inspired by each performance site. The core of Stephan
Koplowitz:TaskForce is an ensemble of eight highly trained
dancers, a composer/performer and a documentary videographer.

5. All the performances for Liquid Landscapes were
created during a three-week period (June 1 through
to June 19). The choreographic material is drawn
from site-specific choreography, site adaptive
movement material and structured improvisations all
in response to the given site.
The concept of TaskForce is that it responds to
several sites in a relatively short amount of time,
concentrates on process and finds as many
connections among sites as possible.

6. First Site Visit, March, 2007
Research for Stephan Koplowitz: TaskForce, UK began
in March, 2007 with a short two day visit. The purpose
of the trip was to meet the Dartington team and take a
quick look at the surrounding area. Stephan Koplowitz
got his first look at the Tiltyard on the Dartington
grounds and the Tinside Lido in Plymouth (future
TaskForce performance sites) .

7. May 25 through July 6, 2008,
California
In 2008, Stephan Koplowitz launched TaskForce
in Idyllwild (during a two week residency) and in
Los Angeles (four weeks), where he premiered
the theme of Liquid Landscapes. Within the six
weeks of TaskForce residencies, Koplowitz and
company created 17 different site-specific
performance works, two short site inspired films
and performed for an audience of over 3,000
people.

8. Site research with
Associate TaskForce Producer
Lara Lloyd: July, 2008
Lara is Producer of Live Art at
Dartington
In July, 2008, Stephan Koplowitz made his second trip to the UK. The theme of Liquid Landscapes (water
related sites) was designated as the “controlling idea” that TaskForce would investigate for three consecutive
residencies (2008-10). The city of Plymouth was chosen as the center of TaskForce's performances in the UK
and Koplowitz and TaskForce Associate Producer Lara Lloyd, set off to find appropriate sites for the 2009
residency.

9. January, 2009, marked Koplowitz's third trip to Plymouth. The
focus of this trip was to secure the selected water related sites,
meet community partners and hold three days of auditions in
London to hire performers (and find the best Devonshire
creamed tea).

10. On January 8 and 9, with call backs on the 10th, 2009, Stephan Koplowitz auditioned 140 dancers
at London's Toynbee Studios, with the help of dance artist and teacher Marina Collard. Many of the
dancers were based in the UK and several traveled as far as France to audition. After three long
days, culminating in interviews with a final selection of 12 dancers, Koplowitz picked six dancers to
complement two original members of TaskForce from Los Angeles.

11. Philine Janssens Rosalind Noctor Ezekiel Oliveira Megan Saunders
Claire Beckett,
dancer/educator
and Plymouth
native, was another
auditionee, and
was asked to join
Koplowitz as his
Rehearsal Director
for the project.
Caitlin Smith Kylie Sudds Clair Beckett
photos, taken at the beginning of the audition process

12. Joining the six UK/EU
based dancers, were
Alexandria Yalj and Kevin
Williamson who performed
with TaskForce in 2008.
This photo is from a
performance at the Los
Angeles Farmers Market in
Hollywood.

13. March
2009
For the fourth and final site research, pre-production trip to the UK, Stephan Koplowitz was met with four out
of six of his UK based dancers, Rosalind, Megan , Ezekiel and Caitlin for a special costume fitting.
In Plymouth, Lara Lloyd had arranged meetings with various potential collaborating artists, all based on
concepts Koplowitz was working on for each of the selected sites.
Meeting with composer Hugh Nankivell Meeting with Visual Artist Helen Meeting with Visual Ella Huhne
for the first time Snell at the Mayflower steps at the Smeaton’s Tower

14. Meeting with video artist Dan Farberoff at Buckland Abbey
Meeting with Mark Laville , Director at
the barbican Theater in Plymouth to
discuss TaskForce’s Improv concert.
Koplowitz taught workshops with University of Falmouth
Secured housing in Plymouth for
students at Dartington and discussed their involvement in
the entire company
the the Tiltyard performance

15. The SITES: By March, 2009, all eight sites were selected and confirmed and each site
constituted a collaboration or co-presenting opportunity for Dartington.
1. DARTINGTON: THE TILTYARD
Co-presented by University College Falmouth

16. Drake, the first
Englishman to
circumnavigate the
globe, was also the
contractor of the
water system known
as ‘Drake’s Leat’
which brought fresh
water from the River
Meavy to Plymouth in
1591.
2. THE GREAT BARN@ Buckland Abbey
Co-presented by The National Trust

17. 3. TASKFORCE FILMS @
The Jill Craigie Cinema
Co-presented by Peninsula Arts
Roland Levinsky Building
University of Plymouth

18. 4. CAMERA OBSCURA@ Seymour House
Co-presented by Tamar Education
Business Partnership

19. 5. ARMADA WAY
Co-presented by Plymouth City Centre
Group

20. 6. SMEATONʼS
TOWER
Co-presented by Plymouth
City Museum and Art Gallery

21. 7. MAYFLOWER STEPS@ The Barbican
Co-presented by The Plymouth City Harbour Office

22. 8. TASKFORCE REMIXED @ The Barbican Theatre
Co-presented by Barbican Theatre and Peninsula Arts

23. 9. TINSIDE LIDO
Co-presented by Plymouth
City Council

24. Gorav Kaylan, a second year MFA student at CalArts was invited by Stephan Koplowitz to be
TaskForce’s videographer. Gorav, shot and edited seven short documentaries chronicling the
creative process of the first three weeks. In addition, almost every hour of rehearsal and
every performance were documented. Each of the short documentaries were broadcast on
the BBC big screen located in downtown Plymouth and the videos was uploaded to
www.youtube.com and helped with audience development during TaskForce’s residency in
Plymouth.

25. First week of rehearsals: June 1-7,
2009
Company luncheon at Dartington during
the first full day in Plymouth
First day of rehearsal at the
University of Plymouth dance
studio
Meeting with Jo McCarren (Director of the camera
obscura) at the Seymour House Camera Obscura in
preparation of our first rehearsals

28. Second Week of Rehearsals: June 8-14

31. Third Week of Rehearsals: June 15-19

34. Stephan Koplowitz with Sound Designer
Luke Robinson and composer Hugh
Nankivell at Dartington’s Tiltyard

35. Luke Robinsona and Tom
McCaren, sound designers at
Armada Way

42. Steve being interviewed by Jo Loosemore of
BBC Radio at Smeaton’s Tower

44. UNTRY NEWS www.thisiswesternmorningnews.co.uk WESTERN MORNING NEWS FRIDAY JUNE 19 2009 www.thisiswesternmorningnews.co.uk WESTCOUNTR
are Dame
Water-inspired project for
PICTURES BY KEVIN CLIFFORD
help talk ab
record
fe world
anglers and
ed to join a
eguard the
habitats and
ctuary part-
dancing in the streets WORLD ren
Ellen MacAr
Cornwall to b
record-breakin
Dame Elle
round-the-wo
all Council An American choreographer has agreed to
nwall Marine Falmouth’s
p to help plan has been spending a month in Museum Cor
zones off the the Westcountry creating a It will be t
spoken public
marine pro- site-specific dance project. her world rec
introduced
ing Marine Stephan Koplowitz explained navigation of
outside the m
ill.
to safeguard
the Liquid Landscapes project 2005.
Dame Elle
habitats and to Su Carroll excited about
o help ensure mouth, which
ainability of
I
memories for
he region. T takes a visitor to make you say things in a unbelievable w
roups from different way, and American Stephan completed m
d Dorset, the Koplowitz is more than happy to share his voyage in 200
will provide excitement about being in the Westcountry. first visit since
ck to the He is thrilled to discover that Seymour House
“The N
ctuary steer- in Devonport, Plymouth, has a camera obscura –
Museum Cor
they are a personal obsession of his – and he is
support then,
ding Sanctu- fascinated by the way in which Sir Francis Drake
ful that they
, said: “Rec- was the first man to bring a water supply from the
again, this tim
here marine moor into the city.
MacArthur T
ould be sited And the fact that the Pilgrim Fathers set off for Britain voyage
egional level America from the Mayflower Steps in Plymouth
hasn’t passed him by either. The celebr
uary Steering
recounting sto
to have local But Stephan is no ordinary tourist. When he
ing and varied
knowledge, looks at these locations and the iconic Smeaton’s
well as talking
g feedback to Tower, busy Armada Way and The Great Barn at
the Ellen Mac
vation zones Buckland Abbey, he sees them through the eyes of
nd therefore a choreographer. The Ellen M
t from local He is sending more than a postcard home, this the Round Br
s where the visitor is creating dance pieces that will be per- ing funds to
es in.” form at eight sites in and around the city of people can en
mation, call Plymouth and elsewhere in Devon with his Task- their confide
on 01736 Force company. from cancer.
vis.seafish The Liquid Landscapes project – which began The lecture
k. Applica- last year in Los Angeles – is, to quote the Monday, Aug
by July 24. literature, “a response to the extraordinary 01326 214546
resource that shapes our environment from water
wins access and rights driving the economy in Los
Angeles, to the landscape of Plymouth and its Mini d
r community connected by the sea”.
Stephan is famous for putting dance where you
never thought dance would go, with large scale
TaskForce dancers rehearse Liquid Landscapes on the streets of Plymouth
(top), in Armada Way (below) and on The Hoe (left) do end
le public art performances in New York’s Grand
Central Station, the British Library and the
Natural History Museum.
run dr
oject He is bringing the second phase of his inter-
national outdoor dance project, Liquid Land-
as hip
Devon scapes to Devon, as part of Dartington’s mission TWELVE car
riumphed in to develop exciting new art work outside the walls the Mini’s 50
the best sus- of the Dartington Hall Estate. by driving 1
ects in the ‘Art can be made out of O’Groats – dr
ocal author- anything. There’s no right The 2009
den Awards or wrong about art-making’ drivers in 12
y 2009. Land’s End t
Energy for He has been working with professional per- be the 11th
me aims to formers in his own company as well as locally, and money for cha
regeneration will work alongside local artists.
The Small C
and demand The first performance is tomorrow at The from North D
Tiltyard, Dartington, and the week of daily events raising money
led to 109 culminates next weekend in promenade tours of pice South W
tallations in the Tinside Lido in Plymouth. enough to pay
community The shows are all linked by the theme of Messy Play R
urther 18 in water. Stephan Koplowitz (inset) has been rehearsing his dancers at Smeaton’s Tower on Plymouth Hoe Cornwall. It
“We’re carrying on from Los Angeles last year,” £36,000 to th
Coming soon to a street, lido or theatre near you
tal installed says Stephan in a break from his packed rehearsal
schedule. “It’s all about water and water related Event organ
than 2 “I absolutely
about 1,300 stories.”
In Los Angeles, water has a political dimension. year for this.
ssions. TASKFORCE are staging a week of perfor- shorts created during last year’s TaskForce USA and their first performance is down the centre of meet some re
ards judges At the beginning of the 20th century, engineer mances in Dartington, Buckland Abbey and – Kid Galahad Karaoke and Chinatown: Water- Armada Way, starting at the Copthorne Hotel
ng renewable William Mulholland transformed the desert with Plymouth, most of which are free. mark (inspired by locations from Roman Polan- and working down to the sundial. This year’s
e economic the 233-mile Los Angeles Aqueduct which took Abbey, the home of Sir Francis Drake. In this case working class population and its tourist pop- even after more than ten years. “One of the SATURDAY JUNE 20 ski’s film, Chinatown) plus a short documentary Armada Way, 1pm and 5pm. liar twist as
that green water from the Owens Valley in Central Cal- I felt the need to immerse myself in history. One of ulation and it’s sense of history. reasons is that I just love being able to make work TaskForce collaborates with dance artists from on the project in America, footage from the THURSDAY JUNE 25 hippies and d
to sustain- ifornia to the city. the pieces of information I found was that he was “Plymouth has this energy and it’s great that we out of what people consider their daily life. University College Falmouth for a promenade Plymouth rehearsals and a question and answer Visual artist Ella Huhne will work with Task- with flowers
particularly It effectively drained Owens Lake within 20 one of the people responsible for bringing water to are going to be part of that community and that “The act of making art and artists is often, on performance that explores Dartington’s unique session with Stephan Koplowitz. Force to create a performance in and around era.
the current years and started the California Water Wars, the Plymouth. we will make our work on site at these places.” some level, misunderstood. But we think about all Tiltyard and its historical water connections. Jill Craigie Cinema, Roland Lewinsky Building, Smeaton’s Tower on Plymouth Hoe to mark its The 1,000-
inspiration for the storyline of the film Chi- “He was the William Mulholland of Plymouth. Stephan and his dancers have spent three weeks the same things that workers in a factory think Dartington, Totnes at 3.30pm and 5.30pm. Limited University of Plymouth at 7.30pm. Tickets £5 250th anniversary year. five days, with
he scheme’s natown. They were two men who had a certain amount of in Devon on a tight schedule of daily rehearsals on about – family, job security, whatever. We just on-site parking. (concessions £3): 01752 585050. Smeaton’s Tower, Plymouth, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm. from Darting
aid: “With “Water is a vital part of the global economy. It’s wealth and means. location and in the studio. manufacture what we make in different ways. SUNDAY JUNE 21 TUESDAY JUNE 23 FRIDAY JUNE 26 ton, North D
lated rural an issue that everyone needs to be aware of. “And coming here, I learned a lot of things Daily performances start tomorrow and “Art can be made out of anything. There’s no Interdisciplinary artist Dan Faberoff is involved A camera obscura in Devonport, Plymouth, is Guest Helen Snell, a paper artist, will be Monday, Jun
here most of Without water the economy of Plymouth would about Smeaton’s Tower. Essentially, it’s a light- include film documentaries at the University of right or wrong about art-making. It’s exciting. It’s in a performance that highlights the architecture part of a multi-site performance in different involved in the performance to highlight the Land’s End t
provided by not exist. house on The Hoe and on some level you don’t Plymouth and a show at the Barbican Theatre. a chance to play. In the end that’s what we’re of the Great Barn at Buckland Abbey, home of locations. Every half an hour, a small audience iconic status of the Mayflower Steps. Scotland. Th
promotion of “One of the things that I believe as a site specific really need to know more than that... but I did The theatre’s artistic director Mark Laville said doing. That’s what creativity is. It’s play.” Sir Francis Drake, the man who brought fresh inside the camera obscura in Seymour House Pilgrims Point, The Barbican, 12pm, 1pm their final d
makes good artist is that on some level the site is just the find out that the design of it became copied for all they were really excited about Liquid Land- water to Plymouth, and now National Trust. will be able to see the dancers some distance In the evening you can see TaskForce Remixed lunchtime.
environment starting point. You can see the site in a new way, other lighthouses. scapes. G For more information on the performances, see Buckland Abbey, Yelverton at 1.30pm and 3.30pm. away. Performances are every 30 minutes. at The Barbican Theatre at 8pm. Tickets £5
y. even if it’s a site you know very well. “Some place I approach the work visually, and “Stephan Koplowitz is going to shake-up the The drivers
panel (right) or visit www.dartington.org/arts/ Free parking but normal National Trust admissions Seymour House, Mount Wise, between 3pm and (concessions £3). 01752 585050.
e success of “It’s not my motivation to create something in some place historically. Every site calls upon city, bringing pioneering public dance to the day but once
taskforce where you can see video footage of apply (£4.20 adults, £2.10 children, NT members 6pm. You must reserve the free tickets online at SATURDAY/SUNDAY JUNE 27/28
will catalyse new from the place that I’m at. I have the site give different levels of research. I get a real sense of a streets and people of Plymouth,” he said. “We tination, the
rehearsals. Liquid Landscapes is part of Plymouth free). www.dartington.org/taskforce. The week ends with a unique promenade tour of
rest of the me my instructions. Some sites do that with their city from walking around. expect big crowds and lots of buzz throughout the return journe
Summer Festival, Dance-ing Devon and Respond!, MONDAY JUNE 22 WEDNESDAY JUNE 24 Tinside Lido on the Hoe.
history. “Plymouth reminds me of some towns in Long city.” an RSA initiative to highlight the arts’ engagement There will be a screening of two original dance TaskForce moves into Plymouth City Centre 6pm on both days. The group
Council “I did that with the Great Barn at Buckland Island which is near New York City with its Stephan says he loves to do site-specific work, with environmental issues. £260,000 ove
006 to create £220,000 ha
on footprint. Hospice Sout

45. PERFORMANCE WEEK
Stephan Koplowitz: TaskForce performances started
on Saturday, June 19 and ended nine days later on
Sunday, June 27th

46. First Day of Performances: Saturday, June 19,
Dartington Tiltyard, at 3:30pm and 5:30pm

48. Tiltyard Performance, Section ONE

49. Tiltyard Performance, Section TWO

51. Tiltyard performance, Section THREE

53. Dance artists from King Edward VI Community College, Anders Duckworth and University College Falmouth - Emma Bass, Joni
Brown, Meghan Carney, Emma Hurman , Nicola Langley, Josephine McCourt, Louise Moxhay, Minou Polleros, Christel Preux, Sarah
Stone and guest performing artist Malaika Sarco-Thomas

54. Second day, Sunday, June 21st, Buckland Abbey: The Great Barn
A collaboration with video artist Dan Farberoff
Jonathan Cummins of the
National Trust introducing
Stephan Koplowitz at
Buckland Abbey

64. Third day of performances,
TASKFORCE FILMS and reception @
The Jill Craigie Cinema

65. Fourth Day, Performances with the Camera Obscura at Seymour House: continuously
from 3pm to 6pm, Tuesday, June 22 - Audience members were invited to experience
eight different sites throughout Plymouth at 30 minute intervals from inside the perspective
of the camera obscura. In Collaboration with guest artitst, Jo McCaren, Director of the
Camera Obscura at Seymour House

66. Outside, on the grounds of Seymour House

67. Inside, the view from the camera obscura

68. SEYMOUR HOUSE-In Text
front of the Eco Build
House
Lauren Davey

69. The Redoubt
adjacent to Seymour
House

73. LOWER GRASS
EMBANKMENT
Rachel Sweeney
MAYFLOWER MARINA
Emily Dobson

76. Plymouth Youth
Dance featuring Amie
Lord, Rebecca Walker
SCOTT MEMORIAL and Kane Mills
Zuzana Wallnerova & Gemma Ward

78. Fifth Day, Armada Way, Wednesday, June 23,
2009: TaskForce performs two 55 minutes
performance works at 1pm and 5pm through the
heart of Plymouth

84. Stephan Koplowitz and Gordon Sparks (BBC
Morning radio host), at the Armada Way
performance

89. Sixth Day, Smeaton’s Tower:
Thursday, June 24, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm
A collaboration with visual artist Ella Huhne

97. Seventh Day, Mayflower Steps,
Friday June 26: 12pm and 1pm
A collaboration with visual
artist Helen Snell

108. Sixth Day, Barbican Theater,
Friday, June 26, 8pm: TaskForce
ReMixed, Improvisational Concert
a unique opportunity to be introduced to the site-art
creative process of TaskForce during the creation of Liquid Landscapes

113. Seventh and Eighth Day, TINSIDE LIDO
Saturday 27& Sunday 28 June, 6pm

114. Tinside Lido, Section ONE

119. Tinside Lido, Section TWO

121. Tinside Lido, Section THREE

128. TASKFORCE DANCERS

129. Philine Janssens,
BE (Belgium)

130. Rosalind Noctor, UK

131. Ezekiel Oliveira, PT (Portugal)

132. Megan Saunders, UK

133. Caitlin Smith, UK

134. Kylie Sudds, UK

135. Kevin Williamson, USA

136. Alexandria Yalj, USA

138. Over 3,000 people witnessed Dartington's free public dance performances
Over 3,000 people experienced one or more of the nine events that made up Stephan Koplowitz: TaskForce Liquid
Landscapes, which took place in eight historic sites across Plymouth and beyond, bringing free public dance to audiences
and locations that had never before seen the like.
“Absolutely outstanding. Very interesting, loved every minute of it. Especially when they jumped up the lighthouse, it
was very fluid.” Jake, Plymouth
The 16 performances at eight different sites, all linked by the theme of water, took place from Saturday June 20 to
Sunday June 28 and included events at Smeaton’s Tower, the Mayflower Steps, the Camera Obscura at Seymour House in
Devonport, Armada Way and The Barbican Theatre, along with nearby Dartington Hall gardens and Buckland Abbey –
culminating in a collaborative weekend performance at the Tinside Lido.
“I am very inspired and touched at the movement of the dance. Loved it”. Declan, Plymouth
“The gardens and tiltyard continue to provide surprises for performance even after 70 years! Evocative and beautiful”
Jane, Totnes
“Really cool and funky. Very different and unusual choreography. Liked the lifts and how the dancers connected with
power and emotion.” Bianca, Plympton
David Francis, Director of Arts at Dartington said “Dartington really enjoyed working with Stephan Koplowitz and his
company TaskForce on Liquid Landscapes, which changed the way we experience familiar surroundings throughout the
region. The work was hugely successful and it was fantastic to see such a warm and positive response from the people of
Devon and Plymouth. Dartington will build on the success of this project by bringing pioneering creative work to more
and more people.”
To see film footage taken throughout the event, find out more information and see images please go to
www.dartington.org/taskforce

139. STEPHAN KOPLOWITZ is an award winning HUGH NANKIVELL has worked with the ROH, LARA LLOYD is currently Producer of
director/choreographer/media artist internationally Halle and Opera North. He has been Live Art at Dartington. Prior to her current
known for his work on the concert stage and for commissioned as artist in residence for post she worked for the Rebecca
creating original site-specific multi-media works for Dartmoor National Park, Hidden Cities, & Hossack Gallery, the British Council and
architecturally significant sites. His site work aims ‘Ocean’ for the Barbican Theatre Plymouth. He Visiting Arts - the national agency
to alter people’s perspectives of place, site, and helped form theatre company ‘Blazing Tales’, dedicated to strengthening intercultural
scale, all infused with a sense of the human consulted for a Anglo-Chinese project in understanding through the arts.
condition. Since 1980 he has created 60 works and Morecambe, led workshops for Sage
has been awarded 42 commissions. A 2004 Alpert Gateshead. He is currently researching creativity GORAV KALYAN is a LA-based film
Award in the Arts (Dance), a 2003 Guggenheim with 3-year-olds in Tokyo and Torquay, director and cinematographer. His
Fellowship in Choreography in addition to a 2000 arranging British performances of Whaletone short film, “After the Funeral,” was an
New York Dance and Performance Award, “Bessie” Opera, www.whaletone.co.uk and inventing an official selection at the 2007 AFI Fest
for “Sustained Achievement” in Choreography. In audio walk project searching for pianos with and 2008 Black & White Film Festival
1996, his site-specific work Genesis Canyon theatre director Wils Wilson in Porto, Portugal. Gorav is a
commissioned by the Dance Umbrella Festival, for www.keystothesea.co.uk “In my teens I Philosophy graduate and is currently
the Natural History Museum in London won Time discovered Bach and Oscar Peterson, composed pursuing his Masters in Fine Arts in
Out Magazine’s Award for “Best Dance Production the music for Milton Keynes’ Concrete Cows, Film Directing at CalArts
of 1996”. He has created site-specific works for played in rock and jazz bands in Birmingham CLAIR BECKETT trained at Middlesex
NY’s Lincoln Center (2001), the internet based and spent three months busking in Europe. In University gaining a BA Honors Degree
Webbed Feats NY’s Bryant Park (1997), the British my twenties I did a music degree, played three in Dance Performance. She’s danced
Library (1998), a coal processing plant in Essen, summers at the Edinburgh Festival, became with Cloud Dance Company and
Germany (1999), the windows of Grand Central Musician-in-Residence for Tyne and Wear performed in venues including Sadlers
Terminal. In 2007, he was commissioned by Museums, visited Korea and Japan and helped Wells, Arts Depot and The Place. Clair
Summers Stages Dance to create a site-specific set up Sound Sense.” is now a Community Dance
work for the newly opened Institute for Practitioner with Attik.
Contemporary Art (ICA) in Boston. The work,
(iseea), was named one of the best dance EZEKIEL OLIVEIRA is originally from Lisbon
productions of 2007 by the Boston Globe. After where he studied New Circus and Performing PHILINE JANSSENS trained in
working and living in New York City for 23 years, Arts. Since graduating from London contemporary dance and ballet. She
Koplowitz, in 2006 accepted the position of dean of Contemporary Dance School he’s performed for recently worked for Stijn Celis at the
Dance at the California Institute of the Arts. Hofesh Shechter, Tamsin Fitzgerald and John Vlaamse Opera (Antwerp) and with
Fulljames. Yasmeen Godder in Jaffa (Tel Aviv).
She was recently commissioned as a
choreographer for the Place Prize
ROSALIND NOCTOR studied at Bird College and CAITLIN SMITH trained at the Laban Centre
2008.
London Contemporary Dance School. She has London. She has worked with companies
danced and toured with companies Evolving including 103 Falling Birds, KYLIE SUDDS trained at The Northern
Motion, Sara Crow & Co, Nu Tempo Dance and Theater der Klaenge, IPDancers and Diversity School of Contemporary Dance and The
Darkin Ensemble, performing in Europe, Brazil and Dance. She choreographed dance theatre piece Rotterdam Dance Academy, She recently
Singapore. Breakpoint last year. co-founded her own dance company Ten
in Paris.
MEGAN SAUNDERS graduated from Laban. ALEXANDRIA YALJ has been dancing since she
KEVIN WILLIAMSON graduated from UCLA’s
She’s worked with choreographers Allison Brown, could walk, but only began formal training while
Department of World Arts and Cultures in 2004.
Miguel Pereira, Lost Dog and Rosemary Butcher. attending Montclair State University. Before
Since he has performed for David Gordon, Julie
She currently works as an animateur for Richard graduating with a BFA in dance she studied dance
Taymor, Angelin Preljocaj, Sebastian Prantl, Kate
Alston Dance Company and iceandfire theatre. as well as social science at Middlesex University in
Hutter, Fatima Robinson, Ryan Heffington and
the United Kingdom, in 2007 she received her MFA
Maria Gillespie in Los Angeles, New York City and
in choreography from CalArts . Alexandria was a
Vienna. Kevin was a member of TaskForce in
member of TaskForce in California in 2008.
California in 2008.

140. STEPHAN KOPLOWITZ: TASKFORCE
Liquid Landscapes
CONCEIVED, DIRECTED & PRODUCED BY
Stephan Koplowitz
ORIGINAL MUSIC BY
Hugh Nankivell
CHOREOGRAPHY BY
Stephan Koplowitz
IN COLLABORATION WITH THE
TASKFORCE PERFORMERS
TASKFORCE COMPANY
Philine Janssens, Rosalind Noctor, Ezekiel
Oliveira, Megan Saunders, Caitlin Smith, Kylie
Sudds, Alexandria Yalj, Kevin Williamson
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
Lara Lloyd
SOUND DESIGN
Luke Robinson & Tom McCaren
VIDEOGRAPHER
Gorav Kalyan
REHEARSAL DIRECTOR
Clair Beckett

141. Technical Manager: Ninian Harding
Assistant Production Manager- Danielle Rose
Production Assistants: Bryony Devine, Lauren Davey,
Chris Hines
Guides: Monica Yunnie, Mandy Flannery, Kaye
Payton-Wright & Rosemary Hardman
Stephan Koplowitz: TaskForce would like to thank
Vaughan Lindsay, CEO of the Dartington Hall Trust,
Steven Lavine, President of the California Institute of the
Arts and Bill Lowman, President Idyllwild Arts for their
vision, trust and support; AND to Ruth Way & Adam
Benjamin for the use of their beautiful dance studio at
the University of Plymouth & for their partnership along
with Mark and Jules Laville for their partnership and co-
presenting TaskForce at the Barbican. Sincere thanks
also to Simon Ible and Peninsula Arts for presenting
TaskForce at the Jill Craigie Cinema and co-presenting
the Re-Mix concert at the Barbican Theater: Kevin
Thomas and Sarah Flanagan at Plymouth City Council
for their support of this project and particularly for
hosting us and granting permissions to perform at
Tineside Lido;

142. Kevin Heathorn, BBC Big Screen Producer (Plymouth) for his
enthusiasm and support: Jonathan Cummins for his interest and
enthusiasm in this project and for making it possible for us to
perform in the Great Barn: all the National Trust staff at Buckland
Abbey & their volunteers for their support; Jo Clarke at the City
Museum & Art Gallery, Mike Kestler and Tony at Plymouth City
Harbour Office for granting permission to perform at the
Mayflower Steps: Jo McCaren at Seymour House for her
partnership and support: Sally Robbins & Attik Dance for their
support: Graham Gammin, Neil Dyer and all the gardens team at
Dartington for their support of the creation of our work: Susanne
Thomas and Malaika Sarco-Thomas for their invaluable support
and co-ordination of UCF and KEVICC dancers at Dartington;
David Francis, Director of Arts at Dartington for energetic
support; Gavin Henderson for his faith in the TaskForce concept
from day one, and Peter Boyden for his support. Tim Dollimore
for advise and support on film production and John Sanford for
securing the loan of vital video equipment: Danielle Rose, Colin
Orr, Katrina Hurford, Louise Bennett and the rest of the staff at
Dartington for their invaluable work and support on this project
and John and Lillian Lovelace for their generosity and vision.

143. Photographs in this presentation are
©2009 by
Kevin Clifford & Stephan Koplowitz
with ©2009 and ©2008 Peter Griffiths and Scott Groller
Photo presentation
2009 ©Kop Art, Inc./Stephan Koplowitz

144. Stephan Koplowitz: TASKFORCE
will perform in a third location in
2010
Check www.koplowitzprojects.com
or write to: skoplowitz@gmail.com
for details
For more information about
TaskForce UK:
http://www.dartington.org/arts/
taskforce

145. For information about Stephan Koplowitz Projects
please write to:
skoplowitz@gmail.com

146. Stephan Koplowitz: TaskForce is a
three-year project which began in
California in 2008. It has been
specially commissioned and funded
by the Transatlantic Arts Consortium,
a collaboration between The
Dartington Hall Trust, CalArts and
Idyllwild Arts

150. www.koplowitzprojects.com