Photo: Anthony Hopwood
A TRIP to Mexico to visit Frida Kahlo’s house was one of the elements that strengthened the dance show ‘Falling in Love with Frida’ for writer/ performer Caroline Bowditch. Coming to Dance Limerick in John’s Square on Friday September 11, this artist is disabled herself (wheelchair bound and with “fragile bones”) so the physicality and artistry to her work is impressive. It’s tender too.
“I spoke to Frida’s archivist who had handled her belongings and .. just to be around the sound, the smells, the colours of Mexico city was exciting”.
A long time back, Arts page visited this ‘Blue House’ which is a living museum. It is as homely and feminine as you could imagine this great painter’s to be, a rocking chair in the corner, knock-out art mixing with household things.
When the Australian Bowditch took her show as homage to Kahlo’s “life, loves and legacy” to Edinburgh Fringe last year, it packed out and stole the Herald Angel trophy. Bowditch underlines how Kahlo is hugely rated in the art world, her works fetching the highest price of any female artist. Madonna is a serious collector.
Back to stage work. The 55minute contemporary dance piece is accomplished with other performers, “a feisty Brazilian, a dancer from Brighton and myself, so we are quite a mix”. Imagery that influenced dance moves, then collaborative writing and a large creative team have moulded the process and “a lot of audiences have suggested that we are a good ensemble”.
She explores the sensual dimension to Frida Kahlo’s tumultuous life that was trammelled by injuries caused by a traffic accident in her teens: a bus that hit a trolley car. Although she had a churning marriage with Diego Rivera, “loves.. there were many others, men and women. I talk about that generally and I like to talk about universal topics. I feel everyone has an experience of love and I talk about hers and mine”.
This storytelling combines with music, watermelon, song and movement to create what is enchanting those who see it.
There’s a workshop on Saturday 12th from 2pm to 6pm with this inspirational and funny choreographer and co-performer Nicole Guarino.
See www.dancelimerick.ie and and it’sone of a dozen or so events that is making www.elementalfestival.com worthwhile
