Thank You Very Much

One of the UK’s leading disabled dance artists is back at CODA with new, ground-breaking work.

Claire Cunningham was first represented at the CODA festival in 2017 and 2021, and is now returning with a new work that represents a highlight in her artistic career.

She is today referred to as one of Britain’s most renowned choreographers. Cunningham creates powerful, ambitious works with rare honesty and humour.

To this date, she has created, produced and toured all over the world with works such as Mobile/Evolution, Menage A Trois, Guide Gods, Give Me a Reason to Live and The Way You Look (At Me) Tonight to great national and international acclaim.

In the choreographer’s latest work, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, Cunningham herself performs on stage with a large international cast of disabled artists.

The dancers explore the idea of ​​training/grooming through the lens of a number of world-famous artists to explore themes such as imitation and identity, acceptance and the challenges associated with this role.

– I loved Elvis as a singer, but I began to sort of rediscover him as a choreographer and be interested in how he’d moved, Cunningham explains in an interview with the National Theater Of Scotland.

The more Cunningham learned about him and his movement pattern, the more it resonated with herself.

– I noticed that Elvis had a kind of crip aesthetic that resonates with the way disabled bodies are perceived to move. What is perceived to be uncontrolled movement, movement that isn’t acceptable, even, she explains.

How does it feel to be a spectacle for the rest of the world, whether you want it or not? What does it mean to stage oneself? And when can you really be yourself?

– Cunningham is one of the most exciting, independent choreographers in her field. She brings to the Norwegian dance sector invaluable insight into dance created by and with disabled artists, and offers the audience a new way of discovering movement , says CODA festival director Stine Nilsen.

– We are very happy and grateful to be able to continue to support Claire’s artistic work.

“(..) A confirmation of looking past appearance and seeing each other for who they really are.”, (..) Made me see the wheelchair in my kitchen as a lover for the first time’’- audience feedback about Cunningham’s works Cunningham’s work.

The stage is set for a unique dance performance.

On behalf of Manchester International Festival, National Theatre of Scotland and Perth Festival in collaboration with tanzhaus nrw and Dance Umbrella. Produced by Manchester International Festival and National Theatre of Scotland in collaboration with Claire Cunningham Projects and Kunstenfestivaldesarts. The project has been supported by National Lottery through Creative Scotland.

The performance at CODA 2023 is presented in collaboration with ZAMEK Culture Center in Poznan, Poland, for the project ‘Obecność / Presence’. ‘Obecność / Presence’ is supported by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway Grants, provided through the EEA Grants.