photo shows a person with wearable video camera. On the wall in front of them, camera footage is projected showing a close up of a Alex's hands, touching tiny paper sailboats. She blows on the sailboats. The photo has been treated with a blue filter, creating an "underwater" feel to the image.

Photo by Anna Camilleri

FOLDA Livestream

livestreamed & recorded in 2020

In March 2020, the onset of a global pandemic toppled our plans to perform the original May I Take Your Arm? live at the FOLDA festival in June. The option to create a re-imagined digital piece for FOLDA was offered. With interdependence and multi-sensory experience at the centre of the work, we questioned how making this could be possible. This is what emerged.

In the previous iterations of May I Take Your Arm?, my main role was operating a camera, wirelessly connected to a projection system. As Alex navigated the environment, I shadowed her explorations. Sometimes 100 ft wide, the projection added another layer of liveness, revealing poetic abstractions and details of the space, and movements and textures within it.

For our June 2020 production, I filmed all the new footage in the neighbourhood and created video sequences that were live mixed into our show. I also operated the live camera in our adapted garage theatre for our livestream edition. The piece was re-worked to reflect the reality of the lockdown and how it affected the spirit of the show, with new writing, video, and audio elements.

For this production, I’ve helped with presentation of video documentation, and I’ve joined Anna’s book making project.

- Katie Yealland

Co-Creator, Live Video Animation