Olive Branch
Olive Branch
Olive Branch is a poetic tale of rediscovering the wonder and beauty that nature provides. Following the new and unusual friendship between two strangers, they quickly learn to overcome differences, despite miscommunications, by developing trust and acceptance, an alliance is formed to defend mother nature.
Olive Branch is a feel-good, funny and dynamic dance duet that intertwines contemporary dance with martial arts. Olive Branch is for children and families, made for the outdoors and perfect for schools. Choreographed by Laura Vanhulle and Oliver Robert Russell, the show is rooted around the themes of:
The importance of preserving green spaces
Neurodiversity and differences
Conflict resolution
Performed by Laura Vanhulle and Oliver Robert Russell
Music composed by Domenico Angarano
Dramaturg: Sue Buckmaster
Creative Producer: Adam Towndrow
Images City Of Wings Stefan Vanwildemeersch
Studio images by Simon Richardson
Outdoor Images and trailer by Marso Mickael Riviere
During the research and development, Laura and Oliver delivered workshops and shared extracts of Olive Branch to school children in and around the Fenlands and Swindon. We used the feedback we recieved to help inform the development of the show and to test it’s appeal to young people. We reached over 700 active participants and recieved an overwhelmingly positive response.
COSTUME DESIGN - Ecofriendly
BY KYLA LITTLE
When Oliver, Laura, and I first spoke about the costumes for Olive Branch, one of their key goals for the project was to ensure the thoughtful procurement of materials. This led me to research companies within the UK that have a green focus. A Kind Cloth, a UK based company, aims to be a part of the slow fashion movement, encouraging the choice of using sustainable eco-friendly fabrics. These fabrics have certifications to show they have met certain criteria to ascertain sustainability, such as they are non-toxic, recyclable, and can biodegrade. One of their many certifications, Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 ensures the fabrics do not contain any harmful substances that could harm you or anyone else. The eco-friendly materials purchased, such as organic cotton voile, recycled wooden buttons, amarante EcoVero™️ viscose crepe, and organic cotton double gauze, are all showcased in the final costume design. This choice in design brings awareness to audiences about the impact that sustainable fabric has, reducing the environmental footprint and supporting more ethical practices. As a costume designer early in my career, my aim is to continue to thoughtfully source my materials for future projects as well.
For more on A Kind Cloth, visit their website: https://akindcloth.co.uk/
Supported by Dance East, Swindon Dance, Creative Arts East, 20Twenty Productions, Babylon Arts and Arts Council England