THE BRIDGE TO EVERYWHERE

A LIVE PERFORMANCE BETWEEN HAVANA AND MIAMI

The evening of 22 March 2016 in Miami at the New World Center and Soundscape Park in Miami Beach; at the Lightbox of Miami Light Project in Wynwood, Miami; and in Havana, Cuba! Directed and produced by StudioBiscoe, choreography and artistic advise by Jana Bitterova, visual art and systems engineering by StudioBiscoe.

Bridge to Everywhere : 234 is a contemporary telepresence theatre work that examines the cultural ties formed by immigrants between their adopted home and their place of origin; the links that are established virtually between these places and peoples through the Internet. The bridge to everywhere is a metaphor for the Internet and how – at least it should! – be able to connect the peoples of our planet wherever they might be. It can also be considered conceptually as a state of mind.

In the 234 incarnation of a Bridge to Everywhere (234 is the approximate number of miles between the venues in Havana and Miami) we attempt a performance that reflects the fact that the largest immigrant population in Miami is of Cuban origin. With this knowledge we will explore – despite many years of a barrier seemingly more insurmountable than pure geographic distance – a kindred spirit, mutual attraction and significant shared cultural memory between these two great cities.

EL PUENTE A TODAS PARTES

UN ESPECTÁCULO ENTRE LA HABANA Y MIAMI

22 de marzo – 2016, en el New World Center y el Soundscape Park de Miami Beach. También en el Lightbox de Miami Light Project en Wynwood, Miami y La Habana Cuba. Directed and produced by StudioBiscoe, coreografia and artistic advise by Jana Bitterova, visual art and systems engineering by StudioBiscoe.

El puente a todas partes: 234 es una puesta en escena de arte contemporáneo que examina los lazos culturales formados por inmigrantes entre su país de origen y su país ‘adoptivo’. Explora, los vínculos establecidos virtualmente entre estos lugares y personas a través del internet. Es una metáfora para como el internet (en el mejor de los casos) debería conectar a las personas de nuestro mundo, sin importar su ubicación. A nivel conceptual, podemos considerar que el puente a todas partes es una suerte de estado mental.

En la 234 puesta en escena de un puente a todas partes (234 es el número aproximado de millas entre los lugares de La Habana y Miami) intentamos realizar una representación que refleje el hecho de que la mayor población de inmigrantes en Miami es de origen cubano. A pesar de la existencia de una barrera infranqueable, que escapa a lo geográfico, queremos explorar un alma gemela, la atracción mutua y la memoria cultural compartida entre estas dos grandes ciudades.

A NETWORKED PERFORMANCE

The performance integrates live and prerecorded elements (computer graphics, paintings, sketches, video, etc.) with live video streams from Havana and Miami. The visual representations, founded in the architecture, cultural and social imagery of the locations, provides a graphical framework in which the performers from each location can meet and explore in a common virtual world, presented to the audience in Miami through a large scale projection on the side of the New World Center. This same visual feed is transmitted to the other venues so that performers in each location can see their individual roles in the performance integrated as a whole. The physically present performers, remote performers and computer generated audio/visuals combine to create a complex and layered virtual world that reveals itself to the audience in Soundscape Park and via feedback links to the venues in Havana and Miami.

UNA PERFORMANCE EN RED

Esta puesta en escena integra elementos en vivo y pregrabados (gráficos de computadora, pintura, sketches, video, etc) junto con video transmitido en vivo desde la Habana y Miami. Las representaciones visuales, basadas en la arquitectura e imaginario socio-cultural de cada sitio, nos dan un enfoque visual particular en el cual los artistas de cada lugar pueden conocer y explorar en un mundo virtual común. Esto se presenta a la audiencia en Miami a través de una proyección a gran escala en un espacio del New World Center. Esta misma transmisión se envía a los otros lugares para que los artistas, en su ubicación respectiva, puedan ver su participación individual en una performance integrada de manera conjunta. Los efectos de sonido y video así como los intérpretes presentes y los de participación remota se combinan para crear un complejo mundo virtual que se revela a la audiencia en el Soundscape Park, por medio de links hacia los eventos en Miami y La Habana.

MIAMI

Our venue in Miami Beach is the New World Center, designed by Frank Gehry (Gehry Partners), opened in 2011 and home to the New World Symphony, America’s Orchestral Academy.

The performance will use the 7,000 square-foot Wallcast projection system that covers a sizeable part of the east facade of the New World Center. The audience, located in adjoining Soundscape Park, will be witness to a unique virtual meeting of performers (dancers and musicians) from two great cities together with live dancers and a 160-channel sound system.

A few miles west of Miami Beach, in the Wynwood district of Miami, is our second venue for this networked performance in Florida, The Lightbox at Goldman Warehouse, home of the Miami Light Project.

MIAMI PERFORMERS / TEAM

On the stage in Soundscape Park and on the Wallcast of the New World Center in Miami Beach:

Liony Garcia – Dancer
Alejandro Ransoli – Dancer
Samantha Pazos – Dancer
Ivonne Batanero – Dancer

Choreographed by Jana Bitterova.

In the Lightbox of Miami Light Project in the Wynwood district of Miami:

Dennys Papacho Savon – Drummer
Eduardo Rodriguez – Drummer

Additional Music by: Nacional Electrónica and Andrew Yeomanson / Spam Allstars.

Isis Blanco (Lighting), Eventz Paul (Sound/Video), Kristina Villaverde (Technical Director).

MIAMI

El lugar del evento en Miami es el New World Center, diseñado por Frank Gehry (Gehry Partners), inaugurado en 2011 y hogar del New World Symphony, America’s Orchestral Academy.

Esta performance utilizara los 7,000 pies cuadrados del sistema de proyección Wallcast que cubre gran parte de la fachada este del New World Center. El público, que se encontrará contiguo al Soundscape Park, será testigo de un encuentro virtual único entre interpretes (bailarines y músicos) de dos grandes ciudades con actuaciones en vivo y un sistema de sonido de 160 canales.

A pocas millas al oeste de Miami Beach, en el distrito de Wynwood, se ubicará nuestro segundo venue para nuestro evento en Florida. The lightbox en el Goldman Warehouse, hogar del Miami Light Project.

MIAMI PERFORMERS / EQUIPO

On the stage in Soundscape Park and on the Wallcast of the New World Center in Miami Beach:

Liony Garcia – Dancer
Alejandro Ransoli – Dancer
Samantha Pazos – Dancer
Ivonne Batanero – Dancer

Coreografia by Jana Bitterova.

In the Lightbox of Miami Light Project in the Wynwood district of Miami:

Dennys Papacho Savon – Drummer
Eduardo Rodriguez – Drummer

Additional Music by: Nacional Electrónica and Andrew Yeomanson / Spam Allstars

Isis Blanco (Lighting), Eventz Paul (Sound/Video), Kristina Villaverde (Technical Director).

HAVANA

Havana, Cuba.

HAVANA PERFORMERS / TEAM

Performing in our Havana venue:

Dancers of the Rosario Cardenas Company

Claudia Lorena Rodríguez
Yanet Garau Rodríguez
Daniel Belcourt Valdés
Luis Angel Delgado Gómez

Choreographed by Jana Bitterova with the kind support of Rosario Cardenas Prieto (Artistic & General Manager), Ismael S. Albelo Oti (Manager), Ana Isabel Matos Hernández (Assistant), Nancy Judith Sosa Zayas (Assistant) and Ramón Alberto Calzadilla Blanco (Assistant) of the Rosario Cardenas Company. Alexis de la O of Nacional Electronica. Local production and technical support by Marcel Márquez Martínez and Laura Araño Arencibia. Pavel, Gabriel & Wilfredo (Performance Support).

LA HABANA

La Habana, Cuba.

HAVANA PERFORMERS / EQUIPO

Performing in our Havana venue:

Dancers of the Rosario Cardenas Company

Claudia Lorena Rodríguez
Yanet Garau Rodríguez
Daniel Belcourt Valdés
Luis Angel Delgado Gómez

Choreographed by Jana Bitterova with the kind support of Rosario Cardenas Prieto (Artistic & General Manager), Ismael S. Albelo Oti (Manager), Ana Isabel Matos Hernández (Assistant), Nancy Judith Sosa Zayas (Assistant) and Ramón Alberto Calzadilla Blanco (Assistant) of the Rosario Cardenas Company. Alexis de la O of Nacional Electronica. Local production and technical support by Marcel Márquez Martínez and Laura Araño Arencibia. Pavel, Gabriel & Wilfredo (Performance Support).

PARTNERS

Justin Trieger – Director of New Media and Distance Education, New World Symphony

Beth Boone – Artistic & Executive Director, Miami Light Project

Kristina Villaverde – Technical Director & Facilities Manager, Miami Light Project

Terrence Brunn – Programs Manager, Miami Light Project

Rosario Cárdenas Prieto – Artistic & General Manager of Compañía Rosario Cárdenas

Marcel Márquez Martínez – Technical Operations, Artnet & Fixer, Havana

Laura Araño Arencibia – Communication and Production, Havana

Julio Ibarra – Assistant Vice President of Technology Augmented Research, Florida International University

Roberto Toledo – Director of Audio Services, New World Symphony

Emmanuel Blanco – National Laboratory of Electroacoustic Music, Cuba

Joelle Louise Orr – CopperBridge Foundation

Emma Smith – Jisc

Harry Follett – Manana Cuba

SOCIOS

Justin Trieger – Director of New Media and Distance Education, New World Symphony

Beth Boone – Artistic & Executive Director, Miami Light Project

Kristina Villaverde – Technical Director & Facilities Manager, Miami Light Project

Terrence Brunn – Programs Manager, Miami Light Project

Rosario Cárdenas Prieto – Artistic & General Manager of Compañía Rosario Cárdenas

Marcel Márquez Martínez – Technical Operations, Artnet & Fixer, Havana

Laura Araño Arencibia – Communication and Production, Havana

Julio Ibarra – Assistant Vice President of Technology Augmented Research, Florida International University

Roberto Toledo – Director of Audio Services, New World Symphony

Emmanuel Blanco – National Laboratory of Electroacoustic Music, Cuba

Joelle Louise Orr – CopperBridge Foundation

Emma Smith – Jisc

Harry Follett – Manana Cuba

SUPPORTERS

Without the kind and considerable help of many organisations this project would not be possible. Networked performances are impossible without a strong collaboration between artists, technologists and producers, often in multiple countries and by many who have never met or worked together before! The following organisations have provided funding, venues, advice or equipment to enable The Bridge to Everywhere 234:

New World Symphony – America’s Orchestral Academy

Miami Light Project – Supporting contemporary art in Miami

Compañía Rosario Cárdenas – company of dancers performing in Cuba

Florida International University – Miami’s first and only public research university

Manana Cuba – Cuba’s first electronic music festival 4-6 May 2016 in Santiago de Cuba

CopperBridge Foundation – Creating Dialogue Through the Arts

Falmouth University – The UK’s No.1 Arts University (Sunday Times League Table)

Jisc/JaNet – The UK’s academic network and digital services provider

Network Performing Arts Production Workshop – the conference for advanced networked performance

Polycom – helps organizations unleash the power of human collaboration

Verity Partners – global enablers of collaboration and innovation

Latin Percussion, Inc.- instruments for Dennys Papacho Savon

Gon Bops – instruments for Eduardo Rodriguez

SEGUIDORES

Este Proyecto no sería possible sin el gentil apoyo y la ayuda de disntintas organizaciones. Las performances transmitidas en línea no serían posibles sin la colaboración de un grupo de artistas, especialistas en tecnología, productores, generalmente ubicados en distintos países, que pueden nunca haber tenido la oportunidad de trabajar en el mismo lugar. Las siguientes organizaciones han financiado este proyecto, así como el equipo y los locales que hacen que “El puente a todas partes 234” sea posible.