BUZZ Dance Theatre

What kind of treasure do you look for in a dancer? 

"Somebody who can tell a story. It is not about how high they can kick their leg!" Cadi McCarthy, Artistic director of BUZZ Dance Theatre.

In the current issue of BIG we interview the artistic director of Buzz Dance Theatre, Cadi McCarthy who is now days away from giving birth to 'twins' - one a real live baby and the other a new dance production called "Fragile". The BIG boys - senior ed and his sidekick - will be at the Perth opening on Saturday night and are looking forward to the puppetry and animation aspect of the dance. Fragile deals with issues of bullying and how game play can help to find a positive way forward and features dancer Peter Fares who shares a bit of his BIG life as a dancer here:

Peter Fares, photo by James Welsby

First ever dance? Breakdance/hip hop routine in the middle of a Wildcats (Basketball) game in front of a huge crowd!

When did you know you wanted to be a dancer? I was in year 10 at Rossmoyne Senior High School and saw all kids having heaps of fun. Charise Parnell used to have session for boys at lunchtime and we ended up performing what we made.  Then I did one year of Business at uni while dancing with Steps Youth Dance Company before moving to study dance at WAAPA.

If you could grow up again and be something different what would it be? A visual artist even though I am really bad at drawing!

How do you manage your Dancing days? I am very good with how I plan my lifestyle as a dancer. I always make time to do my own thing. Lots of dancers keep their mind on dance 24/7 but I back away for a bit and enjoy the holidays!

What do you treasure most in your life? Friends and family and especially my mum.

See Peter perform in Fragile from June 16. We can't wait!

Bravery is being a strong person in your mind.

Imagination is experience.

Generosity is love. 

SUBSCRIBE to BIG Kids Magazine - Featuring kids and artists side by side!

Dub Leffler shares a secret story in the making!

We think Dub Leffler is one of Australia's most inspired writer/illustrator/artists. A BIG claim indeed! When the wonderful team at Magabala books (the oldest independent Indigenous publishing house in Australia and most remote in the world!) sent us the early release of his book Once There Was a Boy, it was love at first sight. Tha Thump. When senior editor Luca (now age 9!) took it into his class the next day it received rave reviews with his teacher saying it was the best book she had read 'forever'. When Lilly read it to Twyla (age 3) after meeting Dub at the launch in Sydney, her response was  'Hey mum they have different colours on them and they love each other".  It is a book of great beauty and sensitivity and an unforgettable story of love so much needed in the world. Dub was one of thirteen children and is descended from the Bigambul and Mandandanji people of south-west Queensland. After receiving accolades from near and far including the Bologna book fair Dub is busy working on a new book and most wonderfully he contributed an original and responsive version of his secret work in process for the Treasure pages. Shhhhh....

The Magician and the Magical Fish 

The only Photograph of Hans Fanta in existence! by Dub Leffler   

Once, while floating,

Looking down into the sea …

I saw,

Sitting on the sea bed,

A Magical man with a strange hat on his head …

Smiling up at me …

He held in his hands a gold, sparkling fish …

And painted on its scales …

A Treasure Map …

OH! Then SWISHHH!!

Went the fish and shed all its scales,

And the Magical man let go of its tail!

Darting away, did the fish followed by that

Mystical enchanter …

His name,

The Magician,

Hans …

Hans Fanta.

Side by Side. Brothers Tom and James

Tom and James are brothers who have been working side by side since the beginning of their lives. James was born in 1977 and Tom was born in 1981 with Downs Syndrome. We are thrilled to have their collaborative work in the pages of the upcoming Treasure Maps edition of BIG Kids Magazine due to be launched April 1st. If you have not yet subscribed you can pre-purchase your copy HERE. 

 James tells us a little bit about their extraordinary shared practice:

Once we start drawing together it is a simultaneous work, reaching over each other, we often hand each other different pens or take over finishing shapes that the another has started. We are starting to learn each other's symbols and sometimes it feels like our set of codes is building into a strong language which we can both utilize across the page. We often make jokes while we draw. Tom will say what he has drawn and I'll respond to that, or i'll ask him what the drawing is about and he'll tell a great little story. I love this idea that he has a whole set of personal codes that an outsider can't necessarily see.

It wasn't until recently that we formalized the process of making works that were ready for exhibition. This was the first time we took our casual collaborative art making really seriously.

I like that Tom really loosens me up. Drawing all day as a career, I often get a bit tight in my work, so it's great to draw without thinking, to really free everything up. I think Tom really appreciates the encouragement and understanding he gets from it, he obviously loves creating things and is proud of the finished projects, but he has trouble starting major works by himself. I think I bring a bit of well needed discipline, so we can make large scale interesting work together. Tom gets on obsessive tangents and will draw one particular thing for a while whereas I'd rather he keep it moving. But we are both interested in obsession so I love that side of him also.

 I think we evenly pull the works in different directions.

 Visit Tom and James Draw to see more of their gorgeous side by side work and you can find out more about James and his diverse creative worlds here.

Acrylic, collage, pencil, ink and pen on paper. Tom&James 2011

 Tom&James 2011

Tom&James 2011

Conversations

Distance charged with sound and onset

I have counted all the way from me to you 

subtracted all the numbers

and our distance is the sum of zero 

(Jo Pollitt with Paea Leach and Anica Boulanger-Mashberg - from 'micro distance' 2009) 

Lilly's exhibition, Infinite Proximity opens tonight at Art2muse in Sydney. Meanwhile I am working in the studio on a solo that is accompanied by an exhibition of photographs taken by the dancer. We laugh and celebrate the long distance intersections, cross-fire and difference in our work. Lilly's micro 'conversations' artist book, and a glimpse of her exhibition work hanging in situ are below. 

Lisa Rodden hanging her work for the exhibition with Lilly's work on the right

Kids Art Exhibitions - Lilla a

1. Jean-Claude le Parisien, by Elia 9 years. 2. Paco Ray-Ban, by Jeff 39 years

These very fabulous robots from around the world feature in the latest exhibition now open on the gorgeous creative blog Lilla a, and we are very excited that the next exhibition will  be in collaboration with BIG Kids Magazine!

 1. R1 by Jaś (3,5), Antoni (6,5) and Mom. 2.Robot Brummi-Brum by Annika, 9years.

We first connected with Anna from Lilla a ("the small a") early in the BIG journey when we fell in love with this Bird House Exhibition, and her approach as a designer and mother to creating projects that can be done side by side with your children on their terms!

Bravery is being just a little bit scared
Imagination is a whole world
Generosity is the little hand giving you half of his last biscuit 

(Anna)

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