Joan Clevillé Dance’s inaugural piece Plan B for Utopia heads to Scarborough’s Stephen Joseph Theatre

Scottish dance company Joan Clevillé Dance brings its highly acclaimed Plan B for Utopia to Scarborough’s Stephen Joseph Theatre next month.  

Featuring charismatic performers Solène Weinachter and John Kendall, and directed by Joan Clevillé, Plan B for Utopia explores the role that imagination and creativity can play as a catalyst for change in our personal and collective lives. Bringing together elements from dance, theatre and storytelling, the piece creates a space for reflection where audience and performers can come together to re-imagine the world. 

Supported by Creative Scotland, the creation of Plan B for Utopia emerged from Joan’s need to reconcile his artistic practice with questions about the current socio-political context. Born in Barcelona and currently based in Dundee, Scotland, Joan has been influenced by the crisis in Spain as well as the recent conversations about the political futures of Scotland, the UK, and the European Union. With this work, he wanted to create a piece that renders the gravity and complexity of global challenges into something manageable and less overwhelming.

Joan says: “Plan B for Utopia raises important questions about how we choose to live, both as individuals and communities. For me, it feels particularly relevant to share these questions with different audiences, especially at a time when we face huge challenges as a society.”

Plan B for Utopia has also been a hit within the dance sector and was selected for the 2016 industry showcases of British Dance Edition (featuring some of the most prominent dance companies in the UK) and, supported by Creative Scotland, the 2016 internationale tanzmesse, the world’s biggest contemporary dance industry event. In 2017 Plan B for Utopia was selected to be part of the prestigious Made in Scotland and British Council Showcases and has received invitations to venues in Poland, Germany and South America as a result.

Plan B for Utopia can be seen in the Round/McCarthy at the SJT at 7.45pm on Thursday 7 March. Tickets are priced from £10, and can be booked at the box office on 01723 370541 or via the website: www.sjt.uk.com