Last Dance

Baroque violinist Justin Grounds and contemporary dancer Inma Pavon undertook a five-week collaborative project called, ‘Last Dance’ with residents of the Clonakilty Community Hospital, exploring the famous ‘Chaconne in D minor’ for unaccompanied violin, by J.S.Bach.

 

Written in 1720 when Bach, then aged 35, returned home after two months travelling to find his beloved wife Maria Barbara had died and been buried, with no news sent to him – this striking piece of music, is a technically challenging musical journey for the violinist and a deeply rich experience for audience and performer alike. Recently discovered have been many hidden chorale tunes in the harmony, relating to themes of loss, death and resurrection.

The two artists delivered this explorative project over five sessions as part of the Arts for Health Partnership Programme, a programme that has supported Justin as Composer in Residence at the hospital for the past year. Arts for Health currently takes place in six hospitals and fives daycare centres in West Cork and is managed by staff at West Cork Arts Centre.

The project concluded on 12th December with a double bill of performances in two of the wards. Each of the live performances was designed so that all the residents could participate in their own ways. After the performance a hospital residence expressed, ‘This means so much to us, it means so much’ and the artists too agreed with the sentiment, ‘Such a transformative experience’

 

Timeframe

February – December 2018

Testimonies

“This means so much to us, it means so much”. (Hospital Resident)

“Such a transformative experience”. (Hospital Resident) 

“A participatory performance into the landscape of grief and loss, and how we can explore it through dance”. (Justin Grounds – Musician & Artist)