The image depicts a surreal scene with multiple instances of a woman - Claire Cunningham - using crutches, positioned among large, moss-covered rocks against an orange background. The woman is dressed in a white shirt and gray pants and is captured in various poses—sitting, crouching, and lying down. The scene has a dreamlike or surreal quality, with the repeated figure suggesting themes of struggle, endurance, or contemplation. The crutches add an element of vulnerability or difficulty navigating the rocky terrain. The vibrant orange background contrasts sharply with the earthy tones of the rocks and the muted colors of her clothing, adding to the surreal effect.
Image credit: Sven Hagolani

Claire Cunningham, one of the UK’s most acclaimed and internationally renowned disabled artists, presents the UK premiere of her new solo Songs of the Wayfarer in London this December.

Exploring identity and physicality in dance: Claire Cunningham’s unique artistic vision

Claire Cunningham is a performer and creator of multi-disciplinary performances based in Glasgow, Scotland. In October 2023, Claire joined the Inter-University Centre for Dance (HZT) in Berlin as the Einstein Professor of Choreography, Dance and Disability Arts.

Claire’s work is often rooted in the study of crip and disabled experience, practices of care and questioning societal ideas of knowledge and value. Crip is a political and cultural identity embraced by some disabled individuals.

She highlights the use/misuse of her crutches and the exploration of the potential of her own specific physicality with a conscious rejection of traditional dance techniques (developed for non-disabled bodies).

A self-identifying disabled artist, Claire’s work combines multiple art forms and her previous work ranges from the intimate solo show ME to the large ensemble work 12  made for Candoco Dance Company.

A journey reimagined: Claire Cunningham blends dance, song and personal history in Songs of the Wayfarer

The image shows a woman - Claire Cunningham - traversing a large field of boulders in a forested area. They appear to be carefully moving across the uneven rocks, using crutches for balance. The boulders are substantial, round, and covered in patches of moss or lichen, which adds texture to the scene. In the background, there is a dense forest with various shades of green, suggesting a lush, natural environment. The overall mood of the image conveys adventure and perhaps a sense of solitude or exploration in nature.
Image credit: Sven Hagolani

In this new piece, Claire Cunningham returns to the Lilian Baylis Studio to examine the act of journeying, drawing comparisons with the world of mountaineering and taking inspiration from Gustav Mahler’s Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen (Songs of a Wayfarer).

In the work, Claire also re-engages with her past as a classical singer by singing Mahler’s piece live to reframe our vision of journeying, craft, and outdoor encounter through a Crip lens.

Claire Cunningham said: “I am very excited to bring my new work, Songs of the Wayfarer, developed with the support of Sadler’s Wells, to London. It’s been a decade since I made and performed a solo and eight years since I last performed in the Lilian Baylis Studio.

“I’m really looking forward to the opportunity to connect with new audience members and those who have continued to follow my work as it, and I, have evolved over the years.

“Songs of the Wayfarer sees me navigating the two performance careers I have had in my life: as a singer and as a dancer, and it’s fascinating to me how these two skills and identities come together in this work. I look forward to folks joining me on that journey in December.

“I really love turning into this sort of four-legged creature. All the little places that you can wedge the crutch really right into a corner or into a crack. In Scotland, we’d say nooks and crannies. And I get so lost in that sort of play… when the ground really becomes… my companion.”

Booking tickets and accessibility information

Co-commissioned by Sadler’s Wells, Songs of the Wayfarer will take place at Lilian Baylis Studio, London, from Wednesday 4th to Friday 6th December 2024.

All three performances will include audio description, captions and BSL and will be relaxed performances. Tuesday 5th December will also include a touch tour.

Wednesday 4th December will also have a BSL-interpreted post-show talk with Claire Cunningham and Sadler’s Wells Associate Artistic Director Rob Jones.

Tickets are £17 and can be booked online at the Sadler’s Wells website or by phoning the box office at 020 7863 8000. For other accessibility information, visit the Access for All scheme page.

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