CLOUD STUDY

Cloud Study is part dance, part dream, part theatre, part athletics. Two compelling dancers - Mufutau Yusuf, an Irishman, born in Nigeria and Salma Ataya, a Palestinian contemporary dancer who has also danced Dabka - attempt to run 1,000 kilometres in circles and lines through the space, chasing dreams, memories, and home. John Scott, creator of the stunning 'HYPERACTIVE' and award-winning migration themed 'Fall and Recover,' returns to the stage with a wild explosive running dance: running away, running in circles, which become turns and then falls. Each fall and run generates beautiful, frantic wild movements, lifts, wild shapes in the air. The specially created score by Northern Irish award-winning composer Ryan Vail features everyday sounds blended with voice and electronics culminating in huge orchestral textures, then dissolving into sparse piano. Cloud Study premiered at Galway International Arts Festival in July 2018, then ran at Smock Alley Theatre Dublin in November and at Dance Limerick in December.

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Choreography: John Scott

Dramaturg: Lucius Fromm

Assistant choreographer: Muirne Bloomer

Dancers: Salma Ataya and Mufutau Yusuf

Music: Ryan Vail

Lighting: Eric Wurtz

Sound: Barry Hehir

Costumes: Justine Doswell

PRESS REVIEWS

“Scott is bravely attempting to reposition modern dance in Ireland,

through his challenging themes and his captivating choreography."

Niamh Mongey, Headstuff

★ ★ ★ ★

“Less a case of cloud gazing so much as cloud bursting,
Cloud Study brings the thunder, delivering a downpour full of

powerful and mesmerising moments... Throughout, the chemistry

between Yusuf and Ataya is exquisite, as is their ownership of

the space, be they combative or cohering around

complementary or conflicting patterns."

Chris O'Rourke, The Arts Review

“It is a subtle and diverse new work that explores some interesting

topics.”

No More Workhorse

CLOUD STUDY EXCERPT
RIGHTS ON THE ROOFTOP

IMDT preesents an excerpt of Cloud Study, part of Rights on the Rooftop, a live showcase performance of theatre, poetry, song and dance – a personal reflection on equality and rights. Each performance is followed by a State of the Art post-show panel discussion with the key artists. Live performance and post-show panel discussion created as part of State of the Art: The Nation State as both Violator and Protector of Human Rights, funded by The Arts Council. Hosted by Smashing Times.

Friday 15 October, 3-4pm
Saturday 16 October, 3-4pm
Sunday 17 October, 3-4pm

Venue: Roof Garden, Chester Beatty, Dublin

Choreography: John Scott

Dancers: Vitor Bassi and Tobi Balogun

CLOUD STUDY
First Fortnight | 13-15th January 2022

Cloud Study uses the idea of clouds as a traveling, dreamy mass which floats above everything, witnessing, dissolving and carrying storms. Two compelling dancers: Mufutau Yusuf, an Irish man born in Nigeria and Salma Ataya, a Palestinian dancer, are running to somewhere or from something, speaking English, Arabic and Yorùbá, communicating with their bodies, hand signs and dance. Cloud Study is about witnessing and feeling rather than understanding. It is both hopeful and moving.

Originally commissioned by Galway International Arts Festival.

Choreography: John Scott

Assistant choreographer & costumes: Justine Doswell

Music: Ryan Vial

Lighting: Gearóid O Hallmhurain

based on original lighting by Eric Würtz

Chief LX: Jared Nadin

Dancers: Mufutau Yusuf and Vitor Bassi

Original Cast: Mufutau Yusuf and Salma Ataya

First Fortnight (More info)

Thu 13, Fri 14, Sat 15 January, 7pm

Smock Alley Boys School, Dublin

Book Tickets

Read the program

Watch the trailer:

Video edited by Luca Truffarelli

Cloud Study at La MaMa Moves! Dance Festival '22| 29th April- 1st May

John Scott Dance: Cloud Study

John Scott returns to La MaMa with Cloud Study. Called “powerful and mesmerizing” (The Arts Review), the work uses the idea of clouds as a traveling, dreamy mass that floats above everything, witnessing, dissolving, and carrying storms. Two compelling dancers: Mufutau Yusuf (who performed in Scott’s Fall and Recoverat La MaMa), an Irish dancer born in Nigeria and Taryn Griggs, are running to somewhere or from something, speaking English and Yorùbá, communicating with their bodies, hand signs, and dance.