BA (Hons) Fine Art / Performing Arts (De Montfort) MA Contemporary Arts (Nottingham Trent)

Daniel is a multi-disciplinary performance practitioner and artist, producing and participating in collaborative and solo performances, exhibitions and events.

Daniel’s main academic and artistic interests centre around the possibilities that forms of collaboration offer the creative theatre maker, focussing on techniques and processes of improvisation, and the unique contribution of the performer. His performance work has been concerned with the manipulation and orchestration of diverse but simple materials, elements or components to create a complex whole. Choreographic processes and techniques are used to manipulate material that may derive from a variety of textual, visual, and physical spontaneously conceived or finely crafted occurrences, actions or events. Contrasting sequences of material are performed within a structure that although allows spontaneity and interaction to occur ensures that the activity is confined, ordered and controlled within a performance form that echoes those of dance. Expression, emotion, character, narrative and other manifestations of theatricality are encouraged and displayed but rarely dominate. Meaning is suggested, but is never specific, never overt. The works are collaborative events. The nature of a piece ultimately depends on the nature of its participants, as will its final form depend on the nature of the situation regarding its conception.

Research

Daniel’s MA research project compared and explored the differing processes and outcomes resulting from contrasting devising contexts; that of the sole director or artist collaborating with a group of performers, and a devising group whereby each participant has equal status and role. This work has subsequently led to research and development regarding issues of authorial identity within devised performance, and the moral and ethical consequences and outcomes of collaboration and appropriation. Further research interests include the inter-relation of popular and avant-garde performance forms, the experimental generation, manipulation and application of non-dramatic texts within a performance context, and the creative potential of progressive performer / audience relations. This research has led to practice that is by necessity more conceptual in nature, and has been shown at live art events and festivals that act as both showcase and sounding board.  The work in this context actively encourages risk taking and live experimentation in order to provoke and gather the audience response (and possible participation) that it depends on. These works are naturally fluid and open ended. They are not productions of tried and tested commercial product, but rather practical presentations of work in progress, physical manifestations of an ongoing enquiry into the nature and potential of multidisciplinary practice.

Performance Work

2009: Yeah!  (Writer / Director / Performer) for Testing Ground at South Hill Park, Bracknell.

Diplomacy for HATCH at Nottdance Festival of Dance and Performance, Nottingham.

Liquor Vicar Bingo (Writer / Performer) for The Fete Encounter at LIFT Molten Festival, Barking.

Becoming a (Director) at the Robert Powell Theatre, Salford. Devised performance with HND Media Performance Students at Salford University.

Transcription (writer / performer) for Hatch Undercover at The Loggerheads, Nottingham.

2008: The Bear Baiting Bonanza (Writer and Performer) for Fete Encounter at Fierce Festival, Birmingham, The Whitstable Biennale, Watch This Space at the National Theatre, London and The Bristol Do 2008.

2007: Psychic Santa (Writer and Director) for Exit Here, Nottingham.

21st Century Bear Baiting Bonanza (Writer and Performer) for Fete Encounter at the Truck 10 Festival, Steventon, Oxfordshire.

2006: Life Line (Writer / Performer) as part of 3CYLINDERS at Erewash Museum, Ilkeston.

2004: Transcription (Writer / Performer) for Brain Jelly at UCE, Birmingham.

Life Line (Writer /Performer) In the Bath Fringe Festival 2004.

2003: Everyone needs a Flexible Friend (Devisor/Performer) with The Slum Group Performance Company at Derby Dance Centre.

2002: Hypertext II (Devisor / Performer) Phoenix Arts, Leicester
As part of the Made in Leicester Festival, a showcase event for
Leicester-based performance artists / companies.

Pitfalls (Devisor/Director) Victoria Studios, Nottingham Trent University,
and Dance 4 Studios, Preset, Nottingham, as part of the Showroom performance platform.

The Dan Show (Devisor / Performer, with Fat House Performance Company)
The Y Theatre, Leicester.

2001: Hyper-Text 1: I’ve Got Issues (Devisor / Performer, with Fat House Performance Company). In Asylum, The Ale Wagon, Leicester.

Stories and Tents (Writer and Performer) In The Fat House Cabaret, The Nags Head and Star, Leicester.

2000: Transactions (Writer and Performer) In The Fat House Cabaret, The Nags Head and Star, Leicester.

Space Lines (detail) (Devisor / Performer, with Fat House Performance Company). In Peepshow, The Custard Factory, Birmingham.

Exhibitions

2007: The Badge Project for Exit Here and Tether Festival, at the Tether Studios, Nottingham.

2006: Beneath
The Surface Gallery, Nottingham.

2004: Nottingham Contemporary Art Auction
Djanogly Art Gallery Nottingham.

Annual Open Exhibition 2004
The City Gallery, Leicester.

2003: Nottingham Contemporary Art Auction
Djanogly Art Gallery, Nottingham.

2002: Nottingham Contemporary Art Auction
Djanogly Art Gallery, Nottingham.

2001: Nottingham Open
Nottingham Castle Museum and Art Gallery.

2000: Nottingham Contemporary Art Auction 2000
Nottingham Castle Museum and Art Gallery.

2000: Annual Open Exhibition
The City Gallery, Leicester.