Looking For A New Female Middle For ‘Lifted’

04 Dec Looking For A New Female Middle For ‘Lifted’

This position is from 2020 and now closed.

We are looking for a middle acrobalance performer to join us for our next outdoor tour of ‘Lifted’, a production created and first toured in 2019. Please help us spread the word far and wide!

ABOUT ‘LIFTED’: 

Lifted is a collection of funny, poetic and surprising moments, which explore in different ways what it means when one body is carried by another. Or when one person carries two people. Or when a person doesn’t want to be carried. Or when three people find the perfect balance. 

This captivating performance experiments with new approaches to Mimbre’s trademark acrobatics. Lifted mixes dance, theatre and circus to celebrate the expressions and impressions that appear when three strong women move, lift and balance each other. 

The show is a 30-minute self-contained family friendly performance, created for outdoor festivals, with minimal set and a cast of three performers, currently including Mimbre joint artistic director, Silvia Fratelli and Mimbre associate performer Freya Stokka as flyer and base respectively.

Timeline:  

+ From end of January 2021 till beginning of April 2021 there will be one week of full-time training, followed by a few weeks of regular training sessions, approximately three times a week (typically Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, in the daytime), with Silvia Fratelli and Freya Stokka. Training will take place at Fish Island Circus (Hackney Wick, London) or at National Centre for Circus Arts (Hoxton, London). There will be some weeks of rest and a degree of flexibility with other commitments. Training includes a variety of technical skills, some strength and conditioning and a weekly company Pilates class.
+ In April 2021 there will be two weeks of full-time re-rehearsal of the whole show: at the moment we have 19^th-23^rd April and 26^th-30^th April pencilled. Rehearsals will be in London.
+ Summer tour. The show will tour nationally and internationally from May until late September. Exact dates will be confirmed as the schedule is finalised. The tour base will be in London. We currently have 5 confirmed festivals and we’re expecting another 5-7 dates, and potentially more if things progressively get back to normal. Each festival can vary in length from one to four days. 
+ The company generally travels to gigs in Mimbre’s van except when flying somewhere further.

Please note: this is not a full time position, however we would require first priority on your availability for the gigs we have in the summer. If you’re considering applying, please outline what other commitments you have next year, and whether they can realistically be combined with this role.

Role 

We are looking for a female acrobalance middle.

We are a small, hard-working team and work collaboratively on all aspects of touring; the role will involve being hands on with any set-up or preparation for each show and general touring activities. This can include long drives in the van, usually rewarded by arriving at some of the most exciting outdoor theatre festivals in the UK and Europe with lovely and enthusiastic audiences. 

Mimbre is keen to work with performers from different backgrounds, and with different abilities and body shapes. We don’t define a strong skill-set as simply particular moves or techniques done to a high technical level; we are seeking performers who can strongly impress an audience with their skills and performance combined.

Essential attributes 

+ Experience as acrobalance middle (or background in sport acrobatics) 
+ Solid standing on shoulders, and able to base a flyer on shoulders
+ Identifying as a woman
+ A wish to explore acrobalance in an experimental and creative context 
+ Strong movement ability – could be in any style 
+ Comfortable in taking direction as well as contributing creative ideas and material 

Desirable attributes 

+ Experience in middling a three high
+ Experience of small-scale and/or outdoor touring 
+ Clean driving licence and happy to drive a van

Applicant requirements 

+ Must have the right to work in the UK including having Settled Status if EU citizen and hold a valid passport.
+ Must live in London for the duration of the contract.

Details 

+ This is a freelance contract 
+ All training sessions, rehearsals and touring are paid at above Equity/ITC Rates of Pay. Fees are at least £30 per training session, £530 per rehearsal week, and £220 per day, £330 per two days or £550 per week on tour with any additional travel days paid at £75 per day. 
+ We ask performers to keep a commitment to Mimbre for May – September 2021 as we book the summer tour and we then work with a system of first option and release dates to enable the performer to take other jobs alongside the tour. Please contact Lissy on info@mimbre.co.uk if you require more detail on Mimbre’s performer contract.
+ Per diems/food and accommodation will be covered on tour.
+ Mimbre take the wellbeing of their performers seriously. The performer will undergo a physical assessment with trained physiotherapists at the start of the rehearsal process to create a personalised training plan. All audition and training sessions, rehearsals and tour dates will be planned in a Covid-mitigated format, exact details to be finalised according the risk level at the time.

Audition process 

To apply please send your CV, a short paragraph outlining what other commitments you have next year and how they can be combined with this role, and a link to your showreel or other videos or images showing your acrobalance and performing skills to Silvia Fratelli at silvia@mimbre.co.uk by 10am, Monday 21^st December 2020.

We will invite selected applicants to an audition day at the beginning of January (date and other details TBC) by the end of the year.

If you would like to discuss the role ahead of your application, please contact Joint Artistic Director, Silvia Fratelli, on silvia@mimbre.co.uk

Thank you very much for your interest in this role!