All Or Nothing Bring the Joy of Giant Swings to Post-Covid Scotland

Edinburgh's All or Nothing Aerial Dance Theatre, one of the UK's leading aerial dance companies, has announced the Scottish tour of their new outdoor, interactive and family focused production, The Swings.

The Swings is part breathtaking aerial duet, staged on a magnificent, larger than life, five-metre-high swing set, and part installation, where the audience are invited to have a swing whilst listening to a sound installation of memories evoked from childhood swinging.

As Scotland opens up for live performance The Swings will be performed at 23 outdoor venues the length and breadth of Scotland from Saturday 26 June 2021, in Lerwick, Shetland, to Wednesday 18 August 2021, for the Lochwinnoch Arts Festival. Outdoor venues include town, city and country parks and gardens, community centres, an old bowling green, a city centre public square, a rugby pitch, and a car park.

The Swings, staged using a giant swing set with two swings, is a 15-minute choreographed aerial dance duet performed at intervals throughout the day. Inspired by age old playground games and memories the playful dynamic between the two aerial artists is key. Using the long ropes and swing seats as their apparatus they begin by exploring this unfamiliar environment, swinging, and jumping off, climbing and hanging whichever way they can; their voices unable to contain their excitement. They gradually build the energy performing a range of stunning tricks, flipping, somersaulting, and tumbling, as they soar high above the socially distanced audience below.

Following every performance, audiences will be invited to have some time on the swings. As old and young experience the sheer joy of swinging they will be accompanied by a soundscape made up of memories, thoughts and feelings of being on a swing. Fragments of these conversations, from the company's friends, family, neighbours and colleagues, including three-year old Nancy and Gillian in her 70's, can be heard. Ideas of freedom, leisure, togetherness and shared space resonate most strongly with the circumstances we have all found ourselves in for more than a year.

The Swings, an interactive event for all the family, was conceived by All or Nothing Dance Aerial Theatre's Artistic Director, Jennifer Paterson, who has also directed the production with Nic Green. Jennifer Paterson collaborated with the performers, Chrissie Ardill, Claire Crook, Beverley Grant and Danuta Ramos, on the aerial choreography. This touring show has been designed by Becky Minto with sound design by Yas Clarke.

The Swings was originally commissioned by Imaginate's Family Encounters and the Merchant City Festival. It has been supported by The Work Room (Glasgow) and Macrobert, with National Lottery funding through Creative Scotland's Touring Fund for Theatre and Dance.

Jennifer Paterson, Artistic Director of All or Nothing Aerial Dance Theatre, said: "The inspiration for The Swings came from spending time in a playpark as a mum, being around swings again and seeing how much joy they bring. Swings are so integral to your childhood. They are in almost every park. If you're lucky you have one in your garden, or maybe a rope swing on a tree. You hang about them as a teenager. The feeling of being on a swing and the excitement of building it up higher and higher never leaves you. It's such a visceral feeling - the air rushing past your face, the laughing, the rise and fall of your stomach. Will you jump off? How high can you go? What tricks can you do?"

Jaine Lumsden, Theatre Officer at Creative Scotland said: "Audiences across the country can look forward to All or Nothing's fun, inventive and multi-sensory circus experience touring to outdoor spaces this summer in partnership with some of Scotland's much loved theatres and festivals. This family friendly show is made possible thanks to the generosity of National Lottery players, who raise £30 million for good causes across the UK every week."

We all love being on a swing and we know you do too! Catch The Swings at an outdoor venue near you this summer. Watch All or Nothing's exceptional aerial performers then have a go yourself.

The Swings - Summer Tour 2021 Listings

A giant swing set, five metres high. Two oversized swings and two exceptional aerial artists. A 23 venue Scottish tour. An excited audience looking on, desperate to have a go.

Saturday 26 to Tuesday 29 June 2021

King George V Playpark, King Harald Street, Lerwick, Shetland ZE1 0EU

Performances at 12:00, 13:00, 14:00, 15:30

https://tickets.shetlandarts.org/sales/categories/dramadance/the-swings

Shetland Arts

https://www.shetlandarts.org/ 01595 745500

Saturday 03 July 2021

Outdoors at Prestonpans Community Centre, Preston Road, Prestonpans EH32 9QS

Performances at 12:00, 13:00, 14:00, 15:30

https://www.thebrunton.co.uk/en-GB/shows/the%20swings-%20performance/events

The Brunton

www.thebrunton.co.uk / 0131 653 524

Sunday 04 July 2021

Tweed Green, Peebles

See website for performance details

Eastgate Theatre & Arts Centre, Peebles, The Scottish Borders

https://eastgatearts.com/ 01721 725777

Monday 05 & Tuesday 06 July 2021

The Orangerie beside Restoration Yard

Dalkeith Country Park, Dalkeith, EH22 1ST

Performances at 12:00, 13:00, 14:00, 15:30

https://www.dalkeithcountrypark.co.uk/events/the-swings-at-dalkeith-country-park/

https://www.dalkeithcountrypark.co.uk

info@dalkeithcountrypark.co.uk / 0131 654 1666

Friday 09 to Sunday 11 July 2021

George Square, Glasgow G2 1DH

Merchant City Festival

See website for performance details

https://www.merchantcityfestival.com

Monday 12 & Tuesday 13 July 2021

The Bowling Green, 49 McCulloch Street, Pollokshields, Glasgow G41 1SU
Part of the Tramway Beyond Walls season

See website for performance details

https://www.tramway.org/projects/tramway-beyond-walls

info@tramway.org / 0845 330 3501

Friday 16 July 2021

Arts Building Lawn, 15 The Scores, St Andrews KY16 9AX

See website for performance details

Byre Theatre, University of St Andrews

https://byretheatre.com / byreboxoffice@st-andrews.ac.uk

Saturday 17 & Sunday 18 July 2021

MacRosty Park, Crieff - near the Victorian bandstand

See website for performance details

Strathearn Arts, Crieff

https://www.strathearnarts.org/whatson / 01764 655556

Wednesday 21 & Thursday 22 July 2021

New Galloway Park

Performances at 12:00, 13:00, 14:00, 15:30

CatStrand, High Street, New Galloway, Castle Douglas DG7 3RN

The Glenkens Community & Arts Trust (GCAT),

https://gcat.scot/event/the-swings/

https://gcat.scot/ 01644 420 374 / info@catstrand.com

Friday 23 July

The Bridge Car Park, Easterhouse

Platform Arts Centre, The Bridge, 1000 Westerhouse Road, Easterhouse, Glasgow, G34 9JW

Performances at 13:00, 14:00 & 15:30

https://www.platform-online.co.uk Box Office - 0141 276 9696 / 0141 276 9670

Saturday 24 July 2021

Front Lawn at Dean Castle Country Park, Dean Rd, Kilmarnock KA3 1XB

Performances at 12:00, 13:00, 14:00, 15:30

East Ayrshire Leisure

https://eastayrshireleisure.com/events/the-swings/

www.eastayrshireleisure.com / 01563 554900

Tuesday 27 July 2021

Top rugby pitch adjacent to the Barn, Banchory

The Barn, Burn O Bennie, Banchory AB31 5QA

Performances at 12:00, 13:00, 14:00, 15:30

https://thebarnarts.ticketsolve.com/shows/1173611988

https://www.thebarnarts.co.uk / 01330 825431

Wednesday 28 July 2021

In front of Moray Arts Centre, Field of Dreams, Findhorn, Forres IV36 3TA

See website for performance details

Universal Hall Promotions

https://universalhall.co.uk/ 01309 691170

Thursday 29 July 2021

Bellfield Park, Inverness IV2 4SZ

See website for performance details

Eden Court

https://eden-court.co.uk/ 01463 234234

Saturday 31 July & Sunday 01 August 2021

Lyth Arts Centre, Caithness

Performances at 11:00, 12:30, 14:00, 15.30

https://lytharts.org.uk/event/the-swings

www.lytharts.org.uk

01955 641434 / info@lytharts.org.uk

Wednesday 04 & Thursday 05 August 2021

Armadale Castle, Gardens and Museum of the Isles, Armadale Sleat, Isle of Skye IV45 8RS

See website for performance details

SEALL

https://www.seall.co.uk / 01470 844207 / info@seall.co.uk

Saturday 07 August 2021

The Nevis Centre Court, Nevis Centre, An Aird, Fort William PH33 6AN

See website for performance details

https://www.neviscentre.co.uk/ 01397 700707 / whatson@neviscentre.co.uk

Sunday 08 August 2021

The Rockfield Centre Carpark, The Rockfield Centre, Rockfield Road, Oban, Argyll PA34 5DQ

See website for performance details

The Rockfield Centre

https://www.therockfieldcentre.org.uk/ 01631 701231

Tuesday 10 August 2021

See website for location and performance details

Dunoon Burgh Hall

https://www.dunoonburghhall.org.uk/ 01369 701776 / info@dunoonburghhall.org.uk

Wednesday 11 August 2021

See website for location and performance details

Beacon Arts Centre, Custom House Quay, Greenock PA15 1HJ

https://www.beaconartscentre.co.uk/ 01475 723723 / info@beaconartscentre.co.uk

Thursday 12 August 2021

See website for location and performance details

MacRobert Arts Centre, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA

https://macrobertartscentre.org/ 01786 466666

Saturday 14 & Sunday 15 August 2021

See website for location and performance details

Govanhill International Festival, 99 Calder Street, Govanhill, Glasgow G42 7RA

https://www.govanhillbaths.com/ https://www.govanhillbaths.com/festival/ 0141 433 2999

Tuesday 17 & Wednesday 18 August 2021

School Event

Loch Barr Leisure Centre, 1 Newton of Barr, Lochwinnoch PA12 4JB

Lochwinnoch Arts Festival

https://www.whatsonrenfrewshire.co.uk/

All or Nothing Dance Theatre online

Website - https://www.aerialdance.co.uk

Learn more at https://www.aerialdance.co.uk/production/the-swings.

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