How Long is a Piece of String

How Long Is a Piece of String? is an interactive dance theatre work for children and families. Developed during COVID-19 (2020) it explores concepts of touch, friendship, and closeness. The two performers are costumed as String and Strong, characters who speak in a gibberish language and whose bodies (including faces and eyes) are covered in fringing. Only their hands, the place where they first connect to form their friendship, are recognizably human.

5.2 Method

The characters and story require a visual approach so drawings and sculptures of String and Strong were created to help communicate ideas. A written and illustrated score was developed that could be shared across the artistic team and understood by the dramaturg, performers, designer, and composer. A mood board allowed the sharing of images, videos and research for the creative team. Using ALBA Emoting (Beck, 2010) and Laban, the initial sketches of the characters were developed into a text and visual document which developed ideas for vocalizations and physical movements.

Online interactions were developed to include children and families in the design process during the COVID-19 pandemic (figure 12). The online interaction helped to shape the development of String and Strong’s characters and the way interactions are structured in the production. A private Facebook group was developed where children and parents could feedback on costumes colours, movement ideas, and possible interactions as well as hearing from the creatives involved.

The rehearsal process took place in venues where it would be performed to make connections with local families. The venues for the rehearsals were Dance City Newcastle, TIN Arts, Alnwick Playhouse and Hartlepool Town Hall. Rehearsals were opened in Hartlepool, Alnwick, TIN Arts, and Newcastle to invite children and families into the process and understand what they connect with and what the sticking points were. Workshops were held in Alnwick and Hartlepool for children and families to play and interact with String and Strong so that the characters could be developed to have strong resonance and affinity with children.

A walkabout performance, String and Strong’s Great Big Gameathon was developed which allowed the dancers to improvise with the characters of String and Strong and receive immediate feedback from myself and the children and families on what interactions worked and which needed further clarity.

Reflection with the artistic team was undertaken through the Most Significant Change Framework.


Performances: Alnwick Playhouse, Saltburn Theatre, Boro Hall, Dance City Newcastle, Theatre Hullabaloo, Queens Hall Hexham, Take Art Rural Tour Somerset, Royal Opera House, Gosforth Civic Theatre, Pyramids Arts Centre, Washington
Development residencies: Tin Arts (Durham), Hartlepool Town Hall, Dance City Newcastle, Dance City Sunderland, Alnwick Playhouse