Full Stage Commission – Somnium

Fertile Ground is the North East of England’s repertory touring dance company. Dedicated to talent development and retention in the region, their aim is to nurture, challenge and inspire a new generation of dance artists. Founded in 2013 by Dora Frankel and co-directed by Malgorzata Dzierzon and Renaud Wiser since 2018, they work with emerging dancers and leading artists to develop, create and tour contemporary dance, with a focus on ensuring that people from socioeconomically challenged areas and groups can access workshops and performances.

Malgorzata Dzierzon is an Artistic Co-Director of Fertile Ground. As a dancer she performed internationally with ballet and contemporary dance companies prior to joining Rambert in 2006. Her choreographic work includes gallery and film commissions (Serpentine Gallery and Kettle’s Yard), large scale touring productions (Rambert), cross disciplinary site specific collaborations (New Movement Collective) and creations with students and graduates. She works with people of all ages and abilities teaching, choreographing and facilitating the development of their own creativity. Malgorzata is a Clore Cultural Leadership Programme Fellow and most recently was an Artist in Residence at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts.

Somnium is a new dance film by Malgorzata Dzierzon, where the creative process draws on our unique experiences of the surreal, dreamed and imagined.  At this time of extended confinement during the pandemic, many of us found ourselves sleeping and as such dreaming more. Somnium wants to capture and express our dreams – memories, anxieties and desires at this moment of change. The film will be a collaboration with filmmaker Filipe Alcada and can be watched online and in the future in theatres, as part of our new programme Myths and Dreams.

Malgorzata said “the Dance City Commission could not come at a better time for this film and for Fertile Ground. Following months of physical distancing and dreaming of dancing together, I hope that Somnium will be a way to re-connect our artists’ and audiences’ isolated, yet relatable experiences through movement and film.”