It is festival season and that means that in the next month there is so many great comedy festivals to look forward to! This month we are looking at some of the great shows that you can see at the Edinburgh Fringe. So take note because we are going to give you all the information you need for just a handful of some of the great shows happening this year!

Negare

Location:  C ARTS / C Venues / C aquila – studio (Venue 21)

Dates: Aug 12th-18th, 20th-25th

Time: 14:40

Price: £11.00 Concessions £9.00

Ticket Link: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/negare

Hello! Tell us about yourself?

Hi, my name is Giovanni Zazzera, Artistic Director of the Z ART Dance company established in Luxembourg.

I trained at the Luxembourg Dance Conservatory and continued my studies in Brazil where I was asked to work for various companies. Since 2010, I performed regularly on the international and Luxembourg scenes. In 2013, I was awarded the Luxembourg Dance Prize and signed various creations such as SECRETS, QUAND LE SILENCE PARLE, “FLOWERS GROW EVEN IN THE SAND, and UNTIL YOU FALL, OUT OF RANGE, CHUUUT(e) & CREDERE, (DI)SPERARE, NEGARE a choreographic Tryptic that explores the states of human beliefs. I’m working on new creations such as “SOUS HYPNOSE” &“LABYRINTH”- planned for the upcoming season 2024/25.

Passionate, I’m actively involved in the cultural field and collaborate in and with various engagements and artists. My multidisciplinary artistic approach focuses on the body’s confidence, guided by its inherent energy, where images, movements, and emotions appear. Through connecting with the human being, my work explores the identity and authenticity of movement through the poetic in the absurd, social, emotional, and temporal subjects, materializing it in space and time.

Tell us all about your show!

‘NEGARE’ is a sensitive and intriguing piece about the journey of a character who perpetuates a need to observe himself and to feel observed to expose his identity to the gaze of others.

Exposing yourself in front of an audience takes courage, or sometimes simply creates a need to exist. In ‘NEGARE’, this body imposes itself seated on its throne surrounded by a golden carpet, quietly waiting with its carrot in hand for the arena to fill up so that it can finally exist and invite us into its intimate dialogue with itself and its search for identity.

Sometimes absurd, sometimes touching, Alexandre invites us to discover him and his authenticity.

How did you come up with the name of your show that your taking to the fringe?

Born out of a project on the subject of belief and the conditioning of human beliefs, the solo ‘NEGARE’, along with the duo ‘(di)SPERARE’ and the trio ‘CREDERE’, is part of a choreographic tryptic based on this universal theme.

“NEGARE”, Italian for “negation”, explores the theme of rejection and the constant questioning of ourselves and our true essence. Our identity is often shaped by our experiences, convictions, and beliefs. This solo thus engages an exchange on the need to believe that we believe in nothing, or perhaps on the idea that we don’t need to believe.

As the project evolved, it became a confrontational introspection, a battle of identity where oppositions and contradictions clash, with the aim of rediscovering, beneath the layers accumulated over time, the blank sheet of paper that defines us.

Coming from an Italian village, cradled by churches, family traditions, and social and political influences, the importance of faith is omnipresent. Although I’ve moved away from this environment, the imprints of my childhood are rooted in it, inspiring me to share the nuances of my experiences through this artistic triptych.

What other acts are you looking forward to seeing at the fringe?

The Fringe is such a specific festival, you can see so many different things!

Coming from a dance background which isn’t the most represented in the festival, it’s the perfect opportunity for me to discover other stuff.

Have you done the fringe before? What are the key pieces of advice you have been given or would give to new groups or people performing at the fringe?

It’s the first time but our production manager went last year with his own show ‘SHOOT THE CAMERAN’. For him, it’s important not to try to do too much! It requires a certain pragmatism, but you have to be selective and take the time to choose which events you want to take part in, as a general public or as a creator.

Talk us through your daily routine for a day at the Fringe

Wake up refreshed and have a good breakfast.

Call my family, then check on the box office report and on the pros and press who have planned to attend the day’s performance, and if possible a quick email to invite them to stay and chat with us after the show.

A short walk to the theatre, enjoying this incredible city and its atmosphere and eventually also flyering enjoy the many shows on offer at the FRINGE and admire the work of our fellow artists from all over the world.

Once we arrive at the theatre, we check in with the crew to make sure all is well and motivate each other.

We then proceed together through the meticulous set-up for the show, and off we go for 30 minutes of sharing and madness.

We meet up with the audience and pros at the exit and share a moment of conviviality, perhaps having a drink (of whatever you like).

A bit of flyering on the way back, with a few detours. See performances and support my fellow Luxembourg choreographers who will also be performing at FRINGE.

Relax for the evening and enjoy.

What is the best way to enjoy yourself at the fringe?

Take it easy!

Best thing about performing at the fringe?

Meeting the public at the exit. It’s simply incredible to get direct feedback and to see (when it’s the case) that a sort of fan base has been created around your project.

It’s important to take the time to share a moment of exchange and discussion with our audience.

Top tips for travelling around the Fringe and getting to shows on time?

Get an early start!

What would be your top three items every performer must take to the fringe?

Rain coat, rain coat, rain coat Haha

what’s the secret to successful flyering?

Short but crisp details.

If people want to find out more about you, where can they follow you on social media?

https://www.zartdance.com/

https://www.facebook.com/zartdance

https://www.instagram.com/zartdance/

And Finally in three words – Why should people come and see the show?

Vitality – Virtuosity – Versatility