Galumpha in Action
Ever wanted to learn to galumph? What praytell is to galumph? Galumph is a word coined by Lewis Carrol in 1872 in Jabberwocky meaning "to prance about in a self- satisfied manner." Nowadays galumphing is recognized as the immaculate rambunctiousness and seemingly inexhaustible play-energy apparent in kittens, puppies and other young animals, humans included. We all are capable of galumphing and here is your chance to learn from the masters.
In anticipation of their performance at the Busk & Bard Festival , Galumpha – the highly celebrated dance and acrobatic troupe from Binghampton – will conduct an extended workshop for children and adults at the Roxbury Arts Group from August 26th through the 30th.
Participants in the workshop will learn the fundamentals of the movement techniques that Galumpha dancers utilize in their spectacular performances and be encouraged to perform at the Busk & Bard festival in Roxbury on Saturday, August 31st.
In their workshops Galumpha instructors aspire to provide examples of the results of hard physical work among trusting, creative teammates, and to motivate by modeling the joy that comes from free expression of creativity.
Combining stunning acrobatics, striking visual effects, physical comedy and inventive choreography, Galumpha brings to life a world of imagination, beauty, muscle and merriment. The three performers create a sensory feast of images ranging from the ridiculous to the sublime, drawn together into a seamless whole, consistently bringing audiences to their feet. Galumpha is a triumphant mix of art and entertainment, offering world-class, award winning choreography (Edinburgh Festival Critics Choice Award, Moers International Comedy Arts Prize) that is equally at home on the concert stage, at a comedy club or at an outdoor festival.
Formed in 2002 by Andy Horowitz and Greg O'Brien, Galumpha delivers a fast-paced, athletic brand of movement, distinctive for its ingenuity. Highlights include "Velcro" as seen on The Late Show with David Letterman, Crook and Chase, and "Clackers," seen by over one billion television viewers around the globe. Other pieces feature experiments in human architecture set to music by Rachmaninov, Mahler and the virtuoso Czech band Jablkon, making for an exceptionally entertaining program.
Galumpha has performed throughout North and South America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East but will bring their galumphing (immaculate rambunctiousness and seemingly inexhaustible play-energy of kittens) to Roxbury for nearly a week of intense training in the physical and mental disciplines that form the basis of Galumpha’s renowned spectacles.
In the residency program, Galumpha personnel carefully guide the students through warm up exercises, and then move on to choreographic games, trust and awareness exercises, and elementary acrobatic partnering. We design a given workshop’s specific content and length to suit student skill-level and institutional preference.
The Galumpha Residency Program at RAG is open to dancers and acrobats of all ages. For more information, please see www.galumpha.com, www.roxburyartsgroup.com and www.buskandbard.com, or contact Maggie Cullen at RAG at mcullen@roxburyartsgroup.org and 607-326-7908.
