Interviews

Heather Eddington: Why You Should Come & See … Forgetting Natasha

Heather Eddington‘s company State of Flux perform the multimedia dance piece Forgetting Natasha. Looking at a woman’s experience with dementia, the show uses dance poetry and digital media to tell Natasha’s story; a story she is desperate not to forget.


Dance and Animation – that is an unusual blend, why and how did you bring these two art forms
together?

I had actually wanted to be an artist as I was growing up, but my mum and dad, who are both
professional artists thought it would lead to a life of abject poverty and destitution… so I became a
dancer instead! In all seriousness though, I am indebted to them for giving me an artist’s sense of
composition, colour, light etc. I fell in love with Dancefilm when I was studying at Birmingham University
and I started creating my first Dancefilm pieces. I found a medium which allowed me to combine my love
and knowledge of art with dance and movement. From here it felt like a natural progression to start to
experiment with animation. In my past works I have projected onto three dimensional sculptures, built eight
meter long installations, and have all sorts of technically challenging ideas for the future but I especially
love hand drawn animation and I hope to do more.

Do you work mainly with dancers?

I always work with contemporary dancers as I have found they are such intelligent, hard working and
inspiring individuals to work with (a ‘big up’ to Bap, Mel and Jo my current fabulous dancers). The other
artists I collaborate with depends on what I am interested in at the time and which art forms are best
suited to tackle the issues. I don’t think I will ever going back to just dance as I enjoy the challenge of
using a variety of mediums and find it a much more natural way of working.

It sounds very technical, has that been challenging?

YES! But I don’t seem to like doing things if there is not a challenge in it! I wish I would change as I could
do with a rest right now especially as I have a three month old baby boy who thinks sleep is for wimps!

Is this your first time in Edinburgh? Do you have any preconceptions as to what it will be like?

Well I first performed in 2000 so have done my share of handing out flyers, freezing in my costume on
the royal mile! However it is my first time as the director and I just can’t wait. Presenting my work to an
audience I am I of course asking others to let me know what they think of it and this always makes me
feel a little bit nervous but it will be great to get the feedback. Also it will be such a treat to spend a long
period of time hanging out with the company and my producer Joe Bates and of course the chance to get
to meet new, exciting art loving people.

What else are you excited to see in Edinburgh?

Well I will actually be at the festival with my husband Phil and son Harvey so for the first time I will be
seeing some children’s show and they look great! In the past I have watched children’s work and found it
to be really creative, joyous, and artistically impressive so it will not just be Harvey having a great time!
Beyond this, the list is long and forever changing but in terms of dance specific I hope to see Muscle as I
am surrounded by men at home, Beta Wave Transport, La Putyka, Last Orders, LOL, Mah Hunt, The Seagull Effect…the list goes on!

Forgetting Natasha is on at Zoo Southside from 6-27 August (excl 10, 17, 24) at 12.30.