Photo: Elyse Bouvier
The Skin of an Octopus
'They say Curiosity Killed the Cat.... Well, Let me tell you about My Octopus
MY Octopus
My....
Oct-O-pus....'
The Skin of an Octopus is an 18 minute interdisciplinary performance that follows the surreal story of an octopus, whose curiosity about the human world consumes their sensibility, morality, and identity, as they traverses through the land of fresh air and evergreen trees in someone else's skin.
Beginning their partnership in 2020, Calgary based dancer and choreographer Nicole Charlton Goodbrand and Okanagan based architect, visual artist, writer, and filmmaker Ryan John Arnold have been working in collaboration (via distance correspondence) to further examine the layered complexities of human behaviour and distorted personal realities. Projection designer and digital artist Derek Demassi, joined the project in 2021 adding a dreamy and surreal projection landscape that transforms the performance space into ominous and psychedelic playground. The unique nature of our collective work has allowed us to utilizes multiple artistic modalities to interpret a singular idea, allowing it to be presented as one cohesive performance piece, or to be dismantled and presented as stand alone exhibits; visual art, literary writing, photography, film, projection, and dance/performance art.
Nicole Charlton Goodbrand
Photo: Courtesy of the artist
Choreographer: Nicole Charlton Goodbrand
Key Artistic Collaborators: Performed by Nicole Charlton Goodbrand
Artistic Collaborator Ryan John Arnold
Voice and Text Written and Performed By Ryan John Arnold
Projections Created and Designed by Derek Demassi
Costume by Müge Dancewear
Outside Eye By Heather Ware & Barbara England
Performance type: This is adaptable to theatres or outdoors and alternative spaces. Mixed-program.
How do you define this work: Dance/Theatre/mixed media/live performance/ inter disciplinary
Length of performance: 18 minutes
Audience type: General Audience
General Technical Requirements: The work Requires a video Projector and Dance flooring. There is a small stage prop, a human sized cage, that has a rope attached to the ceiling (not weight bearing).
Does the work require tech residency: A long tech residency is not necessary, but there will be time required for projector set up and focusing. If the projector is already in place this should take 1-2 hours. If the projector needs to be hung, it should take 2-4 hours.
Number of Performers on tour (including choreographer): 1
Number of Support Staff on Tour: 2
Availabilities: 2024 Spring Season (Mar-Jun), 2024/25 season, & 2025/26 season
Hailing from Maple Ridge, BC, NICOLE CHARLTON GOODBRAND (she/her) is a dance artist who now practices and creates in Moh’kinsstis (Calgary, AB). Her artistic work aims to highlight the contradictions between a person’s thoughts and behaviours in public vs. private and uses live performance, mixed media and film to examine the layered complexities of human behaviour and distorted personal realities.
She has presented her choreography in DSW’s Annual Alberta Dance Festival and Quick+Dirty Festival, To The AWE, WiLDDOGS Screendance Festival, Dance Montage, Nextgen Festival, Skylines Dance and Film Series, Springboard Performance's Fluid Fest, ArtsCommons TD Broadcast Series and Amplify Series, has been commissioned by Ember Dance Company. She has been a part of W&M Physical Theatre’s Artist in Residency Program 2017 with collaborator Marynia Fekecz (Poland), DJD Creative Residency Program 2021, The Grand Creative Residency 2021, ArtsCommons' TD Incubator 2021/22.
Nicole is a dance educator and certified teacher (RAD-RTS), specializing in contemporary and classical ballet techniques. She holds a BA in Dance, a BA graduate diploma, and a Professional Dancers’ Postgraduate Teaching Certificate, with distinction. She teaches at North Calgary Dance Centre, the School of Creative and Performing Arts at the University of Calgary, and is currently the Artistic Associate with the W&M2 Dance Company. Nicole has performed with La Caravan Dance Theatre, Corps Bara Dance Theatre, mixOLOGYdanceMine, J-SIK Movements, O2 Dance Company, Surge Co., Dancers’ Studio West (DSW), Project InTandem, W&M Physical Theatre and with choreographers Davida Monk, Linnea Swan, Barbara England, Sylvie Moquin and Pamela Tzeng.
Performance History & Upcoming Performances
This work premiered as part of Springboard Performance's Fluid Fest on October, 29th 2021, at the Grand Theatre, Calgary, AB. It has since been presented in ArtsCommons TD's Amplified Series Cabaret on April 30th, 2022 at the Engineered Air Theatre, Calgary AB and as part of Dancers' Studio West's Quick+Dirty Festival for Emerging Artists and Ideas on June 18th, 2022 at the Grand Theatre, Calgary A.B.
An experimental video performance of this work has been presented online in 'To The Awe- Digital' in May-June 2019 & in ArtsCommons Plus 15 (community walkway and public art space) in their TD Broadcast Series June-Sept 2022.
Project Details
Community Engagement
I am always interested in teaching dance/movement master classes and community dance workshops. I believe in the importance of training the body for expression in a holistic and integrated way. I am capable of working with dancers and non-dancers of all ages and levels (beginner to professional).
I am a dance instructor, teaching ballet and contemporary dance technique for the past 16 years. I am the Artistic Associate for the WM2 Dance Company, teaching company classes and acting as rehearsal assistant. I am a sessional instructor at the School of Creative and Performing Arts- University of Calgary and I instruct full time at North Calgary Dance Centre. I also teach community classes through YYC Contemporary Technique Training Classes. I am eager to engage with dancers and the general public through exploration and training. I have experience working with both children and adults.
Contact information
Nicole Charlton Goodbrand, nickic_48@hotmail.com