Parasol Public: A place to live when we are old by Ana Gallardo

About

Launch: 9 July at 12 noon, Bishops Square, Spitalfields, London Parasol unit foundation for contemporary art presents A place to live when we are old, an inter-generational, dance-based piece by Ana Gallardo which brings people of all ages together through dance. In the heart of Spitalfields, London, this week-long event in Bishops Square has three mature, amateur dancers from Mexico offering demonstrations of and lessons in danzón, a typical Mexican dance, to members of the public. Building on the success of Kate Gilmore's Walk the Line, the inaugural Parasol Public project, Parasol unit is now collaborating with Argentinian artist Ana Gallardo to realise the site-specific project. The piece features three dancers, all in their 70s: Ofelia Martinez Herrera, Marvan Pale and Arnulfo Hernandez Hernandez give presentations of danzón and encourage the public to join in. A place to live when we are old will be accompanied by music, a site-specific wall drawing and video projection that together create a dynamic social environment. Parasol unit will be the first UK institution to show the work of Ana Gallardo. Born 1958 in Argentina, Gallardo has exhibited throughout South America, North America and Spain. A place to live when we are old will feature in Big Dance 2012 festival.