“ENDEARING”
Dancing times
The Bull and the Moon
Lolo is a little Spanish bull that has a little secret. He doesn’t feel like he fits in with the other bulls in the farm. He doesn’t like the big loud bull fights, and he really doesn’t enjoy cowboy
rodeos either. Dragging heavy carts of hay, or being the leader of his herd- Lolo doesn’t enjoy any of that!
Instead, every night, he secretly learns how to dance with the shimmering Moon, and dreams of becoming Lola, a famous flamenco dancing cow.
Will you come dance with Lolo and help make their dreams come true?
The Bull and the Moon is brand-new family friendly production that celebrates anyone who dances to their own tune. A fun, fiery and magical outdoor dance performance that blends contemporary dance, flamenco and theatre, this is a heart-warming story about the importance of being oneself, family and LGBTQ+ inclusivity.
Directed by Carlos Pons Guerra for DeNada Dance Theatre, the work has been co-choreographed by Pons Guerra and flamenco artist Ana García. Danced to a fun and eclectic score of Spanish and Latin music and sounds, arranged by Luke Wilson, the production has been designed by Ryan Laight and produced by Spin Arts.
At the heart of the work is the idea of celebrating individual gender identity, and allowing the beauty of each individual to shine, regardless of gender expectations. Subtly introducing ideas of gender fluidity and non- binarism, it also tackles bullying, whilst encouraging tolerance, engagement with the arts and sensitivity.
Meet the characters
“¡Hola! My name is Lolo, and I’m a little bull that’s a little bit scared of loud sounds; I don’t like play fighting like the other bulls do, and I spend a lot of time daydreaming on my own. I love the smell and colour of flowers; but I what I like to do the most is dancing! I love the beautiful dress the Moon wears and the shiny shoes she dances with. I like to play with fans, skirts and castanets, although the other animals in the farm sometimes laugh at me for doing so, which makes me a little sad. But I have big dreams though: one day I will become Lola, the most famous dancing cow, and everyone will admire me. Will you help make my dream come true?”
“¡Olé! My name is Luna Flores, and I live up in the starry sky. I am the Moon, and from the beginning of time, every night I come out to sing and dance with the stars and planets. I love to share and teach my dancing, but most importantly, I love to shine a guiding light to those that may feel lost or lonely. I wear a beautiful Spanish dress made out of many layers of starlight, and I offer magical gifts to Lolo, so that she may become who she dreams herself of being. I like looking pretty, and can sometimes be a bit silly, but above all I look out for those who need me with love, care, and a little bit of magic.”
“¡Oye! My name is Rosario, and I am a brave and strong female matador, who has fought with the scariest and strongest bulls around the world. I wear a shiny golden suit and have nerves of steel. Since I was a little girl, I always dreamt of becoming a matador, but everyone told me bullfighting was not for girls. I have had to work very hard to prove myself as a matador, and I feel I always have to win to prove that everyone else was wrong. That is why I get so frustrated when Lolo will not fight me, and chooses to dance instead! I believe that rules have to be followed and I get angry and annoyed when things don’t go as planned. ”
Media
Dominic Coffey as Lolo, and Anna Alvarez as Luna/Rosario, in The Bull and the Moon. Photos by Matt Walsh and Coverage Studio
Trailer for The Bull and the Moon
ACCESS
Check out our exciting DIGITAL resources to ENHANCE YOUR EXPERIENCE OF tHE bULL AND THE mOON
DROP EVERYTHING AND READ!
Are you coming to watch a performance of The Bull and the Moon? Maybe you’ve just seen one, or want to read other stories similar to Lolo’s. Here are some book recommendations from stories we read and explored when creating The Bull and the Moon. Enjoy!
“The Story of Ferdinand was the main inspiration for Lolo’s story. It tells the tale of Ferdinand, a peaceful bull that loves to sit quietly and smell flowers, even though the other bulls find him strange. One day, Ferdinand gets taken to a loud bullfight in Madrid, and you’ll never guess what happens! Carlos, the choreographer for The Bull and the Moon read this when he was little and always felt he was like Ferdinand.”
“This book has some beautiful pictures by Jessica Love and tells the story of Julián, a little boy that meets some real mermaids on the subway and with a little help from Grandma, becomes a mermaid himself! It tells us about the importance of being oneself and shows adults how important it is to support little mermaids. ”
“Bunnybear is one of our favourite stories. It’s all about the friendship between a bear that hops and twitches his nose, as he feels he’s like a bunny, and a bunny that likes to roar and growl because he feels like a bear! It taught us that you can look one way, and feel another, and that is totally fine.”
“Oliver Button doesn’t like playing sports with the other boys, and his father tells him off for skipping rope with the girls. One day, Oliver discovers tap dancing, and although the other boys laugh at him, Oliver decides to join the school talent show, and prove that he’s a star. ”
“Tango is a baby penguin that loves to have fun with her family: her two daddies, penguins Roy and Silo! A beautiful book about the importance of family, care, and fun!”
“Gerald the Giraffe thinks he can’t dance a tango, a rumba, or a mambo like the other animals, because of his long, awkward body. But Gerald soon discovers that dancing to your own tune creates the most magical dance of all. We love this story!”
“Errrol’s teddy, Thomas, is feeling a little blue and worried. He’s scared Errol won’t understand that Thomas now wants to be called Tilly. This beautiful book is all about friendship, acceptance and bravery. ”
“When Aidan was born, everyone thought he was a little girl. But once everyone knew Aidan was a little boy, things got a lot better. Now Aidan is expecting a new sibling, and wants to get everything right as a new older brother. A heartwarming story about acceptance and ‘the many transitions a family can experience’”
Resources
At the heart of The Bull and the Moon is the idea of breaking down gender stereotypes: it’s ok for girls to like football, and for boys to like playing with dolls. And it’s great for them to like both!
The work is targeted at all families with children aged 3+, regardless of background. It is an easy- to-follow narrative work that doesn’t require previous dance or theatre knowledge; it is fully non- verbal and accessible. All themes surrounding gender are dealt with sensitively and with care, understanding that although these are important subjects that must be discussed with young people, for some audience groups these discussions are more delicate. We have worked with dramaturges and specialists to ensure the production is a dynamic, fun and inclusive celebration of diversity.
More specifically, the production targets children and young people ages 5+ who may identify as non-binary, trans, or other gender denominations, as well as their families, carers and educators. The production was born out of recognising the lack of onstage representation for these vulnerable groups, and it is our intent for them to see themselves positively reflected in the work.
The production was created in collaboration with multiple international charities that offer support to trans families, whose members shared their experiences and helped us ensure honest and sensitive representation.
If you would like further information or support on any of the themes that the production explores, we recommend contacting the following charities:
UNITED KINGDOM SPAIN
“Barnardo’s LGBTQ Young People: offer direct support around their identities to LGBTQ young people and their families and carers. They also offer training for professionals, schools, and community groups, promoting inclusion and tackling homophobic bullying.”
“Offering support to gender diverse young people and their carers and families, as well as resources for professionals and public bodies. ”
“Asociación LGBT de Gran Canaria, ofreciendo apoyo a jóvenes trans y a sus familias en todos los aspectos del tránsito; ofrecen además muchos recursos pedagógicos y de apoyo. ”
“Asociación nacional de familias trans de España, ofreciendo apoyo, comunidad, sociabilización y educación.”
We are currently developing our resources for families, young people and professionals, and understand that there are many more wonderful charities doing very important work for young LGBTQ+ people. We will be adding to our resources soon, but if you have a resource you would like to suggest, please get in touch, we would love to hear from you.
Outreach and Education
We have designed an exciting, innovative and unique outreach and education offer for to support The Bull and the Moon, which is geared at promoting gender diversity and tackling homophobic bullying through dance and other creative arts. We offer activities for young people, schools, educators, professionals, community practitioners, dance and theatre artists and interested adults.
From flamenco rhythms, to drag makeup workshops, to gender-bending tango, to make your own wig and specialist talks- we’ve got exciting activities for people of all ages to celebrate their uniqueness. Our workshops can be delivered in person and online, and we will soon be developing a digital educational resource.
To find out more about our educational offer, download our dossier
If you want further information, or to book, please get in touch
Credits
Direction: Carlos Pons Guerra
Choreography: Ana García and Carlos Pons Guerra
Lolo/Lola: Dominic Coffey
Luna/Rosario: Anna Alvarez
Design: Ryan Laight
Music: various Latinx sounds, arranged and with compositions by Luke Wilson
Producer: Sarah Shead / Spin Arts
Commissioned by Bradford Producing Hub, DanceXchange, Auditorio de Tenerife, Instituto Canario de Desarrollo Cultural, and further support from Arts Council England
With support from Colectivo GAMA, Chrysallis, and Barnardo’s
Technical information
Duration: 40 minutes
Suitable for outdoors and unconventional spaces (theatre version in development for 2023)
Small scale ( x2 performers, x2 crew)
Available for touring from summer 2022
For booking enquiries, contact Sarah Shead, Producer
Download dossier here
Download tech rider here