Moving Resting Nesting is Foolish Operations’ immersive performance for young children and their adults. It is a commission of Surrey SPARK Stages in close collaboration with Marnie Perrin that premiered in May 2022 in Surrey, at Bear Creek Park.
Under a tree, in cozy nests, meet Quinn’s boundless curiosity about trees and birds. Blankets hold the secret to this performance—they transform into nests, roots, clouds, and even birds. With Quinn, we move, we sing, we rest, and we find wonder together.
Designed with site-flexibility in mind, the performance is available for inside or outside presentations.
Past Performances (Collaborators, Dates and Places):
2025
- Petits Bonheurs, May 2 – 3, 2025, Maison de la culture Mercier, Montreal, QC – More details availible here
2024
- SHARE Family and Community Service, May 3, 2024, Tri-Cities Children’s Centre, Port Moody, BC
- May 2, 2024, Riley Park, Vancouver, BC
- Trout Lake Community Centre, May 1, 2024, Trout Lake Community Centre, Vancouver, BC
- Conseil Scolaire Francophone, April 30, 2024, École Gabrielle-Roy, Surrey, BC
- Conseil Scolaire Francophone, Apirl 29, 2024, École des Navigateurs, Richmond, BC
- Port Coquitlam Community Centre, April 26 – 27, 2024, Port Coquitlam, BC
- Walter Moberly Strong Start Centre and Garderie Tartine et Chocolat, April 5, 2024, Moberly Arts and Cultural Centre, Vancouver, BC
2023
- March 6 – 11, 2023, École des Pionniers-de-Maillardville, Port Coquitlam, BC
2022
- September 22, 2023, SFU Family Dance, Burnaby, BC
- Surrey SPARK Stages, May 28 – 29, Bear Creek Park, Surrey, BC
- June 10, 2023, École des Pionniers-de-Maillardville , Port Coquitlam, BC (French)
- Vernon & District Performing Arts Centre, March 19, 2023, Vernon & District Performing Arts Centre, Vernon, BC
2021 (all workshop showings)
- October 1 – 2, 2021, Leigh Square, Port Coquitlam, BC
- Surrey Performances Series, August 20 – 22, 2021, Bear Creek Park, Surrey, BC
- 9 days in March, Moberly Arts and Cultural Centre, Vancouver, BC
Team
- Artistic director, author and choreographer: Julie Lebel
- Contributing dance artists: Sophie Brassard, Sarah Gallos, Isabelle Kirouac, Caroline Liffmann.
- Music and arrangements: Clara Rose – violin, Christina Cuglietta – violin, Natalie Kober – violin, Sabrina (Wing Ting) Mo – flute, Tara Rajah – cello, Annie Brown – violin, Masae Day – Violin.
- Composer: Matthew Ariaratnam
- Bird song composition: Cathy Stubington
- “Friends Together” melody: Rachael Wadham
- Lyrics to the song “Friends Together”: Christina Cuglietta, Sarah Dixon, Sarah Gallos, Isabelle Kirouac, Julie Lebel and Caroline Liffmann. Lyrics translation: Julie Lebel and Sarah Gallos.
- Interdisciplinary artists: Sarah Dixon, Robin Lough and Wen Wen (Cherry) Lu in illustration, music, theater, visual arts, and cultural mediation practice.
- Scenography and initial sounding nests (Outdoor version): Kimira (Bhikum) Reddy.
- Tree design (indoor version): Harmonie Gary with the contribution of Gabrielle Poiré for the sewing.
- Fabric sounding nests final version: A design of Harmonie Gary, assembled by Gabrielle Poiré and Isabelle He.
- Light design (inside version): Andie Lloyd
- Illustrator: Wen Wen Lu
- Initial illustration development: Robin Lough and Wen Wen Lu
- Storyboarding and dramaturgy contributor: Sarah Dixon
- Dramaturg: Jo Leslie
- Artistic production: Xin Xuan Song.
- Coordination: Lily Alice Malena-Morin
- Stage Management: Karen La
This project would not have come to life without the precious conversations with Marnie Perrin (Surrey SPARK Stages), Cathy Stubington (Run Away Moon Theatre), Carmen Rosen (Stillmoon Arts), Jacky Essombé (African Friendship Scoiety), Margaret Grenier (Dancers of Damelahamid) and Alvin Erasga Tolentino (Co. ERASGA).
The partners
Surrey SPARK Stages, Surrey Libraries, Moberly Arts and Culture and the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation, Vernon Theatre and District, Still Moon Arts Society, African Friendship Society, Tartine et chocolat daycare, and the Sunset Preschool in Vancouver, South Vancouver Neighbourhood House, SHARE Family and Community Service, Programme Franc Départ of École des Pionniers de Msaillardville, École des Pionniers de Maillardville and the Walter Moberly StrongStart Program.
The funders
Canada Council for the Arts, City of Surrey, Neighbourhood Matching Fund, City of Port Coquitlam, the Province of British Columbia and the BC Arts Council. As the creative process is also integrated in our Dancing the Parenting program, Moving Resting Nesting is also supported by the Department of Canadian Heritage and the City of Vancouver. Outdoor workshops related to Moving Resting Nesting were also funded through the support of the Canadian Red Cross in the Spring of 2020. We are grateful for this support, especially during the pandemic, as this project allows for professional artists and the community to gather and create together in new ways, while staying safe.
