FIFA Soccer World Cup 2010

The first part of 2010 was filled with making creatures for the soccer world cup which materialized finally on the opening night and at the closing ceremony of the world cup at soccer city in Johannesburg.

(Photo of Chris making Ellies in the Beyond the Moon farm venue)

Their design was based on the same principles as that of the creatures made for the Linz festival in Austria.

(Photo: local kids warming up for their dung beetle walking exercise at Beyond the Moon farm.)

The opening ceremony was so varied, beautiful, exciting and impressive and for me the highlight was the dung-beetle, created by Roger Titley, which was operated by 8 dancers, 2 of which came from right here, the Garden Route (George and Touwsranten) – their choreographer was Celeste

( a professional dancer from Sedgefield, Garden Route, ref. photo in dungbeetle frame, the leader of the pack).

Whilst this was going on 13 large creatures were being built in the venue at Beyond the Moon farm for the closing ceremony and then trucked to Johannesburg a few days before the ceremony when coaching took place.

‘Movement coaches take each animal, which is basically a skeletal structure that a person can fit into and manipulate and individually train the artist to become one with the creature. They must become the creature they have chosen: walking, acting and looking the part in every possible way;’ said Roger.

Finally, at the closing ceremony, the moment arrived:

walking into the lights of the stadium to a superimposed watering hole, came 13 life-size, lifelike elephants of all sizes. The moment was breathtaking and rather emotional for me.

Natalie Fisher, our movement coach for this event, had done a marvelous job of giving these creatures a lifelike feel (which had some folk fooled for a while – no idea why as the creatures are skeletal and the dancers were clearly visible) Three professional dancers ranging in age from 13 to 30 years trained to simulate lifelike and realistic movement, creating an amazing synergy between the 2 groups of elephants as they came to drink at the water hole….and then it was all over leaving a lasting impression on the minds of over 60000 spectators (and more via the media the world over).

For more photos and videos look on www.rogerscreatures.com.

Thank you for all the people who played their role in this project, esp. Roger Ttiley (creator), Chris Smart (co-creator), Mia van Zyl from Johannesburg (liason and coordinator, keeping it all together), Sebastian vd Berg (builder), and choreographers: Celeste Milsom (Dung beetle) and Natalie Fisher (Elephants). You did a marvelous job.