Hugo Knowles, BA Theatre & Performance

Parkour as Performance: the Creative Process

Many people know of parkour, but few know how much work goes into the seemingly death-defying stunts that are often featured on social media. I aim to re-frame the typical view of parkour as a high-adrenaline, risk-taking sport and instead focus on the creative aspects of the sport. It is possible to see parkour as a form of urban dance choreography, and all parkour 'runs' and 'lines' are often carefully structured, rehearsed and dynamically risk assessed. As part of my research I have spoken to a number of leading athletes and creatives within the sport, and will be sharing my findings at the festival.