Surrealist riddles, cheeky interactions and hidden gems: Welcome to The Rocks Village Bizarre - 8 evenings of adventures into the unknown!

Every Friday evening in November and December, The Rocks and all its surprising laneways will be transformed into a bazaar of the curious and curiouser. The Village Bizarre offers you a vast array of experiences and offerings created by artists and enthusiasts; free-thinkers and go-getters; purveyors of beauty and pushers of indulgence. All around The Rocks you can savour experiences that are at once curious, intimate and wonderful.

Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority Event Director Michael Cohen says "step up a laneway, or into a pop-up studio or into a tent and you find the hidden surprises of the Village Bizarre. There are aging impresarios, burlesque beauties, and a cornucopia of characters, musicians, stories, and fun to be had at The Cabinet of Curiosities, Greenway Lane, at the Rabbit Hole and many more little venues."

Amongst the decadent dinner parties, the myriad of market stalls and collector obsessives, you can boogie at the city's most intimate Silent Disco, bust a move in a hula hoop, play like the pros at the ping-pong table, or find a place to dance and enjoy the music.

Those wanting to strike out a new dance move can learn how to do so from the best in show at Dancing in the Streets. Impress a friend, learn how to Bootscoot, dirty dance, Natbush, Bollywood and Zumba from the pros and then hit the streets with your fancy footsteps.

Dare to venture down Kendall Lane where history comes alive with 'The True Tale of George Cribb', a tale of Cribb, a convict butcher who lived and worked in The Rocks. Hear his humorous trials and triumphs as he sets up shop and shows off his butchering skills.

From the laneways of The Rocks the party takes a twisted turn into a secret hotel room in The Rocks for the ultimate theatre come after party experience, with 'Uta Uber Kool Ja'. This peek-a-boo car crash ride by award winning actor Georgina Symes is rocking, intimate, slightly tragic, deeply funny and ultimately, moving.

"There is so much to explore each Friday night, but make sure you don't miss 'The Hidden Feast", Cohen impresses, "it offers a wonderfully curious experience in a decadent, yet slightly surreal outdoor setting where small groups of people can share a little food over an intimate 10 minute tête-à-tête with a celebrity artist and hear their intriguing stories".

Every corner of The Rocks unveils a new adventure, a new show. There'll be rabbit holes to dive in and cabinets full of curiosities that will both disturb and delight!

So grab a program and get ready to discover the weird and wonderful world of The Rocks. There's too much to see all in one night - so come again, and again ....

And again .... and again

The Rocks Village Bizarre

Fridays 6.30pm - 10.00pm

2 November - 21 December 2012

The Rocks

For more information, go to therocks.com/villagebizarre

MEDIA ENQUIRIES:
Amber Forrest-Bisley - amber@cardinalspin.com.au P: 02 8065 3504 M: 0405 363 817

Katie Eastment - katie@cardinalspin.com.au M: 0435 918 466

Editors Notes

Event Creators:

Michael Cohen - Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority Performance and Event Director

Michael is the performance/event director at Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority. He is the creative producer of Foreshore Authority events and oversees the event programming. Michael has been the man behind many successful Foreshore Authority events, including Santa Fest (Darling Harbour 2010-11) and Fire Water (Vivid Festival 2009 & 2010). Michael has also undertaken the significant re-direction of signature Foreshore Authority events such as The Village Bizarre, Hoopla Circus and Street Theatre Festival and Aroma. Before Michael joined the Foreshore Authority he was the Co-Artistic Director of Theatre Kantanka (1996-2006), Co-Director of Sydney's fringe festival, Live Bait 2004 and the Programme Director of Newcastle Live Sites (2004-8). Michael has a doctorate in Performance Studies (Sydney, 2002) and has published numerous articles about site-based and interpretive work, international spectacle and festival.

Sue Andersen

Sue Andersen has recently joined Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority as part time Event Manager and has assisted with programming Darling Harbour Jazz and Blues Festival, Village Bizarre and developed the parade element of Fiesta 2011.

Sue has a long history as a freelance festival and arts producer, bringing to projects a broad spectrum of expertise. She has directed / produced Sydney's largest and much loved community arts & music event Newtown Festival. From 2006 to 2011 Sue also directed and produced the iconic Surry Hills Festival. She has also produced many and varied art and music projects at the Bondi Pavilion Community Cultural Centre including South American Festival and the Bondi Wave Music Project. As well as arts and festival work, Sue also wears a history hat curating a variety of exhibitions at / for the Australia Museum including Body Art, Death - the last taboo, and Sisters of Charity - 100 years. She has also completed many well-regarded radio, sound and oral history projects.

Performers/ Artists:

The Cabinet of Curiosities - The Glitter Militia

The Glitter Militia are a free thinking, free feeling troupe of performers who will entertain and entice you in the cabinet of curiosities. The performers at The Cabinet of Curiosities will tantalise your senses, shock your brain and leave you questioning everything you thought you once knew.

Formed in 2004, the group have danced a glitter storm across the country with performances at the Big Day Out, the Peats Ridge Global Carnival, Man Jam 1 & 2, Clown Cult and Quick and Dirty. The Glitter Militia will aim to provoke, disturb and delight you, while challenging every pre-conceived notion you have. Will you dare venture in to The Cabinet of Curiosities?

Greenway Lane

Greenway Lane will be full of wondrous performers to both astound and amaze you as you weave your way through the delightful lane. You can bend this way and that with a contortionist, or make some magic with a magician. Every nook and cranny will hide a new delight from burlesque beauties through to bizarre hosts that are just waiting to entertain you.

Silent Disco

The Rocks Village Bizarre will transform Playfair Street in to the most intimate of silent discos on Friday evenings from 6.30-10.00pm. Lights will flash, fists will pump but not a sound will be heard, unless you're wearing your headphones.

Dancing in the Streets - Ramon Daringo

Ramon Daringo is the Director of Dance Classes at Sydney Dance Company. He will be taking those that want to dance through the moves and through the streets on a journey of dance discovery, as he takes part in Dancing in the Streets. Daringo holds a Bachelor of Science Education with a major in physical education and trained as a dancer in both Manilla and Sydney. He has performed across the world in theatre, film, promotion and music videos and has worked as the dance & movement coach for Australia's next top model and Australian Idol and choreographed for Guy Sebastian and Katie Underwood.

Dancing in the Streets - Boot Scooters International - Julie Talbot

Boot Scooter s International was formed in 1994 by line dancer Julie Talbot, and are at the forefront of line dancing in Australia and around the world. Talbot has produced a number of instructional CDs to help teach others the joy of line dancing and is a major seller at ABC music, while her DVD 'Hottest Linedances' is a best seller in Australia. Julie has been nominated for a Telstra Business Woman of the Year award, and has worked tirelessly to teach line dancing to the disabled, a feat that has earned her many accolades Australian politicians. Apart from her extensive work with the public and private sectors, Julie has been involved with numerous movies as a performer and choreographer and is still sought after for public and media events.

'The True Tale of George Cribb'

The True Tale of George Cribb brings the hidden histories of Sydney to life through the eyes of convict butcher George Cribb and his three wives. Cribb uses his life story to entertain, enthral and teach those watching, while bloodily going about his job, allowing him and his wives to tell you a story that is poetic, artistic and humorous all at the same time.

UTA UBER KOOL JA - Georgia Symes and Nic Dorward

The alter ego of nationally recognised actor Georgia Symes will be making an appearance that will never be forgotten as UTA UBER KOOL JA, a rock star that is so cool and so over the top, you just need to party with her. Symes has performed with some of Australia's greatest theatre companies, has danced in Paris and recently appeared in the award-winning independent film "Bad Behaviour", which screened at Cannes. The creative producer of UTA UBER KOOL JA, is NIDA graduate Nic Dorward, who has been developing the show with Symes since 2007. Nic has produced multiple pieces for festivals, theatre and film over the past ten years and has directed some of Australia's largest theatre companies and festivals.