Sponsored by
Video: Acrobat performs in Leeds church
Tonight Deborah Sanderson hopes to make a holy show of herself.
The ex-actor and circus performer will take to the air above the pews in the Holy Trinity Church in Boar Lane, Leeds, for her show, Wing and a Prayer.
* Click here to sign up to free news and sport email alerts from your YEP.
Deborah, from Chapel Allerton, will climb up a sheet tied to a metal ring suspended 15ft above the church's altar.
There she will perform an elaborate set of manoeuvres, in front of a live audience, without a safety net.
* Click here to follow the YEP on Twitter.
Spectators will also be given a bird's eye view of Deborah's performance through a head camera.
* Click here to watch latest YEP news and sport video reports.
Images will be beamed to screens around the church thanks to technical wizard Pete Cuffe who also hopes to create a 3D video within an ostrich egg on the altar.
* Click here for latest YEP news and sport picture slideshows.
Deborah told the YEP: "I started this project by looking for the building where I wanted to perform first.
"I really liked the inside of the church and its beautiful stained glass windows.
"Then I invented the character I will play on the night.
"She's got no name but probably lives in the loft or the bell tower, a bit like an urban pigeon or lady/bird woman.
"The costume I will be wearing comes from across the ages – I imagine it's as if she's collected bits from christenings and funerals.
"It does make it difficult up in the ring as normally you would just be wearing a leotard."
The Diocese of Leeds already runs a programme of arts through its Arts@Trinity scheme in the Grade I listed building built in 1727.
Deborah said: "They've been very helpful.
"The church's Caf Create has collected a lot of chicken eggshells as there will be bird-theme installations throughout the church including ostrich feathers and emu eggs."
Inspiration came after Deborah won the Leeds-based artsmix 2009 Emerging Artists Award – Enterprise Category.
The Arts Council England-supported show also marks the launch of Deborah's Urban Angels performance group.
The 49-year-old, who has performed aerial shows all over the world, added: "Urban Angels is about performance but also combining it with projects involving the community."
Photographer Elaine Barrow will take shots of the show which was choreographed by Gerry Turvey.
* The performance starts at 7pm and is free.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Leeds
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 8 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: East
