Kay Armstrong

I have been involved Critical Path’s Responsive Program twice. Both projects were important moments in my artistic landscape.

In the early stages of my career as a dance maker I hadn’t formally engaged in research. I had thought of my development in a fairly conventional way, usually via the creation of work and discrete, sometimes sporadic, blocks of activity - i.e. have idea, get in studio to work on idea, apply for creative development opportunities, maybe get money (or not) to take this into preproduction development, and ta-daaar “The Show”. In hindsight, it was self-limiting cycle and I wonder how I ever reflected, questioned or investigated beyond this product driven minefield-vacuum-lottery.

In 2007 I was struck by some questions that somehow did not fit in this circus/cycle, yet were intrinsically connected to my work, my process and my artistic development. I was successful in gaining my first research project with Critical Path in 2007 and found it an insightful and meaningful process, affirming research as another mechanism of growth as an artist.

Over the ensuing years I have come to understand how research supports my on-going development and feeds into my critical understanding that questions are good, and answers are not always so important. I embrace my ‘not knowing’ with an avid curiosity, rather than seeing these moments ‘in the dark’ as blots on my credentials, or things to ignore, they are now welcome guests along the way. I completed my second Responsive Project in late 2011. While personally it was a difficult time for me, I was glad that I was given that opportunity, not only for what unfolded during the research project, but also, a little further down the track, I was eligible to apply to Critical Path Dance Sites project, with a new solo work, 100th Monkey.

Dance Sites has been tremendously valuable as a platform for my re-connection and re-ignition of my solo practice. I have been afforded three development stages - an initial residency at Bundanon, the first shared Dance Sites stage at STRUT in Perth, the second stage more recently at Critical Path. To be able to participate in the gradual development of this work via platforms of engagement with artists and general public, across a series of supported stages has been a huge privilege.

The work has benefited from the cogent facilitation / provocation by Dance Sites guest facilitator Rebecca Hilton, the responsive and pertinent dialogue with the participating interstate dance artists and the varied feedback from the informal public sharing’s. Importantly some of the greatest breakthroughs were made ‘in situ’ within the context of performance mode.

In 2012, Critical Path, Dancehouse and STRUT collectively formed the DANCE SITES NETWORK (DSN). Dance Sites is a mobility network stemming from the partners’ shared commitment to support the independent dance community by circulating and exposing new works at all stages of development to interstate audiences, peers and presenters.

Eric Avery at the Drill Hall, 2014. Photo: Heidrun Löhr