For those of you familiar with Martin and
and directing others to direct me. I
Jenny’s work, you’ll know they work in
describe it as an audition in reverse;
a very concrete way and that function is
dissolving the only too familiar
used to arrive at form. If you’ve worked
hierarchy between choreographer,
with Martin, you’ll also know that he will
creative team and performer.
ask; ‘How was that for you?’ Being asked this question after every task and every
Investigative in my approach, I want to
run through made me accountable for my
work towards commissioning a new body
own artistry and made me ask of myself,
of work that:
‘Why do I do what I do?’ and ‘Why do I make the creative choices I make?’
- Is collaborative;
Inspired by this level of enquiry within
- Seeks to ask questions, not provide
our process, I knew quite early on I
answers;
had to work with Martin and Jenny again. Taking the bull by the horns or
- Asks the audience to be active, not
‘artistic responsibility,’ if you will, I
passive, in how they experience the work;
asked Martin and Jenny if they would consider collaborating with me further
- Directly or indirectly acknowledges the
on the making of a new solo work, and
stage and auditorium as one room – what
expressing to them how much I enjoyed
is the audience’s relationship to me, as
working with them.
performer? And vice-versa. Why work in this way?
‘Yes, we would love that,’ Martin and Jenny replied.
In a blog I recently wrote in my capacity as a BBC Performing Arts Fund Fellow
It was from this reciprocated agreement
with South East Dance entitled ‘Reaching
over drinks and dinner that Dan Daw
The Tipping Point’, I expressed my concern
Creative Projects began. Under this
that ‘disability dance’ is viewed by many
umbrella, I work collaboratively with a
leaders (namely programmers) within the
growing network of artists who interest
art form as a genre. This needs to shift.
me to develop new work for UK and
Shift beyond box ticking exercises and
international audiences. Taking this
stopping the ‘they’re doing it so we don’t
curatorial approach to work, I enjoy
have to’ rhetoric. My question is,
having autonomy in the creative process
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