OUR PLACE IN TIME 2018 - 2019
ISSN 2206-9615 1
CONTENTS Introduction 4 RESEARCH 6 Associate Artist 8 Responsive Research Residencies 10 Research Room Residencies 19 Space Residencies 20 Open Studio 22 Research Projects with NSW Partners 24 DEVELOPMENT 30 Workshops & Residencies 32 Public Showings & Talks 35 Publications 38
Cover image: Alan Schacher & WeiZen Ho. Image credit: Mike Leggett 2
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INTRODUCTION Working with artists with a choreographic practice and an interest to engage critically with choreography, Critical Path delivered a diverse program centred on the idea of Our Place in Time - what it means as an artist to practice in Australia now, our understanding of our place in history and what this means for our future. The program balanced research activity for Australian artists in relation to their ongoing practice, with development projects (workshops, talks, writing, participation in others processes). The program was delivered from June 2018 – May 2019 through two frameworks: 1. Memory, Archive, Prediction 2. The Anthropocene The program supported 35 activities over our two main areas:
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RESEARCH Experimentation, exploration, investigation, analysis, play.......research of all types.
DEVELOPMENT Skills, knowledge and practice development. Activity to challenge, excite, open up and extend understanding. This review document takes a look at the activities undertaken over the 12 month period, with images and quotes from artists.
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RESEARCH Experimentation, exploration, investigation, analysis, play. Research of all types. Through the exploration of new ideas or assumptions, new methodologies, new collaborations and blue-sky thinking, artists were able to engage critically with the idea of Our Place in Time through the following activities: •
Associate Artist
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Responsive Research Residencies
• Research Room Residencies •
Space Residencies
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Open Studio
• Research Projects with NSW Partners
Pictured: Rakini Devi. Image credit: Urban Kali by Karl Ford 6
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Pictured: Adelina Larsson. Image Credit: Matt Cornell
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ASSOCIATE ARTIST
Associate Artist – Adelina Larsson with Anthony Coxeter, Andrew Morrish & Nate Gilkes As one of our initiatives to build leadership capacity within the dance sector, Critical Path invites an independent choreographer, with experience of supporting other artists and initiating sector development projects to be Associate Artist for up to two years. These artists collaborate within our organisation extending their skills and understanding and gaining experience with a sector leader. During her time as Associate Artist, Adelina Larsson explored her practice and looked into new models of curating collaborative labs for professional artists. This included the research and development of a new work, Carmen et Error, in collaboration with Anthony Coxeter, Andrew Morrish & Nate Gilkes “What is invaluable for an artist, in particular for a mid-career artist like myself, is the opportunity to be given the support of the first phase of a new project. Research and experimentation in order to allow for a work to find its fullest and richest opportunity to become more informed and complex/refined.”
Critical Path and Strange Attractor, the choreographic development platform Adelina founded and directs, partnered with Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences (MAAS) to present CHOREO HACK LAB in January 2019. The one-week laboratory brought together city-based practitioners to look at and be informed by new synthesis between arts and non-arts disciplines.
“What is invaluable for an artist, in particular for a mid-career artist like myself, is the opportunity to be given the support of the first phase of a new project.”
“In this case, Critical Path gave me the generous support of funding, space, time, resources (basic tech support) and the opportunity to bring in collaborators that have the outstanding calibre that I hoped for in this particular ambitious project.” – Adelina Larsson 9
RESPONSIVE RESEARCH RESIDENCY
Image credit: Hellen Sky
Pictured: Mark Cauvin. Image credit: Heidrun Lohr
Nikki Heywood with Heidrun Lohr, Mark Cauvin & Hellen Sky At Creative Practice Lab, UNSW “The time in residency at Io Myers allowed me to continue a thread of thinking in relation to vibration as a foundational generative force, and to elaborate, along with my collaborators, on a specific interest in the evolution of ideas, and the resulting appearance and importance of certain objects and materials, through world time; to share some of the things we know about human/cultural and geo/biological evolution, and to ask questions about many of the things we don’t know; to make choices from all the ‘too much information’ quickly, using chance and serendipity.” – Nikki Heywood 10
“The time in residency at Io Myers allowed me to continue a thread of thinking in relation to vibration as a foundational generative force”
Pictured: Ivey Wawn & Mark Mailler. Image credit: Freya Ludowici
Ivey Wawn & Mark Mailler At the Drill Hall “We set out with some already known information and used paper to situate these points in space, from there, trying to fill in or fill out points and gaps between points. This produced a particular way of engaging with space and being with information that felt really specific to our purposes and began to help with understanding ideas of migration and identity production as spatial and choreographic.”
“We set out with some already known information and used paper to situate these points in space”
- Ivey Wawn & Mark Mailler
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Pictured: WeiZen Ho. Image credit: Mike Leggett
Alan Schacher & WeiZen Ho with Mike Leggett & Fausto Brusamolino At the Creative Practice Lab, UNSW “In the one week available we began to examine the visual effects of materials, video projection and video on screen monitors, and of depth-offield camera projections. We also experimented with haze, different types of reflective and transparent film, reflections, and a screen made from pouring materials (in this case salt)…. We were aiming to create imagery suggestive of spirit states and dimensional shifts.” - Alan Schacher
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“We were aiming to create imagery suggestive of spirit states and dimensional shifts.”
Image courtesy of Matthew Day
Matthew Day with Lizzie Thomson & Martin del Amo At the Drill Hall “I participated in Matthew’s residency in the role of dramaturg. His residency was a fantastic opportunity for me to catch up with where he is up to in his practice and hear about his current research. I found our discussions very constructive and stimulating. They confirmed in me my interest to continue working with Matthew in the future.”
“It's so important to keep up with what our peers are doing in terms of the developments in their choreographic practices and also aspects including how artists are finding new ways to sustain their practices, finding support for generating and presenting new work.” – Lizzie Thomson
– Martin del Amo
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Pictured: Ros Crisp & Peter Fraser. Image credit: Still from video by Moonfire Productions
Ros Crisp with Andrew Morrish, Vic McEwan & Peter Fraser At the Drill Hall “[This residency] was a very special time for us and an important next step in the ongoing development of our DIRt project. I felt a kind of unconditional space and unpressured time within which we could follow the flow of what emerged, for each of us individually, and collectively. We were able to grow our materials in situ and take another step in responding to the challenge of bringing our localised, regional work to urban audiences. And it allowed us to keep deepening our collaborative exchange.” “It reinforced my understanding and enormous appreciation of Critical Path as an organisation that is committed to creating a space for 14
artists to shape as the artists themselves see fit, that empowers artists to be the designers of their own projects and their own ways of implementing them.” – Ros Crisp
Pictured: David Huggins, Ivey Wawn & Rhiannon Newton. Image credit: Rhiannon Newtown
Rhiannon Newton At the Drill Hall “I returned to Critical Path for one-week in August to trial and test how my ideas, practice and decisions were creating meaning, sensation and experiences for audiences. I felt very useful to be able to undertake this research residency in co-ordination with the Housemate residency. This helped to make being an interstate resident at Dancehouse more viable. I am sure this would be useful for further NSW artists hoping to engage in such programs. The showing was a very useful opportunity to share the work with my Sydney based community. It has been very difficult for me to find opportunities to present my work in Sydney, which is often programmed
in Melbourne and Brisbane. This therefore felt like a critical opportunity to share with my peers, so that our ongoing conversations can be informed by an understanding of what kind of work I make.� - Rhiannon Newton
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Image credit: Victoria Hunt
Victoria Hunt with Barbara Campbell At the Drill Hall and various locations around New Zealand & Marrickville “It was very important at this stage in my practice to have time in the studio to work physically and to explore collaboration with Barbara Campbell… What was particularly helpful was discussing creative and political strategies with a senior artist who I greatly admire and have a decade long connection to.” – Victoria Hunt
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RESPONSIVE RESEARCH RESIDENCY
Rakini Devi with Karl Ockelford At the Drill Hall “Our last couple of days were spent collating our documentation and planning our order of segments of video/imagery and texts that will be integrated into our film/doco/art film titled The Body as Archive. Going forward from this residency, I have recordings that I can rehearse movement to, and structure of newly devised choreography and performance concepts to be developed further as stage three of the archive project.” – Rakini Devi
“Going forward from this residency, I have recordings that I can rehearse movement to, and structure of newly devised choreography and performance concepts” Pictured: Rakini Devi in ‘The Murder Pier Comic’. Image credit: Karl Ockelford 17
Image credit: Julian Day
Julian Day
“Thanks so much for your great help and for your generous support of my practice. I had a very productive time in the space, both in undertaking solo research and in working with my collaborators. The final session in particular will probably result in a new work.” – Julian Day
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“I had a very productive time in the space, both in undertaking solo research and in working with my collaborators”
RESEARCH ROOM RESIDENCIES
Pictured: Dean Walsh. Image courtesy of the artist
Adelina Larsson Adelina used her time in the Research Room to further research her family’s Swedish cultural practices and consider how they relate to the work she is currently making.
Ivey Wawn Ivey spent time in the Research Room researching and preparing for the ChoreoHack Lab.
Dean Walsh Dean used his time in the Research Room researching and preparing for the ChoreoHack Lab
Khamlane Halsackda Khamlane was in the Research Room for a week researching and preparing before his Space Residency with Skye Renolds.
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SPACE RESIDENCY
Pictured: Skye Renolds & Khamlane Halsackd. Image credit: Freya Ludowici
Lauren Brincat & Frances Barbe
Skye Renolds & Khamlane Halsackda
Lauren and Frances worked together for 5 days at the Drill Hall to generate live and video material.
“We were very happy with our residency and are most grateful to Critical Path for supporting us!”
Lauren’s approach uses rule-based actions, ‘walking pieces’ and sculptural work in textiles. Frances’ approach draws on Japanese butohbased improvisation to cultivate creativity and a heightened state of presence through embodying imagery, inhabiting sculptural forms and working with materials.
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- Skye Reynolds “I learned that Critical Path play a crucial role in strengthening the dance arts community ... Critical Path really allows important voices to be expressed and heard.” - Khamlane Halsackda
Pictured: Amrita Hepi. Image credit: Honey Long & Prue Stent
Renata Commisso
Amrita Hepi
“My 3 day space residency was very productive and has been a great platform to help me move my artistic practice forward… I know now that this is just the beginning of a huge shift in the development of my practice and I look forward to continuing this with Critical Path and within the Sydney Community.”
Amrita used her time in the Drill Hall to revisit her collaborative work with Honey Long & Prue Stent, ‘This _____ May Not Protect You But At Times It’s Enough To Know It Exists.’ During her time in the space, Amrita worked with the giant inflatable soft structure in preparation for another presentation of the work.
– Renata Commisso
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OPEN STUDIO
Pictured: Angela Goh. Image credit: Rochelle Haley
OPEN STUDIO AT THE DRILL HALL “The Open Studio was a fantastic week. Access to a large open space for movement research, free of charge, is a rare opportunity in a metropolitan setting. I achieved a lot and I really appreciated the support. The experience has made a positive impact on my practice as the opportunity came up at exactly the right time when I needed space to explore and develop an aspect of a project I am presenting in a couple of months’ time. The residency was responsive to my needs and has progressed this aspect of the project in a much quicker time frame than I imagined.” - Rochelle Haley 22
“I used the space and the resources provided to delve deeper into my practice as an emerging young maker of dance. This experience has already made a difference in my artistic practice as a dance artist. I was brought closer to a movement language that translates best with the content I wish to be exploring through dance.” - Zachary Lopez
OPEN STUDIO
OPEN STUDIO JULY Dean Walsh Eric Avery Amrita Hepi
OPEN STUDIO AUGUST
“The residency was responsive to my needs and has progressed this aspect of the project in a much quicker time frame than I imagined.”
Rochelle Haley Zachary Lopez
OPEN STUDIO NOVEMBER Laura Osweiler Allie Graham Ashley Wright Jess Goodfellow 23
RESEARCH PROJECTS WITH NSW PARTNERS
Pictured: Dean Walsh, Rakini Devi & Amanda Card. Image credit: Claire Hicks
DANCING SYDNEY: MAPPING MOVEMENTS: PERFORMING HISTORIES Rakini Devi, Dean Walsh, Kay Armstrong, Julie-Anne Long “The structure of the archive project enabled me freedom to do what I felt I needed to do, which was to sort through the flotsam and jetsam of my accumulated artistic notes, professional records and theatrical ephemera and begin to make some sort of sense of the collection. This process was well supported by the Dancing Sydney sequence of events, starting with valuable information on archiving practices gleaned from the group visit to the State Library, as well as consultation and
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conversations with Amanda Card re archiving and the specificities of my situation.” - Julie-Anne Long
Pictured: Angeline Diaz, Alysha Fewster and Natasha Rogers. Image credit: Jhuny ‘Boy’ Borja
CATAPULT STUDIO EXCHANGE Charemaine Seet at Catapult Dance Studio and Angeline Diaz, Alysha Fewster and Natasha Rogers at the Drill Hall “I was impressed that Critical Path was interested in placing a mature artist in this residency and that Critical Path was reaching out to dance organizations further afield. I feel that Critical Path under Claire Hicks has become accessible to a more diverse community of dancers and reflects a broader artistic mission.” - Charemaine Seet
“The experience of working at Critical Path in a collaborative setting opened my eyes to new ways of developing ideas through the medium of movement. I see myself adopting these processes into my personal practice in future works. The project allowed space for experimentation and crystallised some of the areas I would like to dive deeper into, as well as helped me to see some directions I would like to avoid in the future. - Alysha Fewster”
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Pictured: Tanya Brown. Image courtesy of the artist.
CENTRAL WEST REGIONAL PRACTICE LAB Susan Barling, Tanya Brown, Vicki Van Hout & Rosslyn Wythes, facilitated by Rakini Devi This choreographic residency network project connected artists working in dance & choreography to the Central West NSW region. The aim of the Regional Practice Lab was to support more regional arts development, offer a framework for dance and choreographic research and development, as well as creating opportunities for access to the resources of the Central West region to independent artists.
the people who typically go to the theatre there. From talking with her, you can really see her thorough knowledge of the current and evolving Orange community. It made me see more clearly how I am interested in positioning/ presenting my work in Orange but how there is scope to present my work alongside/with other work at the Orange Civic Theatre.” - Rossyln Wythes
“This experience clarified for me the importance of knowing a community in order to engage with it – this thought comes from my experience of visiting the Orange Civic Theatre and talking with Michelle Pearce about 26
Pictured: Susan Barling. Image courtesy of the artist.
CENTRAL WEST RESEARCH Susan Barling Following her participation in the 2018 project, Susan Barling embarked on a week-long research period exploring her local connections in and around the town of Rylstone, most particularly the Kandos Museum.
which will conclude with the Cementa Festival in November 2019.” – Susan Barling
“I feel it has deepened my understanding and respect for the community I live in, as well as increasing my confidence to pursue other projects within the region. The arts are really valued in the country and as more people move out of the cities we will see a much broader sweep of cultural activities. I’m looking forward to continuing this project, 27
Image credit: Matthew Syres
CHOREO-HACK LAB Facilitated by Dr Rebecca Conroy With participants Ivey Wawn & Riki Scanlan, Dean Walsh & Dr Glenn Albrecht, Jodie McNeillyRenaudie & Clare Cooper, Henrietta Baird & Vicki Van Hout, Clarence Slockee, Bruce Pascoe, Jody Orcher and Auntie Francis Bodkin, Sarah Pini & Jestin George. Critical Path and Strange Attractor in partnership with Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences presented Choreo-Hack Lab, a oneweek laboratory that brought together 5 citybased artists with a choreographic practice to creatively improvise with 5 practitioners from other disciplines engaging with the Anthropocene. “I think this experience was positive for the deep and richly engaged experiences I had with the other artists on the project. Many of the ideas presented rightly deserve further development, and the overall lab has laid down some important ground work for future partnerships with the 28
MAAS, Syd Fest and affiliated organizations who attended the opening and closing events.” “I found the subject area to be stimulating and to offer many entry points so as to be able to contain diverse research tangents. I also appreciated so much that it was a supported opportunity which allows for full participation without financial stress.” – Ivey Wawn
Image credit: Matthew Syres
CHOREO-HACK LAB - OUT OF THE LAB Jodie McNeilly, Henrietta Baird and Sarah Pini Building on Critical Path’s Choreo-Hack lab, participating artists Jodie McNeilly, Henrietta Baird and Sarah Pini undertook a week of further research to take forward ideas and connections raised during the lab. “Coming out of the Hack Lab and straight into developing both a practice and potential new work is a sheer delight. The original lab at MAAS feels like it was a potent catalyst for pulling together a disparate desire to respond to my everyday concerns about the environment with my choreographic practice aims....I feel incredibly supported by Critical Path with space, funds and now producing support. I feel like there is a future and energy behind these
projects and my practice beyond the lab. Thank you!” - Jodi McNeilly “The biggest challenge, but also the biggest reward was learning ways of finding a common ground and understandings to work together across different practices and approacwhes. The aim is to further develop this research into possibly an academic publication, and I hope that there will be other opportunities emerging from this project that would reach a larger public.” - Sarah Pini 29
DEVELOPMENT Skills, knowledge and practice development. Activity to challenge, excite, open up and extend understanding, including workshops, forums, dialogue and publications. The aim of the Development strand is to be as open as possible with opportunities for diverse practitioners and public to engage with the program in order to open up thinking, learning and dialogue through the following activities: •
Workshops & Residencies
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Public Showings & Talks
• Publications
‘Pictured: Participants from INFORM #2. Image credit: Kate Holmes’ 30
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WORKSHOPS & RESIDENCIES
Pictured: Andrew Morrish. Image credit: Freya Ludowici
OPEN WORKSHOP IN MOVEMENT AND VOCALS Adelina Larsson with Andrew Morrish & Nate Gilkes As part of her research, Adelina Larsson ran a 3-day workshop together with Andrew Morrish and Nate Gilkes which focused on improvisation and experimenting with a range of movement and vocal scores tangential to the creative development of Carmen et Error.
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Pictured: Participants from INFORM #2. Image credit: Kate Holmes
NORPA INFORM WORKSHOP-LAB #2 Idiot Savant Theatre Company & Belloo Creative INFORM is a 2 year program partnership between NORPA (Northern Rivers Performing Arts) and Critical Path which aims to explore and extend dance theatre practice in the Northern Rivers region, NSW. NORPA and Critical Path teamed up with Belloo Creative to bring Idiot Savant (Japan) to the Northern Rivers for the second iteration of INFORM. The workshop-lab considered how dance and choreography can underpin an embodied approach to theatre and provide different methodologies for performance making.
The workshop-lab considered how dance and choreography can underpin an embodied approach to theatre and provide different methodologies for performance making
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Pictured: Workshop participants at Mirramu. Image credit: Barbie Robinson
INDIGENOUS DANCE DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP Mirramu, BlakDance and Critical Path Partnership Participating artists: Eric Avery, Joel Bray, Katie Lesley, Taree Sansbury & Carly Sheppard “The experience was great. It was a rare opportunity to have in-depth, quality conversations with other Indigenous dance artists, which is great for me because I spend most of my time working in a whitefella context. The relaxed atmosphere and ‘cut off from the world’ vibe allowed for real connection and sharing and an opportunity to receive and offer support to peers. I walked away with a greater clarity in how I talk about my practice.”
“Independent Aboriginal dance is a major cornerstone of this country, something that was stressed again and again in the conversations and workshops. The way in which we were engaged with critical path was very thoughtful and attention to how we articulate our practices was great as we were guided through the necessary steps to start doing this from a very professional viewpoint.” - Eric Avery
- Joel Bray
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PUBLIC SHOWINGS & TALKS
Pictured: Brianna Kell. Image courtesy of the artist
FIRST RUN SPRING ‘18 Featuring Emma Harrison & Brianna Kell First Run is a supportive platform for artists to share ideas and work at any stage of development and to engage with audience in a facilitated discussion. Local performer, choreographer and filmmaker, Emma Harrison and the talented Brianna Kell shared new solo works. First Run is facilitated by Brooke Stamp and Rhiannon Newton. First Run was initiated through Lucy Guerin Inc. in 2008 and in Sydney First Run has been supported by Critical Path and ReadyMade Works Studio since 2017.
First Run is a supportive platform for artists to share ideas and work at any stage of development and to engage with audience in a facilitated discussion.
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credit: Matthew Image Credit: Matthew Syres Syres
TALKING DANCE: HACKING THE ANTHROPOCENE – Sydney Festival Event Dr Astrida Neimanis and Kenneth McLeod facilitated by Dr Rebecca Conroy Kicking off the Choeo-Hack Lab was a conversation with Dr Astrida Neimanis (Dept Gender and Cultural Studies, Uni Syd) and Kenneth McLeod (Research associate, UTS Business School) facilitated by independent artist and scholar Dr Rebecca Conroy. In partnership with Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences and Sydney Festival.
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Pictured: Anna Kuroda, Taree Sansbury & Brian Fuata Image credit: Lux Eterna
STARTERS AT BLACKTOWN ARTS CENTRE Brian Fuata, Julie-Anne Long, Anna Kuroda and Taree Sansbury “I am a Japanese dancer and choreographer based in Western Sydney for 6 years. In previous time I struggled with some people who just want Japanese cultural/traditional dance element from me. My practice includes contemporary as well as traditional.”
experience for myself, other artists and audience.” – Anna Kuroda
“During second half of STARTERS presentation, I explained ‘how I started dance’ and ‘where my influence comes from’ in front of public which I have never done before. I felt I could share simply the truth and it was not necessary to exaggerate cultural/ traditional part. I thought this was very positive
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PUBLICATIONS
Critical Dialogues Issue 11 Vol 1 & 2 “I think the journal does a good job at reflecting the work and thinking being done in the community/industry.” - Ivey Wawn “I think that having the opportunity to reflect on a written format and disseminate my research will contribute to foster my practice and enhance the chance for future collaborations.”
“Although I have a very research-based artistic practice, I rarely have much time to reflect on (in writing) an overview of my own artistic practice in light of the research work I do. Often they happen side-by-side and inform each other, but this is the first time that I’ve covered both of these sides of my practice within the same scope or overview. It has given me a welltimed reminder to think about my practice from a slightly more ‘removed’ perspective more often.”
– Sarah Pini - Samuel Hertz “I think it’s great that you have different artist as we see and hear different views, works and styles.”
“Critical Path is an amazing organisation that achieves a lot with little.”
– Henrietta Baird
- Pippa Bailey
“Researching for the essay led me to think about what I could do next; it also helped to organise some of the mess/mass of thoughts and ideas that always accompany process. Normatively speaking, writing is always good!”
“The writing encouraged me to be more cogent.”
– Jodie McNeilly “This was the first long-form essay I have written about my choreographic practice and theoretical research. It was daunting at first but overall a really rewarding experience and a great exercise to articulate my work. I have also noticed the process has strengthened my dance practice, especially when teaching recently at the Venice Theater Biennale.” – Renae Shadler
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– Kenneth McLeod “I kept wanting to make a publication of stories from my performances and a supported chance to work on an edit is a good reminder and time well spent.” - Emily Johnson
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