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The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust of Australia

Report by Garry Stewart 2018 Churchill Fellow

Research into the structure and function of seven international choreographic

centres.

Travel and research undertaken in July, August, September 2018

I understand that the Churchill Trust may publish this Report, either in hard copy or on the internet or both, and consent to such publication. I indemnify the Churchill Trust against any loss, costs or damages it may suffer arising out of any claim or proceedings made against the Trust in respect of or arising out of the publication of any Report submitted to the Trust and which the Trust places on a website for access over the internet. I also warrant that my Final Report is original and does not infringe the copyright of any person, or contain anything which is, or the incorporation of which into the Final Report is, actionable for defamation, a breach of any privacy law or obligation, breach of confidence, contempt of court, passing-off or contravention of any other private right or of any law. Signed:

Dated: 9th November 2018

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Keywords: Choreography, dance, Adelaide dance, Australian Dance Theatre, choreographic centre, Garry Stewart, choreographic research, Acknowledgements

I would like to convey my sincerest thanks and appreciation to the Churchill Trust for supporting my proposal. Particularly the South Australian selection panel who were able to understand the vision I was aiming for and comprehend the passion I have for this project. I’d also like to give enormous thanks to those gifted and inspiring individuals from the various international choreographic centres that I visited. They were all so exceptionally generous and kind with their time, sharing their valuable knowledges, insights and wealth of experience. This journey was a rare gift indeed and I thank each and every person I encountered. In particular the directors of these various centres: Barbara Bryan – Director of Movement Research, New York. Francine Gagne – Director of Circuit Est, Montreal Morag Deyes – Director of Dance Base, Edinburgh Maritska Witte – Deputy Manager of ICK Amsterdam Emio Greco & Pieter Scholten – Artistic Director’s of Ballet National deMarseille. Rajana Dave – Programming Director of Gati Dance Forum, Delhi Jayachandra Palazhy – Artistic Director of Attakkalari, Bangalore Thank you also to the many artists, administrators, curators and researchers I met who contributed so invaluably to this study.

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Executive Summary

Personal details Garry Stewart Artistic Director Australian Dance Theatre 57a Queen St, Norwood 5067 Australia Project Description The objective of this fellowship was to visit seven leading international choreographic centres in order to benchmark their structures, programmes and interaction with artists. At Australian Dance Theatre we are currently establishing our own International Centre for Choreography (ICC). This comparative study provides an extraordinary opportunity to connect with the most outstanding centres in the world working within this field. Dance and choreography have undergone enormous ontological changes over the past two decades in particular. The tectonic plates of the artform have shifted massively. The process of experimentation and the rehearsal studio have attained greater legitimacy as a space for discourse, discussion, contemplation and reflection. Choreographic centres are not addendums or margins to dance-making practice, but are essential spaces where artists gather to inscribe as they wish. More importantly they are soft landing spots in turbulent times. Creative parachutes where significant failures and small successes share the common language of trial and error that adds up to a more evolved approach to artistic practice. There are multiple commonalities among the centres I visited primarily because the fundamentals such as rehearsal space, technical support, mentoring and critical feedback are the foundational elements that most young choreographers need. Beyond this there are vast contrasts in the overarching mission of each of these centres as each one responds to its specific cultural context as well as the predilections of the individuals who direct them. It is within these contrasting structures and programmes that I found extraordinary examples of ingenious thinking. I also witnessed the great passion, energy and thoughtfulness fuelling the personnel who deliver these programmes to their various communities.

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Itinerary 30th July – 5th August Movement Research – the leading choreographic centre in New York City 6th – 11th August Circuit Est – the leading choreographic centre in Montreal 12th – 18th August Dance Base - the National Centre for Dance (Scotland) 19th – 25th August ICK Amsterdam – the International Choreographic Arts Centre of Amsterdam 26th – 31st August Ballet National de Marseille – a leading French national centre for choreography based in Marseille. 1st – 7th September Gati Dance Forum – an artist led choreographic centre based in Delhi, India 8th – 15th September Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts – the leading Indian contemporary dance company and centre for movement investigation. Based in Bangalore.

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Background

I have been the Artistic Director Australian Dance Theatre (ADT) for the past 19 years. ADT is well known as an iconic Australian contemporary dance company which has enjoyed a substantial national and international reputation over the 53 years of it’s existence. Throughout this period the company has been led by five long-term Artistic Directors and two interim Artistic Directors - each of whom have laid their own distinctive artistic mark upon the company. Fundamentally though, the company has upheld a singular organisational structure over that time whereby a ‘signature’ choreographer (the Artistic Director) creates major works on a full-time ensemble of dancers. These works are then toured through national and international touring markets. Of course this is a sound and common-place structure which has permitted the company to become the most internationally recognised contemporary dance company this country has produced. It’s creative work has been seen at some of the world’s leading dance houses in Paris, London, New York, Amsterdam, Luxembourg, Sydney and beyond. South Australia is a state that has prided itself on being an artistic centre of excellence, particularly evidenced through the volume of art’s festivals this state produces. The moniker ‘The Festival State’ is embossed into number plates of South Australian motor vehicles - a testament to the State’s own perception of itself as a cultural centre. In the art form of dance however South Australia does trail behind most other states. There is no Australian Major Performing Arts Group (AMPAG) dance company in South Australia and the independent sector has suffered substantial funding losses over recent years resulting from changes to federal funding appropriations. This has led to an attrition of dance-based artists from the State with many emerging and mid-career artists migrating interstate or overseas in search of opportunities to develop their craft and maintain a livelihood. As a flagship company it is incumbent upon Australian Dance Theatre to provide leadership in the sector. Given that the company is a non-AMPAB entity it is challenging for our company to financially afford the commissioning of external choreographers at regular intervals. The company, however, has for many years offered a range of supportive programmes such as free rehearsal space, artists residencies, programmes for showcasing new works, modest commissioning of small works as well as forums, discussion, research and other

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means of engagement. These have represented a relatively modest series of initiatives that we realized would be more meaningful if brought under a common organisational aegis of a ‘choreographic centre’ - the manifestation of a physical and conceptual space for investigating the rather slippery definition of choreography and the ontology of dance-making itself. The ‘choreographic centre’ as a cultural structure would provide a deliberate and positive masthead organisation that could act as a central node for the company’s aspirations of engaging with local, national and international dance makers. Along with our inaugural dance festival – the Adelaide Dance Festival which was held in July this year (2018) – we initiated the steps in creating an ecosystem which could provide the backbone to the emergence of an enhanced South Australian dance sector. Choreographic centres are vital organisations which are geared specifically to interrogate the foundations of dance and provide manifold opportunities and pathways for dance artists of all persuasions. Examples of various iterations of these type of organisations can be found the world over. The French government founded 19 choreographic centres in the 1980’s. These centres led to a transformation of contemporary dance in that country and provided the mechanism for the emergence of some of Europe’s leading choreographers whose work still resonates across international dance. In New York, Movement Research was founded in 1978, it’s pursuits were allied to the phenomenally creative hotbed that was the Judson Church Dance Theatre and the New York postmodern dance scene at that time. Gati Dance Forum in Delhi and Circuit Est in Montreal were both founded by a cohort of independent artists all yearning for a sense of community and connection and a recognition of strength in numbers. ICK Amsterdam is deeply committed to academic and choreographic research as well as a conviction to archiving and documentation of dance. These organisations are incredibly diverse. Through their structure, their programmes and their unique philosophical dispositions, it was evident that a connection with these centres offered me an opportunity to benchmark the choreographic centre as a lynchpin entity within their respective dance communities. In Australia there already exists Strut Dance – the National Choreographic Centre of Western Australia (Perth) And Critical Path (Sydney). Both of these centres are doing excellent work in providing leadership and supportive

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creative pathways for artists within these cities. Neither of these structures however, have a functioning dance company at their centre as the ADT International Centre for Choreography does. So it was important for me to travel overseas to experience the diverse ways in which choreographic centres operate within their sector and I was particularly interested to see how a dance company could be embedded within such an organisational structure. Of the organisations I visited, ICK Amsterdam, Circuit Est and Ballet National de Marseille all work with a dance company or, in the case of Circuit Est, several dance companies.

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Movement Research – New York 30th July – 5th August

Movement Research (MR) is one of the world’s most respected and oldest choreographic centres. The programme of this choreographic centre primarily aims at servicing and working with dance artists across the US, particularly those based in New York. Founded in 1978 the current CEO, Barbara Bryan, took up this post 12 years ago. I visited Movement Research in it’s modest office based on the lower east side of Manhattan. The organisation has fostered relationships with a number of dance venues in lower Manhattan. These partnerships affords Movement Research the ability to run their programme without having to invest in studios (although a move into new offices with adjacent studios is currently in train). Movement Research’s current rehearsal spaces are situated at Gibney Dance Centre, Judson Church, St Marks Church, Danspace and Eden’s Expressway (Soho). These are all very well established dance centres with a long history of servicing the New York downtown dance sector. This partnership with studios is an innovative solution to the issues surrounding the immense costs involved in investing in purchasing bespoke rehearsal studios in a city that has a premium on land values. This relationship to various existing dance spaces and organisations is one of the most distinctive aspects of the structure of Movement Research and is clearly a corollary of the conditions of New York City and the challenges in funding experimental dance. Movement Research is not a presenter or a curator necessarily. They don’t present a programme of finished productions apart from informal showings of works-in-progress at the Judson Church. Instead, Movement Research is a centre for development and experimentation as well as pedagogy, learning and exchange of ideas and processes. What struck me in my time in New York was the sheer volume of the Movement Research’s programmes and the wide diversity of artists and practitioners they engage with. Certainly what can be readily identified is the forty years of achievement that is evident through their depth and range of their programme. Choreographer Miguel Guttierez commented on the positive inclusiveness that pervades Movement Research and their generous approach in handing the reins over to the artists rather than the administration or Board operating as the primary driver. In fact this artist-driven ethos pervades many of the choreographic centres I visited.

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Movement Research upholds an extensive Artist in Residence (AIR) programme, facilitating around 4 residencies each year. The average length of each residency is 2 years. Each recipient receives a stipend/honorarium of c. US$4500. There are no restrictions on the work being developed. The residency can be used to create new work or redevelop an older, existing work. The AIR’s receive 100 hours of free rehearsal space in year one and 50 hours of free space in year two. One mandatory criteria is that all the AIR recipients must give a 15 minute presentation at the Judson Church at the end of the residency period. This can be in the form of a showing of a work or simply an oral/audiovisual presentation. At these showings there is usually a moderator to facilitate discussion. From time to time the AIR recipients meet as a cohort in order to discuss their experiences and to exchange ideas, concepts and thoughts on process. This engenders a supportive and empathetic environment as often choreographers work in isolation from each other. The Artists-in-Residence are further supported by a dramaturg, (Liz Lehrman is one such dramaturg), who facilitates critical feedback on the development of the work as well as contributing to the knowledge base informing the work. Melt Intensives are a major workshop which are held in Summer and Winter and are led by key New York based dance artists working in technique, somatics, improvisation, composition and academia. While I was in New York I undertook a workshop in Qi Gong and Mindfulness Meditation conducted by Laurel Atwell and Tess Dworman and observed a workshop given by Iele Paloumpis who uses esoteric knowledges such as astrology and wicca as keys into movement generation. I also observed a workshop led by renowned downtown choreographer Miguel Guttierez at St Marks Church in the East Village. I was also fortunate enough to meet with the aforementioned artists individually and gained an insight into their relationship with Movement Research. Two of the most striking points that I observed is the extraordinary diversity of practices among the artists who engage with Movement Research. These artists all attested to the fact that this organisation is very much in service of the dance makers. It is the dance makers who determine the programme of Movement Research. Movement Research doesn’t impose it’s mandate on the dance community but works with artists so that they jointly determine what is on offer. New York has a long and sustained history of a dance sector that is intellectually and politically engaged. Studies Project is an artist-curated panel

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that leads discussion and debate into current socio-political and cultural issues that occurs monthly. Dance academic J Soto is the leader of the Studies Project. J is described on the Movement Research website as ‘a queer, brown, transgender interdisciplinary artist, writer and arts organiser’ (https://movementresearch.org/people/j-soto). Each session is a two hour discourse on any topic an artist may choose whether political, philosophical or aesthetic. A key thinker in dance will lead a group of dance makers and interested artists through a discussion on a particular piece of written discourse or nominated topic. Given that New York is such an intellectual hotbed and attractor of thinkers, there is no shortage of artists wishing to engage with Studies Project. Artists can suggest topics for the Studies Project via the website which affords a significant degree of accessibility to the programme. While I was there the topic addressed was tyranny and the preconditions for fascism. Other topics include; the ethics of critical feedback

on the work of other artists; being black and improvisation; and addressing the

question - does the dance space make room for the dancer-parent?

Addressing inter-cultural dialogue, Global Practice Sharing (GPS) is a cultural exchange programme between US artists and international artists. Currently the focus is on Russia and previously has been on eastern European centres. The programme is usually funded by the overseas region not New York. Having a base in NYC is a strong pull factor as many artists want to experience working there. Most of the residencies are for a duration of 1 -2 weeks and often involve teaching and also some development of choreographic material. Similarly, Movement Research Xchange (MRX) is a national and international exchange programme between institutions. Movement Research Artists-in-Residence as well as the faculty members are given the opportunity to travel to international and interstate centres to engage with sharing of practice, values and methodologies. Movement Research produces a quarterly journal titled Critical

Correspondence which engages a rotation of guest editors who receive remuneration on an honorarium basis. A recent edition involved a Native American editor with all articles by Native American writers and artists. It was identified that there had been a paucity of indigenous representation until that point. Utilizing the flexibility of a digital platform, Critical Correspondence publishes in-depth content in multiple formats, including interviews, experimental and scholarly writing, podcasts and video projects. Edited by a rotating team of artists, the publication fosters discourse and increases the visibility of dance and movement-based forms in wider conversations.

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Iele Paloumpis workshop at St Marks Church-in-the-Bowery

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Choreographer Miguel Guttierez and colleague

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The Board of Movement Research determines the mission as well as governance and racial equity. There exists an Artists of Color Council (ACC) who focus on racial diversity and discourse of racial issues at Movement Research. 80% of the Board work in the field of dance. Two board members are national (from other states). The ACC aims to increase visibility, opportunities, and engagement with resources for artists of color within the field. Movement Research will be moving into PS 122 – an iconic, downtown performance space – after refurbishment of the space. The main offices and two studios will be situated there. For the first time in 40 years the office will be in the same building as the studios, however the relationships with the other abovementioned studios will continue. The Director of Movement Research very kindly and very generously invited me to pilot ideas from their organisation at our ADT International Centre for Choreography (ICC). Movement Research is an impressive centre that produces a wide-ranging programme that reaches a large quantum of practitioners operating through diverse concerns and approaches. Movement Research is unique in it’s collaborations with other dance organisations that are situated within it’s geographic proximity through a long-term history of sharing venues and resources. An integral feature is Movement Research’s disposition as an artist-driven organisation that is deeply committed to representing the broad expanse of the phenomenally diverse New York populace.

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Circuit Est – Montreal 6th – 11th August

Circuit Est is a major Canadian choreographic centre based in Montreal in the Francophone province of Quebec. In 1987, a cohort of 10 choreographers - Louise Bédard, Sylvain Émard, Francine Gagné, Lucie Grégoire, Carole Ip, Rodrigue Jean, Jocelyne Sarrazin, Richard Simas, Lee Anne Smith et Tedi Tafel - created Circuit-Est centre chorégraphique and adapted two large studios which were to be devoted entirely to contemporary dance and choreographic creation. Ten years later, with the operating support of the three arts funding councils of Montreal, Quebec and Canada, Circuit-Est acquired funding permanent paid staff. Francine Gagné, the General Director, was one of these original ten founding choreographers. Through persistent lobbying and work they were awarded Can$1.5 million by the provincial government of Quebec to purchase and renovate the main building they occupy. A second building was purchased in 2017. The two buildings house a total of 5 studios and a theatre. They are located in the same neighbourhood about 20 minutes walk from each other.

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The aim of the founding choreographers was to work in a supportive environment and to use their collective influence to seek funding for a building and operations. For the first eight years they pooled their resources in order to establish a viable organisation. Having these companies all under one roof accelerated the exchange of knowledge and expertise, the creation of a sense of community as well as a unified mechanism for lobbying for further funding support. According to Francine Gagné, from the outset this collective arrangement engendered a sense of ownership and joint responsibility which assisted in generating the well-being of the organisation. They were suffused with a purposefulness in pursuing common goals and aspirations. It was the founding of Circuit Est that provided the opportunity and means for each of these founding independent choreographers to eventually create their own companies. Circuit Est at its core provides an environment for creation. It is concerned with process and experimentation and the development of innovative and diverse new work. To this day Circuit Est has retained an integral organisational relationship with the founding companies. The centre aims for a balance of older, established and younger, emerging choreographers and companies. The mandate of the organisation is centred around the development of new work and not on it’s presentation. Even though the main building houses a c. 100 seat theatre it is only available for informal showings and to service the technical requirements of the choreographers and Artists-in-Residence. It is not to be used for ticketed performances as this would infringe upon the mandated role of the theatres situated in downtown Montreal. The member companies which are all based in Montreal, direct the organisational mission and vision. Each company is allocated one position on the Board which serves to maintain Circuit Est’s operations in accordance with the needs of the member companies. At the time that Circuit Est was founded there was already a profoundly active and emerging dance and arts sector. There were many artists but not necessarily funding for new artists to enter beyond an emerging status. The creation of Circuit Est was a response to this environment and funding distribution. According to a founding, and current member, artist Sylvain Emard, it took an enormous degree of political lobbying for Circuit Est to gain recognition and attain funding support. The collaboration amongst these 10

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founding artists is what permitted their eventual success. Concurrently there emerged another organisation – Diagram – which provided administrative support to independent artists and assisted the founding members of Circuit Est. Diagram still exists today and maintains this supportive role. The member companies all operate out of the Circuit Est’s buildings. This engenders a dynamic sense of connection and camaraderie between them as well as the ability to co-share knowledges and experience. They co-operate in the rather complex operation of scheduling for the use of the rehearsal spaces and the venue. For this to work efficiently each company has to put forward their respective programme six months in advance. Further advantages of having member companies is that it generates a level of non-government funding which is sometimes a requisite for particular funding streams. Circuit Est is funded by governmental organisations that reflect the three levels of government administration – the Canada Council for the Arts (federal), the Quebec Arts Council (provincial) and the Arts Council of Montreal (municipal). The organisation also receives support through the Royal Bank of Canada’s Emerging Artists Programme. Various programmes such as workshops by international artists and artist exchanges are supported by European organisations including Fabrik Potsdam (Germany), Pro Helvetia (Switzerland) and Theatre Sevelin 36 (Switzerland)

Each member company pays a monthly membership to Circuit Est ranging between Can$250 - Can$850 per month. This affords each company a sense of ownership of Circuit Est as well as contributing toward recurrent operational funding of the organisation. In return each company receives studio access as well as a place on the Board. I also met with administrator Jeremy Verrain who is employed to specifically liaise with the member companies and assist with their management. Another part time administrator is allocated to the member companies totalling 1.5 administrators for work for the member companies. There are six offices for the member companies to work in and ‘hot space’ for independent artists to utilise. This proximity of artists to the administrators promotes a fluid exchange and discourse.

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Circuit Est is now based in two substantial sites. The main building houses three studios and a 100 seat theatre. The second, newer building houses two rehearsal studios. The theatre isn’t usually used for performances but primarily for informal showings of works-in-development. There are two theatre technicians employed to support these showings.

Each year there are a number Artists-in-Residence (AIR) at Circuit Est, each occupying the studios for two weeks. In 2018 there are nine AIR’s and each receive a modest, annual stipend. The Royal Bank of Canada provides Can$15,000 per annum sponsorship toward the Artist-in-Residence programme. Seven of the AIR receive access to the smaller studios (forty hours per week) and two the larger studio (thirty hours per week) which is a small theatre that is fitted out with lighting fixtures and a sound system. The residencies in the theatre venue are referred to as ‘technical residencies’ These AIR’s receive technical support from 3 – 4 technicians for the two weeks. This permits them to light their performance in preparation for a season several weeks later in a professional theatre setting. Two of the AIR’s receive a mentorship from someone of their choosing totalling twenty hours. They all receive free classes provided by the member companies. The Artists-in-Residence are chosen via a formal application

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process. Two of these have access to the theatre while the others can only access the studios.

The technical rehearsal room/theatre at Circuit Est

There are few dance dramaturges in Montreal and typically, Circuit Est doesn’t provide dramaturges for their Artists-in-Residence. At times however, they have hosted workshops by Guy Cools, a renowned Belgian dramaturg who has worked with Peeping Tom, Ballet C de la B and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui. It is worth noting that the The Festival TransAmerique (Montreal) does organise meetings between artists and visiting dramaturges where the dramaturge is available to offer their point of view on an artistic concept.

Throughout each year a roster of fifteen teachers are engaged for workshops for professionals. Circuit Est don’t necessarily cater for classes for the non-professional sector, apart from one public class series which is designed for participants 50 years and older. There is also one community outreach programme conducted each year. 95% of what Circuit Est does caters for the professional dance community. Most classes and workshops are conducted by international artists, bringing skills and points of view to the local dance community that they don’t normally have access to.

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Circuit Est feels they need to be open to the opinions of their local community. For example they ask young choreographers to recommend dancer performances they have seen. Their advice then contributes to Circuit Est’s programming. In this way Circuit Est connects with a cohort of trusted artists who value-add to Circuit Est’s programme. Circuit Est conducts surveys of the dance community to find out what they want from the centre. One of the personnel from Circuit Est, Daniel Villenueve, is employed to work specifically at building relationships with the local artists – finding out what they want and enacting this. Daniel also visits dance schools to inform them about Circuit Est and to let them know what they offer. He will visit the four main dance schools every year and speaks to the final year graduating students to let them know what programmes at Circuit Est could assist them. This serves to educate these graduates about the profession and informs them about what support is available to them upon graduation. Circuit Est also organises round-table discussions with Montreal based artists in order to ascertain how the organisation can assist them more effectively. This occurs two to three times per year and allows Circuit Est to evolve it’s programme so that it aligns with the needs of the sector. Circuit Est holds an ‘Open Friday’ every week where anyone from the professional dance community can seek advice and assistance. Anyone who wishes to discuss a project from any point of view (technical, grants, administrative, artistic) can meet with one of the team. Francois Bellefeuille, the Assistant General Director, will spend on average 90 mins meeting with an artist discussing a grant application, for example. Francois refers to this as an informal ‘class’ in grant writing. He will make sure that everything written into the artistic description is reflected in the budget. So far this year he has met with 10 artists on Open Fridays. It is mainly he and also the General Director Francine Gagne who are consulted for advice - primarily related to grants as well as artistic questions. Regroupment Quebecoise de la Danse (RQD) is organisation to promote the ecology of Quebecoise dance. RQD was founded in 1984 initially as a lobbying organisation but eventually it evolved into a service organisation as well, offering affordable administrative services to dancers and choreographers. Circuit Est worked closely with RQD to develop a 10 year strategy for 2011 – 2021. This strategy was leveraged to win government and corporate funds for

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dance in Quebec. Circuit Est was very involved in the development of this strategy. According to Circuit Est member choreographer Sylvain Emard, who was Chairman of Regroupment in 1994, the artistic community in Montreal has always been very well organised. He suggested that perhaps this was a result of the ‘survivor’ disposition that has historically characterised the Quebecoise-French community. This palpable sense of grass roots organisation isn’t necessarily evident in other Canadian provinces and despite the challenges of funding, appropriations to the arts remains higher in Quebec than in other provinces. This is possibly a corollary of the desire that the Quebecoise possess for sustaining and advancing their unique Francophonic culture in a predominantly Anglophonic continent. The ten year plan recognised that the economic environment has shifted and competition for funding is increasing. An example of this new competitive frame is the push that has been maintained for more and more dance companies to tour, yet the funding available to subsidise touring has not maintained proportional growth. This pattern is also evident in Australia and Europe. Sylvain notes that ‘arts and culture are never at the centre of any political programme’ although the Trudeau government has recently been responsible for significantly increasing the overall federal arts appropriation. A central aim of RQD is to preserve what already exists whilst continuing to lobby for future political and funding gains. This ultimately can be channelled into the production of new creations and their dissemination through touring markets both nationally and abroad. A strategic component of the ten year plan is to co-ordinate the governmental arts bodies to co-ordinate with other areas of government such as education and trade, for example. Rather than viewing the arts vertically there is now a strategy to look across government and make horizontal connections to other portfolios and socio-political spheres. According to Francois Bellefeuille, Montreal is one of the world capitals of dance. The community was created by everyone helping each other, especially Circuit Est which was founded by 10 independent artists wanting to share resources. There has always existed the mindset of mutual assistance within the Montreal arts scene. Circuit Est aims to consider what is needed for the broader dance community, not just its own specific agenda. Support and participation has always been an integral component of the fabric of the dance community in Montreal. Reaching people is easy because there are many

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structures that support and connect with the community such as Festival Trans Amerique (FTA). When FTA brings programmers from abroad for their festival they also send them out to interact with the local companies and artists. There is greater transparency and an ethos of sharing in Montreal compared to other Canadian centres. FTA promotes the community not just themselves and their own interests. 50% of FTA shows are from artists based in Quebec. So half of the programming is local programming. Members of the dance community regularly promote, support and recommend their colleagues shows. Circuit Est has evolved within this highly interconnected community. Over three decades it has contributed significantly to the culture of interdependence and co-operation that suffuses this dynamic artistic community.

Dance Base – The National Choreographic Centre of Scotland 12th – 18th

August

I arrived into Edinburgh during the busiest time of the year – the Edinburgh Festival and Fringe. Accordingly, Dance Base was in full swing as it presents it’s own annual festival concurrently with these major festivals. Dance Base (DB) has been under the Artistic Directorship of Morag Deyes for the past two decades. Dance Base’s tag line is The National Choreographic Centre of Scotland. Its over-arching mandate is to provide dance experiences to as many people as possible and this is evident in the sheer expanse of its programmes on offer. Dance Base aims to represent the broad diversity of dance in all its forms and to be as inclusive as possible. The organisation not only caters to professional practitioners but equally to; young people through educative programmes and to the general public, to the elderly through PRIME – a dance ensemble for the over 60’s - and even a programme of classes for babies and infants and their parents. As explained by the Morag Deyes, Dance Base conducts a very extensive programme that falls under three main categories:

• Professional support – aimed at supporting professional dance artists including residencies, mentoring, showcases, classes and workshops.

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PRIME also falls under this category, the Dance Base dance festival and a bursary scheme for recent graduates.

• Classes – a programme of public classes encompassing a multitude of

dance forms aimed at all ages and abilities.

• Participation programme – an extensive programme of workshops and creative projects for all community members that aims to be as inclusive as possible.

The major funder is Creative Scotland who have Dance Base within their portfolio of Regular Funded Companies. This funding represents around 40% of the annual turnover. Dance Base also receives core funding from The City of Edinburgh Council at around 5% of its income. Approximately 40% of Dance Base’s revenue is generated by the Participation Programme that is comprised of classes and workshops together with Fringe Festival ticket sales. Community outreach projects are supported by various Trusts and Foundations making up around 10% of total funding. The final 5% is generated from hires of the building and rental income. From time to time other funding streams are sought for specific projects and initiatives. The backbone of the activity of Dance Base is the public classes programme. This is a cost neutral, non-subsidised arm of the company. The other major component of the centre is community outreach. Dance Base is highly invested in its commitment to forging lasting connections to communities and engendering an ethos of openness and accessibility. It is not a niche organisation aimed solely at professional level practitioners within the specialised domain of contemporary dance. Nonetheless, servicing the professional sector is a key component within the organisations mission. The Professional Programme supports professional dancers and choreographers. This programme includes a number of major initiatives:

• DEBS - the Dancers Emerging Bursary Scheme. This is a two year programme where a number of young, emerging artists are allocated a mentor and develop their work under his/her guidance. The focus is on recent graduates. Currently the mentor is well known Glasgow-based theatre/dance director Al Seed. The mentor is paid £1200, DEBS are paid £600 for a specific mentoring week that occurs each year.

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• A residency programme which allocates choreographers studio time in order to develop their own work. Residencies are awarded through an application process.

• Showcases – informal showings of new works by independent

choreographers. There is a local ‘call out’ for participants. A modest level of technical support accompanies this. Each artist receives £100 honorarium as well as free studio space, professional photos and video of the work. Heads Up is the version of the showcase that takes place during the Edinburgh Festival.

• Dance Base Festival – occurs concurrent with the Edinburgh Fringe

Festival and Edinburgh Festival. Around 20 small works are presented in the Dance Base venues over three weeks. The total budget of the festival is £12,000. Performers are not paid a fee. Each work involves 1 – 4 performers in intimate theatre spaces. One seats 75 audience members, the other seats 50 audience members.

The Professional Programme of Dance Base is funded by Creative Scotland and the City of Edinburgh. The outreach community programme is funded by foundations and corporate entities. Examples of community projects involve working with people with Parkinson disease as well as ‘school refusers’. Dance Base have involved artist exchanges with a range of Nordic countries. These connections have mainly been arrived at through Ice Hot which is a dance platform showcasing dance from Nordic countries. The funding has come directly from the Nordic countries. Dance Base is now looking more toward Asia particularly given that the departure of Great Britain from the EU is imminent. Recently Morag has met with a number of artists and dance companies in Taiwan and is now working toward an exchange programme that will be supported by a number of Taiwanese organisations including the Taiwan Ministry of Culture, Weiwing Centre for the Arts in Kaohsiung and possibly Ten Drum Culture Park. In its mission to provide dance for the broader community base, Dance Base reach a wide age range through various community initiatives. Founded in 2015, PRIME is Scotland’s semi professional dance ensemble for dancers over 60 years of age. The participants are chosen by the Dance Base Artistic Director Morag Deyes through an audition process. PRIME contributes to greater diversity in dance and provides visibility of older people in an art form that is

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typically associated with youth and athleticism. They participate in progressive and creative contemporary dance and have performed across the UK as well as in Singapore at the Silver Arts Festival. PRIME have also participated in intergenerational projects with dancers spanning 20 – 70 years of age. They perform regularly in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival as part of the DB programme and work with a wide range of choreographers. The members of PRIME attend weekly training class and choreographic sessions. Dance Base also has a youth dance company – the Lothian Youth Dance Company – which typically involves 15 – 20 young dancers aged between 15 – 19 years of age. All of the participants are from the Edinburgh community. LYDC meet one Sunday each month for a day long rehearsal period, developing basic dance skills and rehearsing for performances. This is supplemented by three week-long intensives throughout the year. Acceptance into the company is via an annual audition process. Each company member pays an annual fee of approximately £300. There are also means-tested bursary places available assuring the possibility of participation for young people from lower socio-economic groups. The LYDC is an initiative funded by Creative Scotland. Catalyst is a programme that offers support and advice to dance artists and small, project-based dance companies. The director of Catalyst is Bush Hartshorn who currently mentors five associate artists. Bush was formerly the Artistic Director of Dansehallerne in Copenhagen and has worked as a dramaturg and festival director in Belgium and the Netherlands. His focus now is on mentoring dance artists, primarily through Dance Base. Four of the Catalyst artists are based in Edinburgh and one from elsewhere in Britain. The artists receive studio time plus mentorship from Bush who works closely with them to aid in clarifying their career path and creative direction. Bush provides ‘surgery’ sessions for these artists which are designed to give them an honest, forensically detailed appraisal of their work and how they are positioned in their career. Under the Catalyst programme Dance Base provides workshops in grant writing for Edinburgh based dance artists, however the Associate Artists are allocated more time for this. Classes are on offer for professional dancers. Most of the classes require payment although there are also free classes available. For the free classes programme the teachers provide their services pro bono accordingly.

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The Associate Artists receive support from all staff including assistance with writing grant applications, marketing, PR and dramaturgy. Each Associate Artist is provided with a business card with their name and title as Associate Artist of Dance Base as well as a presence on the Dance Base website. The role of Associate Artist of Dance Base elevates their profile and standing within the dance community. Quarterly meetings are held with all of the Associate Artists to give them the opportunity to learn from and support each other. The role of Associate Artist is a two year tenure. According to the Director of Dance Base, Morag Deyes, the Associate Artist programme can result in some residual tension within the community at times as some artists feel they are deserving of the programme but aren’t successful recipients, however this can apply to any application process in the arts. Dance Base possesses it’s own artistic goals and imperatives and at times a member of the community who might appear to be an obvious choice and deserving etc, may not necessarily align with the aims of the centre at that time. Dance Base management advised me that this is something to be aware of and is an issue to be managed at times. Al Seed is an artist living in Glasgow who has experienced a significant degree of support from Dance Base over the past decade. In 2008 Al undertook his first development at Dance Base and in 2015 presented his first production there. Initially a writer/actor, Dance Base facilitated the transition of his practice into dance by offering him classes and studio space. Al has since acted as a mentor for the DEBS programme. DEBS is the Dancers Emerging Bursary Scheme which aims to transition young graduate dancers into the profession. Al conducted a three week mentoring programme for the DEBS participants. He told me that during this time he offered no physical skills but was more focussed on getting the dancers to understand the importance of structure in creating a performance as well as helping them develop ‘survival skills’ for the real world dance environment such as; writing effective grant applications, structuring budgets, marketing a show by being aware of the role and function of imagery and text etc. Al attests that the most valuable assistance from Dance Base is through in-kind support in the form of rehearsal space, careers advice and feedback on creating work. Dance Base also acts as an effective ‘networking hub’ providing a context to connect dancers, choreographers, producers, technicians and other artists from allied fields. Al spoke of the extraordinary diversity that

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Dance Base promotes. It has an ‘open door policy’ and ultimately, for professionals, it lends itself to the creation of ‘better work’. Over the past several years Al has forged a close collaboration with Adelaide-based choreographer Lina Limosani. They recently presented their new work Spinners at Dance Base under the aegis of the Festival at Dance Base. In its role as an inclusive community-focussed organisation, Dance Base periodically undertakes surveys of the dance community to ascertain what artists most want. Consequently, the Dance Base programme is crafted around this feedback and is a direct response to the needs/desires of the community. This feedback is also used to structure the Associate Artist programme. Dance Base presents an annual dance festival which is a ‘fringe within a fringe’ as it occurs concurrent with the Edinburgh Festival and Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Typically, Dance Base presents an impressive line-up of 20 – 25 different shows during the festival drawn from various international and national regions. The artists are unpaid but an agreement on the split of the box office is undertaken with each artist or group. Performances from countries with limited means for support will receive some degree of further financial assistance from Dance Base to contribute to the costs of travel and accommodation. Generally though, individual artists find their own presentation funding through their own means. During my time in Edinburgh I saw two performances presented by the Dance Base Festival: This is the Title – a solo performance by Ima Adouzee - a Finnish breakdancer and Varhung by Tjimur which is Indonesia’s premier indigenous dance theatre company. These were both performed in a small, 70 seat venue at Dance Base. I also attended various dance performances within the Edinburgh Festival and Edinburgh Fringe Festival which gave me a snapshot of the various types of works presented by these much bigger presenting structures and the context that the Dance Base Festival is situated within. The Dance Base public classes programme is extensive and provides the backbone of the centre’s activities. Open to the general public and dancers of all ages and abilities, the classes programme generally funds itself through sales. These classes include Traditional and Indigenous dances of the British Isles such as Ceilidh, Irish dance, Highland along with a vast range of international forms including West African, Latin, Belly dance, Flamenco, Afro-Cuban, Reggaeton, and Bollywood. The usual techniques of classical ballet,

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jazz, hip-hop, contemporary techniques, yoga, Pilates and tap are covered and there are also classes for the elderly as well as for babies/toddlers along with their parents. Dance Base Festival poster 2018

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The range of classes is enormous as is the demand that has been built up since Dance Base’s inception. Community dance and dance-in-education has been a sector that has been highly invested in and researched over the past decades in the UK. The success of the public classes programme at Dance Base is to some significant degree a testament to the broader culture of participation and access that has been nurtured across the UK. I discussed with key staff at Dance Base the possibility of an artist exchange programme between mid-career choreographers from both Edinburgh and Adelaide. Both organisations will explore this with their respective funding partners.

International Choreographic Arts Centre, Amsterdam 19th – 25th August

I attended an initial meeting with Jesse Van Hoecke (Dramaturg and Artistic Assistant) and Rueben Theunissen (Marketing and Communications). Subsequent meetings with Maristska Witte (Deputy Manager) along with Van Hoecke and Theunissen. Also met with Suzan Tunca (researcher). Meetings at the ICK premises and also externally. The International Choreographic Arts Centre, Amsterdam (more widely known as ICK Amsterdam) was founded by choreographer Emio Greco and his dramaturg/researcher partner Pieter Scholten in 1995. It’s essential structure is that of a dance company that is heavily invested in performance as well as research, experimentation, education and the interrogation of the foundation tenets of choreographic practice. The company was more formally launched in 2009. ICK is also known by the moniker The Amsterdam City Company for Contemporary Dance and is the resident dance company of Theater De Meervaart. There exists a continuous osmotic exchange between the creative projects of the dance company that forms the nucleus of the organisation and the research that operates in connection to it. This situates ICK as a leading platform for experimentation in dance in the Netherlands. The choreographic works commissioned by the company as well as those created by it’s artistic directors, interface with a wide-ranging programme of research activities that are negotiated via praxis and underpinned by theory, dramaturgy and academic research.

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ICK is funded 50/50 by the federal government of the Netherlands and the City of Amsterdam. The government primarily funds the presentation of works. The primary interest of the city is toward supporting development and education. The government funding for the creation of new works is accompanied by Dutch touring funding. There are also particular projects that are funded by the European Union. Furthermore there exists additional collaborative support from the Centre Choregraphique National de Marseille where Emio and Pieter are joint Artistic Directors. ICK employs six full time dancers and a rehearsal director. They perform the repertoire of Greco/Scholten as well as guest choreographers. Commissioned choreographers for 2018 are Kris Verdonck and Emmanuel Gat. Kris Verdonck will also lead a workshop for choreographers titled ‘Something out of Nothing’.

The ensemble delivers around 100 performances each year. At times these are short works or presentations in non-traditional spaces. They include ticketed and non-ticketed presentations. A new work is created annually by Emio and Pieter as well as a new work by a guest choreographer. ICK is highly invested into education and providing quality experiences for young people. One particular programme integrates young people into a performance context with the professional ensemble. After being invited to see the company perform they are then are guided into making their own work in response to the company’s performances. They work alongside the members of the company and eventually perform their own work with the six ensemble members of ICK. At times they are accompanied by an orchestra that may also include young student musicians. This inclusion of young, non-professional people working side-by-side with the professional members of the ICK ensemble demonstrates an unusual and unique degree of openness on the part of the company. In other equivalent dance organisations young performers are relegated to a youth ensemble or some other structure that is generally quarantined away from the activities of the full time professional ensemble. ICK are deeply invested in education at all levels and one of it’s major pillars is that of an academy. An initiative of the academy is a toolkit for dance teachers called the Sensorium – toolkit for dance. I had the opportunity to handle the Sensorium. It is quite literally a box containing a number of physical stimuli relating to textures, language, colours, shapes and smells. Sensorium was created primarily for teachers and their students. Rather than leading them into dance via the usual vernacular of dance techniques and choreographic

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methodologies, Sensorium is a box of drawings, textures, colours, smells and words that evoke choreographic play through stimulating sensations. The aim of the toolkit is to provoke creativity, discovery and play, generating personal physical responses through curiosity and senses. These responses are expanded into movement. Sensorium doesn’t aim to provide teachers with a choreographic vocabulary or to build repeatable dance phrases but moreso, it encourages them and their students into a process of uncovering the creative possibilities of the body.

In a related vein, in-house dramaturg Jesse Van Hoecke creates an inspiration book which is distributed to everyone working on the project including the management and marketing/PR team, not just the artists. This provides the entire company with a common entry point into each new creative project. ICK Festival is a 3 day event that occurs annually. It usually involves 5 or 6 performances as well as film, research, debate, presentations and installation work. ICK collaborates with the Meervaart Theater where they are the resident dance company. The Meervaart provides the fees for the artists. The primary purpose of the festival is to showcase the work of artists that are engaged by ICK Amsterdam. ICK hosts a number of Artists-in-Residence each year. All Artists-in-Residence are selected through an open call application process. The applicants are invited to pitch what they will do for the residency and this forms the criteria for their selection. Two of these artists are paid a fee of approximately €3000. At times these artists work with other external dancers who are paid out of the grant. The Artists-in-Residence are offered rehearsal studio time as well as marketing support and dramaturgical support.

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Theater Meervaart

Whilst in Amsterdam I met with principle ICK researcher Suzan Tunca Since 1995 Suzan has focussed on the documentation and transference of dance knowledge. How can dance knowledge be stored and transmitted? Suzanne frequently works with Scott de la Hunta, the founder of Motion Bank. Motion Bank was originally founded by de La Hunta for choreographer William Forsythe as a research project into choreographic practice. Suzanne acknowledges that research is usually an elemental component of choreography (although not all choreographers may agree on this or need this). Suzanne organises discussion, lectures and forums to communicate content of dance works to a broader audience. Her main work in this arena is through a project titled Capturing Intention that explores ways in which to more fulsomely notate and record contemporary dance. It is not a system of symbolic representation such as Laban and Benesh notation systems – these are systems which only indicate physiological positions and pathways, not intentions and internal states of being that often are the motor for choreography. In Capturing Intentions a panoply of methodologies are employed including documentary film-making, existing dance notation systems, interactive media design, gesture analysis and insights from cognitive studies.

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Suzan also worked on an academic project titled Inside Movement Knowledge from 2008 – 2010. Through this she created a model for documentation of performance. This documentation isn’t necessarily published but can be used as a reference by artists at ICK. Suzan is interested in opening up new paths toward reflection about dance. Scott de la Hunta (Motion Bank) is also a collaborator on this task. Suzan is working with Scott and Motionbank on the software ‘Piecemaker 2’. This is a sophisticated piece of software that acts as an archival system for dance by using video of dance along with a multi-layered notation system that appears in conjunction with the video.

Suzan has also worked with the Artistic Director’s of ICK on a lexicon or vocabulary for choreographic exploration titled ABCDaire – a comprehensive compendium of words and terms used to provoke choreographic investigation.

ABCDaire is a living and evolving archive of language, definitions, descriptions, categories, metaphors and images derived from Emio Greco and Pieter C. Scholten’s dance language. It contains 176 alphabetically ordered words, categorized according to the sphere of belonging of each word within the choreographic universe of this specific movement language. The choreographic dance methodology Double Skin/Double Mind was initially developed at Impulstanz in Vienna. This approach to dance-making forms the cornerstone of Greco and Scholten’s approach to working with dancers and the manufacturing of the choreographic materials of their works. (This is discussed further under Ballet National De Marseille where Emio Greco is Artistic Director)

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Suzan and the Artistic Director’s research into Pre-Choreographic Elements (PCE) is centred around studio movement research that is experiential and non-academic. Referencing terminologies, formats of representation and the use of interactive environments, the research project Pre-Choreographic Elements aims to create an interactive online glossary that can serve as a reference tool for a dance improvisation system. This is an extension of notation research through the naming of ideas. It involves around 20 terms that might evoke movement arising from pre-choreographic states and mental images, for example, magnetism. PCE combines terminologies from various disparate areas of thought such as anatomy, the supernatural, fairy tales and

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physics etc. Suzan and the artistic team are experimenting with the possibilities of creating choreography out of PCE. Apart from the above-mentioned projects, ICK Amsterdam is involved in an astonishingly extensive array of research and education projects under the aegis of their academy. A number of these are:

• Choreographic Coding Lab which is a project by MotionBank (motionbank.org) that seeks to translate aspects of choreography into digital form. This project is led by MotionBank co-director Scott de la Hunta (who has also worked on a research project into neurocognition with Australian Dance Theatre).

• In Harmonic Dissonance, Suzanne Dikker, neuroscientist at New York

University & Utrecht University and Matthias Oostrik, interactive media artist, collaborate with sound designer and composer Arnoud Traa and ICK to investigate human synchronicity and synchrony through artistic and scientific inquiry. Dancers and visitors wear EEG devices that measure their brainwaves while they interact with audio-visual reflections of their movements. This allows the research team to explore how motion synchrony - coordination, mirroring, unison, anticipation, resonance, play, etc. - may lead to a sense of togetherness and to a synchronicity of the mind. Fragments of choreography by Emio and Pieter were employed as source materials in this project.

• The Multimedia Library involves publications, videos and websites that have served as inspiration for the performances and activities of ICK can be read and watched at this centre near to the ICK studios. The library houses a specialized collection of reference works and magazines on contemporary dance, with a focus on transference, dance notation and dance dramaturgy. The multimedia centre holds an archive of physical and online publications, built up from the artistic practice of the choreographers and researchers working at ICK.

• LABO21 is a European platform for interdisciplinary research on artistic

methodologies. LABO21, or the ‘laboratory of the 21th century’, is a platform that encompasses three autonomous research projects on artistic methodologies in three European countries. In this two year project ICK was part of a network of four European research partners:

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Wayne McGregor/Random Dance (UK), BADco (Croatia), and Coventry University (UK). Director Jan Fabre and his company Troubleyn (Belgium) is also a research partner and coordinator of LABO21. The outcomes were made available through publications, performances and installations.

• Let’s Talk About Dance was a project led by Dutch artist and researcher

Bram Vreeswijk. This project explores what is the somatic experience in dance experience through the lens of a number of diverse interlocutors. Meetings between the researcher and dancers, choreographers, audiences, therapists, philosophers, prisoners or any other person or group that might be valuable to invite into a conversation about dance. The project explores what are the physical sensations of those executing dance as well as those watching and perceiving it? How does one’s own history shape our physical experience of perceiving dance?

Along with this academically/scientifically inclined research, ICK Amsterdam also engage in a vast range of educative projects including the above-mentioned Sensorium. Some other examples include:

• My Time is Now - a group of young people explore the question ‘Why is Amsterdam my city?’. A group of street-dance teachers led by choreographer Jesus de Vega work with a disparate group of young people from various areas in Amsterdam – young people who would never normally meet each other – to explore this question. My Time is

Now will culminate in a performance in June 2019 in Theater de Meervaart.

• Map to the Stars is a project developed by French choreographer Eric

Minh Cuong Castaing. He will work with a group of children and digital researchers over a two year period to develop a digital teaching tool that will serve to stimulate children’s creativity in dance through the use of technology. Map to the Stars involves a collaboration between ICK Amsterdam, Ballet National de Marseille and Mercat de les Flors (Barcelona) and is co-funded by the European Union’s Creative Europe programme.

• Mind the Dance is a project that promotes the documentation of dance

through using a combination of resources such as scores, maps, exercises, manuals and essays. Dance is an ephemeral art form which

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leaves barely any trace after it is performed. Emio and Pieter have worked over many years to address the ways in which dance can be recorded and documented so that it’s intentions and intellectual and sensory motivations, rather than just it’s bare physical manifestation, can be collected and stored and accessed by others. The aim of Mind the

Dance is to encourage pedagogues to reframe the archiving and documentation of dance as a process that can be creative and inspirational in it’s own right.

ICK involve a number of other low key activities including a Monday night drop-in session for improvisation practice. This session mixes all age groups – kids along with 70 year olds. The dancers of the ICK ensemble meeting once a month to discuss any issues arising in the process of making and performing works as well as other aspects of their role within the company. ICK are currently working on creating a new online magazine which will appear annually. The magazine will have a visual focus, including images of people from the local neighbourhood around ICK’s premises. It will also involve collaborations with local fashion designers, capturing images of the ICK dancers in their garments. A key premise for this magazine is to contextualise ICK within it’s community in Amsterdam. ICK Amsterdam is a leading European centre for dance and without doubt an invaluable institution that is highly invested in deepening our perception of choreography as well as striving for innovative ways to capture and transmit the invisible sensations and meaning flows of dance. ICK’s commitment to research places it among the most important centres globally for the promotion of new thinking in the art form.

Ballet National de Marseille 26th – 31st August

In the 1980’s eleven Centres Choregraphique National (CCN) were established in France in order to promote France as a leader in ballet and contemporary dance. Out of this, many leading international figures in dance have evolved and influenced the developments in dance the world over. Later, further CCN’s were added to an eventual total of 19 centres. Many of these CCN’s house a contemporary dance or ballet company along with a resident choreographer although a number exist without an ensemble but are designed primarily for short term artist’s residencies. Ballet National de Marseille (BNM) is one such

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choreographic centre that has at it’s centre a ballet company comprised of an ensemble of 35 dancers. (website for Frances choreographic centres: www.accn.fr). The BNM is led by the Artistic Director’s of ICK Amsterdam – Emio Greco and Pieter Scholten. The inclusion of this centre in my itinerary was prompted by my interest in seeing how the choreographic research of these leading two contemporary artists might be situated within a French CCN with a ballet focus, in contrast to the contemporary dance and research focus of ICK Amsterdam. Marseille is situated in the province of Provence Alpes Cote D’Azur. The lauded ballet choreographer Roland Petit founded the company in 1972. Funding to BNM is appropriated from the federal government, the Departement of Bouche de Rhone, and the city of Marseille. Totalling approximately €3,000,000. The primary mandate of the CCN is to act for the region, not just the city. At the centre of the CCN is; the ballet company and it’s creations, the artists-in-residence, the education programme. Emio and Pieter have created an archive for the company including a ‘chapter’ for each former director. This sits on an internal server only and not on the company website owing to copyright issues. Emio and Pieter possess a deep-seated interest in the archiving of dance, affording the current practice of the company its full cultural and historical context. At Ballet National de Marseille the ballet company and its artistic work is positioned as an entity of research. It is not only the ancillary activities of the choreographic centre such as residencies, workshops and artistic exchange etc that are accorded status as research and experimentation, but this also emanates out of the work of the company proper. Through Ballet National de Marseille, Emio Greco and Pieter Scholten explore two themes; the Corps de Ballet and The Body in Revolt. For Emio and Pieter the philosophy of ‘the body in revolt’ relates to the notion of the overstimulated body in the 21st century. Artists wish to give primacy to the site and processes of the body itself rather than the mental plane and intellectualism alone. The body exists as an entity operating under stress and overloaded with the stimuli of technology. Through dance, the body is given the opportunity to be instinctive, primal, to react, to revolt. The body is a force to be reckoned with.

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On the internal company website Grace Jones and David Bowie as well as a host of other artists are included among those artists who exist as examples of the body in revolt. Also included are interviews with dancers and visiting artists in relation to the body in revolt. Whilst I was visiting the company I was given the opportunity to watch a rehearsal of Emio’s work Les Corps Du Ballet. This work situates the individual against the group and gives context for a play on the power structure of traditional classical ballet hierarchy.

Emio Greco and Pieter Scholten

Double Skin/Double Mind (DS/DM) is a preparation process employed by Emio and Pieter as a choreographic methodology at BNM (developed formerly by them at ICK Amsterdam). DS/DM is a tool for preparing the body for the choreographic process and for manufacturing choreographic materials by creating heightened physical and mental awareness. The method commences with standing and breathing and evolves from there throughout the total corpus. Breathing with the entire body, not just with the lungs. It involves a progression through breathing, jumping, expanding and reducing and aims to forge a new body and mind awareness leading to novel forms and intentions. Emio and Pieter have safeguarded the quality of the technique through developing a formal teaching approach to DS/DM which involves a certificate of completion. This has enabled the dispersal of the technique around the world through approved practitioners. At BNM Marseille there are on average three Artists-in-Residence each year. Mostly are from France with a number from other parts of Europe. Prior to

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Emio and Pieter’s directorship there were more Artists-in-Residence but they made a decision to reduce the number so that they could afford them elevated financial support. The Accueil Studio programme provides free studio space to independent artists and small companies from the region.

Rehearsals at Ballet National de Marseille

The company supports a position for one Associate Artist. Eric Minh Cuong Caistang is the current Associate Artist of BNM. He and his company Shonen comprised of four dancers, moved from Paris to Marseille three years ago after being awarded this post with the company. The stipend from BNM is €45,000 per annum for three years, which has recently been extended to a fourth year. Caistang’s company also receives other grants and co-commission funds in order to operate and make new work. Castaing has an office within the administration building of the Ballet National de Marseille and makes his work in the studios there. The Associate Artist may receive mentorship from the Artistic Directors of the company if they wish. Holding the position of Associate Artist of BNM elevates the profile and standing of the artist within the dance sector. The current Associate Artist has been named the director of a European funded project being led by the CCN. It

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involves a number of artists across a several EU centres; Amsterdam, Barcelona and Rome. Caistang’s work is centred around the augmentation of the body through everyday technologies. He is equally concerned with what he refers to as ‘the social question’. How can art connect across broad sectors of the community and make itself felt by as many people as possible, not just typical contemporary dance audiences? This questions informs all of his projects. One example of his projects uses drones to connect Palestinian dancers on the Gaza Strip with dancers in Marseille. Caistang commenced his career in the visual arts and animation but eventually found his way into dance via Butoh and hip hop. His first project for the BNM was titled School of Moon – a dance work for children and robots. A more recent project is a film L’Age d’Or which utilises motion capture technology with a cast of dancers along with children who live with motor neurone disorders. Following the mandate of BNM, Castaing’s work is essentially aimed at audiences in the city of Marseille and the province of Cote D’Azur. BNM is not a touring company and it’s work is created in order to service the city and province. Accordingly, the work of Shonen is also focussed on this territory. Ballet Marseille is also involved in co-productions of new work by external choreographers and local project-based companies. Stipends of around €10,000 will be awarded to small companies to create new work. BNM will cover the costs to have this guest company’s work presented in the 300 seat theatre within the BNM centre. BNM also organises a small dance festival once a year. Two of these supported companies are presented through this festival. The Festival occurs over a one week period and usually involves four other companies as well as the National Ballet of Marseille. The festival was launched two years ago in December 2017. In 2019 Emio and Pieter will be leaving the post at Ballet National de Marseille to return to their full time position at ICK Amsterdam. The French Ministry for Culture has recently commenced the search for a new Artistic Director.

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Emio Greco and Pieter Scholten chose the symbol of the rhinoceros to represent

the power and strength required to make art. A commissioned sculpture.

Gati Dance Forum – Delhi, India 1st – 7th September

Gati Dance Forum (GDF) was founded in 2007 by Anunsha Lall – a dancer, choreographer and researcher – along with a number of Delhi-based dance artists whose central desire was to build a sense of community rather than work in isolation, and to establish a space to interrogate and evolve their own practice. GDF is run by a cooperation between Ranjana Dave who is the Programmer Director and Mandeep Raikhy, the Managing Director. Dave is an Odissi dancer, arts writer and journalist. Raikhy is also a renowned dancer and choreographer. There is a total staff of eight, most of who possess a background in dance and/or choreography. The Foundation is governed by a Board of Trustees. The main mission of GDF is to foster a collaborative dance ecosystem across Delhi and India and to encourage diversity and openness of practices and approaches. GDF is also committed to rigorous critical discourse and building the intellectual capital of the Indian contemporary dance sector. GDF operate in partnership with the Swiss Arts Council (Pro Helvetia), the Goethe Institute and the Norwegian Embassy. They are also supported by the Indian government’s Ministry of Culture, the Japan Foundation as well as the British Council, among others.

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From 2009 until recently they operated out of a basement studio where they commenced a residency programme. At that time classical Indian dance was the only known form of dance in Delhi and contemporary dance was considered ‘experimental’ or ‘creative’ and had no public profile or real cultural legitimacy. The first contemporary dance choreographers transitioned across from Indian classical dance and the form was a ‘fusion’ of classical dance and contemporary techniques. In the current period there are now contemporary dancers and choreographers who have not had this classical foundation but are specialists within the field of contemporary dance in their own right. Contemporary dance is gradually being recognised as a legitimate art form. The central mission of GDF is to ask what is contemporary dance as well as to push the boundaries of the form. GDF now occupies two studios which are owned by a Ambedkar University. The university commissioned the two co-directors of GDF to establish an Masters of Arts programme. The first intake of 19 students into this two year course commenced in August 2018, just prior to my visit. The course is run at the GDF studios and I was privy to one of their dance training sessions. GDF is committed to curriculum development and over the past five years has been working on the curriculum for this post graduate Masters degree. The course involves physical training, choreography, interdisciplinary studies and critical thinking. It is designed for performers, choreographers and pedagogues, focussing it’s discourse on the continuously evolving dance ecology across the South Asia region. Since 2012 the studios have been situated within an urban village area known as Kirkki. An urban village is an area within Delhi which is owned by the community. It lacks the development and modernity seen in Delhi proper but remains in the hands of the community and out of the hands of developers. Kirkki is also home to a number of migrant and refugee communities from Africa and the Middle Eastern diaspora (particularly Afghanistan). The Swiss Arts Council has been financially supportive of GDF for a number of years as they have been for Attakkalari in Bangalore. According to Ranjana Dave, the Delhi contemporary dance sector has a deficiency of access to space, offers only scant classes and also lacks a sense of a cohesive community. GDF now interfaces with around 40 local artists on a regular basis. The presence of GDF has also seeded and provided a stimulus for other dance related initiatives such as their dance festival.

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GDF founded the Ignite! Festival of Contemporary Dance in 2010 presenting 12 different shows over 4 days. It is built upon an ethos of criticality, experimentation, provocation and providing a platform for Indian contemporary dance. There are generally three shows programmed each day. The festival presents short form performances in studios and small theatres as well as large scale theatre performances. In 2016 a new theatre – the Oddbird - was built by an architect who also was on the Board of GDF. This is now the main venue for the festival. As well as performances there is dance on screen, conferences, exhibitions and a festival hub. In 2016 the festival was also taken to Jaipur, Rajasthan after it’s Delhi season. The tickets were priced affordably at 50 rupees, however in Delhi they can be more expensive. Audiences are only recently getting used to paying to see dance as Indian classical dance has always been free, so the concept of paying to see dance is somewhat new. From 2009 – 2016 GDF hosted around six Artists-in-Residence each year for a duration of six months. The artists were provided with studio space as well as classes and a mentor. A small stipend and production budget were also provided. These artists travelled from all over India as well as from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. In 2016 – 2017 more time with mentors was added to the programme. The choreographer is invited to present a work-in-progress at the conclusion of the residency. The Yellow Line Project is another residency programme that encourages artists from a range of disciplines to collaborate and explore ways of working together. The name, Yellow Line Project, refers to the first metro route in Delhi that connected different parts of the city and hence different communities. This residency encourages dance artists to look beyond their own practice and art form and to observe the city and make connections with its diverse populations. 2018 sees the launch of an online journal, The Body and the Performative, engaging writers from across the globe. Writers a paid an honorarium for their services. Production of the journal is supported by the Swiss Arts Council who also support GDF’s general activities. The theme of the current edition is Strategies of Resistance and investigates the conflation of aesthetics and the political. How is the body the site of resistance? The launch of the journal is accompanied by Indent – a four day symposium of performances, workshops, forums, discussions and showings of works-in-progress.

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Gati Summer Dance Residency is an annual dance residency programme that serves as a laboratory for young choreographers. It involves classes, workshop, lectures, discussions on choreography and criticism. Over the course of the residency young choreographers are guided into creating short choreographic sketches as a result of directed tasks and discussions.

Attakkalari Dance Centre (Bangalore, India) 8th – 15th September

Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts was established 25 years ago by Jayachandra Palazhy and is now the premier contemporary dance organisation in India. Mr Palazhy studied dance in London at the London Contemporary Dance Centre and subsequently ran a small company in London. He eventually made the decision to return to India in order to advance contemporary dance in his home country. After initially being established in Kerala, Attakkalari was eventually moved to Bangalore. The centre is comprised of a company of around 7 dancers, a dance school and now a choreographic centre as well as a festival - the Attakkalari India Biennale of Dance. In 2006 Attakkalari launched its Diploma in Movement Arts and Mixed Media, the first of its kind in India. The school now has around 40 students enrolled and offers a 2 year diploma or 1 year certificate. Students can choose to major in dance performance, choreography, pedagogy or production.

Rehearsals with the Artistic Director Jayachandra Palazhy

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Bangalore is a large city of ten million inhabitants. It is a diverse populace where multiple Indian languages are spoken (most people speak 5 or 6 languages) and around 8 or 9 different classical dance forms are practiced. It is a highly cultural and artistic city hosting many touring performing arts companies. It also has a large and diverse youth population and attracts many artists who enjoy the buzz of a large metropolis, the moderate weather and the cultural diversity. Hemabharathy Palani is a dancer, choreographer and teacher who has been working with Attakkalari for the past 19 years. She also trained in the Diploma in Movement Arts and Mixed Media at the Attakkalari school that is component of the overall organisation Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts. Hemabharathy trained in Kutchipudi dance from age 11. Kutchipudi is an Indian classical dance tradition originating in the state of Andhra Pradesh. It wasn’t until she auditioned for Attakkalari that she experienced contemporary dance. Attakkalari often introduces Indian classical dancers (Bharatanatyam) into contemporary dance forms. Attakkalari holds annual auditions for the school inviting anyone with a movement background - not just dance but also people with experience in yoga, martial artists and theatre. All prospective company members have to complete the Diploma studies in order to audition for the company. Hemabharathy’s choreographic works have been performed in London at Dance Umbrella as well as at the Lowry Centre in Manchester and other major venues throughout the UK. She cites the mentorship of the Attakkalari Artistic Director Jayachandra Palahzy as a significant contributing factor in her transition from dancer to choreographer. Her connection with Attakkalari has also led to opportunities to perform at Critical Path in Sydney. Critical Path is another centre for choreographic research and dance development. Attakkalari hosts Indian choreographers as well as those from abroad. Particularly from Switzerland owing to support from the Swiss Arts Council. Also Norwegian choreographers and teachers through support from the Norwegian Embassy. There is ongoing artistic exchange between Attakkalari and these European centres. This exchange operates in reciprocity, so it is not just European artists travelling to Bangalore but also artists from Attakkalari have the opportunity to take up residencies in Europe as well. Among it’s many functions, Attakkalari also houses a production company known as Transmedia Technologies which attends to all of the technical work

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for Attakkalari’s productions and touring. It is also hired out to external companies and theatres. Transmedia is the premier company for lighting, sound and video needs for Indian theatre and dance. India has few formal training opportunities for theatre technicians however Transmedia works with the Attakkalari academy in training students who wish to focus on production studies. The diploma course at Attakkalari commenced 11 years ago and Production was included as one of the major study streams along with Performance and Pedagogy. Vilson KJ is the Senior Executive of Transmedia and has worked at Attakkalari since 1997 when it was based in Kerala. He works closely with the Attakkalari Artistic Director and Attakkalari’s associated choreographers and dance artists on servicing the technical requirements of their dance productions. Vilson works with a team of seven technicians and two lighting designers. Transmedia regularly invests in new equipment and has built up a significant inventory of state-of-the-art lighting, sound and projection equipment. The business model of Transmedia allows it to act as a service for external hirers such as corporate entities from time to time as well as visiting international dance companies. Recently Transmedia worked with Australia’s premier indigenous dance company Bangarra Dance Theatre on their tour of India. Other notable international dance companies serviced by Transmedia include Akram Khan Company (UK), Companie Marie Chouinard (Canada), Tero Saarinen Company (France), Rachid Ouramdane (France), Constanza Macras (Germany), Guy Nader and Marie Campos (Spain). Engagements with corporate services as well as large international companies means that Transmedia is able to offer affordable, discounted rates to young, emerging dance artists who are producing their own work in Bangalore. Attakkalari also produces a major dance festival – the Attakkalari India Biennial of Dance under the Artistic Directorship of Jayachandra Palazhy. The Biennial was founded in 2000 and has developed into South East Asia’s largest international dance and movement arts festival. The Biennial showcases contemporary dance from across Europe and South East Asia over 10 days. It features a diverse programme of dance companies in a variety of theatre spaces, as well as; an outdoor programme, dance on screen, a platform for the work of emerging choreographers, a laboratory for writing on dance and an extensive workshops programme.

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The Biennial also hosts national and international presenters and producers in India’s largest arts market for dance. The Attakkalari India Biennial is created in partnership with major Indian and European funding partners. These include a number of Indian and European organisations, in particular the Royal Norwegian Embassy (which supports the centre in general) but also such organisations such as the Swiss Arts Council, the Arts Council of Korea, the Goethe Institute, the Conseil des Arts de Montreal and the Institut Francaise India, among others. Subsequently the programme includes a significant proportion of European works among a predominantly Indian and South East Asian makeup.

Main administration office at Attakkalari

A new initiative of Attakkalari is ICAM (Incubation Centre for Arts and Media) which is an artist-in-residence programme that facilitates partnerships with international choreographers. In the past there has been a connection with Critical Path in Sydney (through former Director of Critical Path, Margie Medlin). Some possible support could come from the Australian Consulate in Chennai which is touring Bangarra Dance Theatre this year. A partnership with choreographers in Italy and South Korea is currently being investigated.

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Attakkalari runs a Young Choreographers Platform which aims to facilitate the development of the work of young artists including presentations and production. The focus of this platform is on emerging choreographers who have not yet had the opportunity to present their work in a professional context. Mentoring and guidance is provided to assist these choreographers in evolving their own choreographic language and to understand structure, form and the flows of meaning. Nagarika is a programme of documentation of India classical systems of movement including Indian classical dance – Bharanatyam – and the Kerala based martial arts form Karralippayattu. Both of these forms have been categorised and documented on DVD by Attakkalari. Along with contemporary dance, Attakkalari is committed to preserving and evolving Indian movement traditions. I was invited to watch the company in rehearsal. It was of exciting to see the intersection of Bharanatyam dance techniques with contemporary dance and music. Attakkalari has made an enormous impact on the profile of contemporary dance in India, raising awareness of dance not only in Bangalore but across the country. Contemporary dance in India is synonymous with Attakkalari and this recognition also extends abroad. Attakkalari has given Bangalore an association with contemporary dance in a country where this is generally a marginalised dance form compared to the vast prevalence of classical Indian dance. This unique organisation has successfully produced quality dancers and choreographers and is known for being innovative and conceptual. The audience for Attakkalari has grown annually and the company enjoys an elevated profile across the general community and at the level of government. This has led to increased recognition and elevated funding revenues. Contemporary dance is viewed as international, innovative and transcultural which positions Attakkalari in confluence with a desirable vision of contemporary India. Attakkalari’s international repute and its track record in delivering quality projects has persuaded the Government to recently allocate 1.65 acres of land in Bangalore to Attakkalari to build a Centre for Excellence in Performing Arts and Media (CEPAMB). This project envisions bringing many artists and arts organisations under one roof. The Centre will house purpose-built yet versatile facilities such as studios, theatres, gallery spaces, print as well as audio visual library/bookshop, restaurant/cafe, administrative and creative clusters, situated in an ecofriendly architecture. Flexible and versatile presentation

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facilities such as theatres, unconventional spaces and galleries will help to present the works of art in the most effective and ingenious ways. The Centre will encourage resident and associated artists and organisations to embark on experimentation and explore out-of-the-box strategies for movement arts and media. Building on its years of experience in research, training, production, performance and festivals, Attakkalari will evolve the Centre to serve physical traditions and performances as well as allied disciplines, thus encouraging cross-artform innovations. This is a significant new facility for Bangalore and a major development for Attakkalari as a lead arts production and research facility on the Indian subcontinent.

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CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

All of the centres I visited are doing extraordinary work, at times beyond the threshold of their financial means. Hearing the stories of how these centres were founded it became clear to me that the most important thing is to simply begin. Take the first step with what you have. From Bangalore to New York to Montreal to Edinburgh - these situations all started with next to nothing, apart from a need that was felt, recognised and acted upon. Yet over the decades they have manifested layers of artistic and programmatic complexity along with requisite funding support and have become successful organisations serving a phenomenally vast range of artists and community members. What I found extraordinary is the sheer breadth and scale of some of these programmes which is truly awe-inspiring. What also struck me is the level of creativity and ingenuity in the programming. At ICK Amsterdam which is profoundly invested into academic research and the documentation of dance, to Dance Base in Edinburgh which is on a wholehearted mission to provide a dance experience to as many members of the community as possible - there was so much to absorb and reflect upon among all of these centres. At Australian Dance Theatre we have our own specific needs in relation to our own community and company. But one thing that resounded very clearly from many of these organisations is that the programme of a choreographic centre is an answer to a series of needs emanating from the artists it serves. So in the very first instance it will be the artists within our community who I will be calling on to help define our programme and the initiatives we establish. It is their needs that we are serving through our International Centre for Choreography. Recommendation 1 As I have mentioned above, many of the choreographic centres I visited attested to the imperative need to consult artists to see what it is that they want. The programme should be determined around what need there is from within the community. Of course this doesn’t apply to every aspect of the programme but certainly key elements of it. I will call a meeting with the Adelaide dance sector and report on my Churchill project and from there facilitate an open discussion about future directions and initiatives drawn from the members of the sector.

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Recommendation 2 To follow up on this discussion and in order to enter into a more detailed and forensic enquiry into what the community require, I will work with our Marketing Manager and other management staff to draft a formal survey in order to ascertain the needs of the various Adelaide dance communities. This will be conducted as an anonymous survey but will include questions on demographics and experience in relation to dance. Recommendation 3 Furnish the appropriate government departments with the report along with the feedback from the survey. Utilise the report in applying for funding for the ADT International Centre for Choreography. In particular; Arts South Australia, the South Australian Department of Premier and Cabinet, the Australia Council, the SA Minister for the Arts (Premier Steven Marshall), the Arts Industry Council of South Australia. Recommendation 4 Contact the international choreographic centres visited with follow up discussions. Explore the possibility of future collaborations and the means with which to enable this via funding and other means of support. Identify which initiatives from these centres might work at the ADT ICC. Make contact with these centres to discuss how we might proceed with enacting a number of these initiatives at Australian Dance Theatre. Recommendation 5 Brief the existing Australian choreographic centres on my Churchill project experience and finds. Explore how we might work together and share artists/programmes/initiatives. Recommendation 6 Disseminate the report through various means:

• Australian Dance Theatre website • Create a media release - organise interviews with industry media outlets • Give verbal presentations at various ADT company events and within

other arts-based forums. • Submit to Ausdance National – the peak body advocating for the

Australian dance sector. • Share with other related industry organisations.

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