A conversation for the whole dance sector—choreographers, dancers, independent artists, artistic directors, educators, researchers and dance producers.
When: Friday 15 to Sunday 17 March 2013.
Where: Footscray Community Arts Centre, Melbourne
Objectives
- Foster the artistic development of Australian dance through inspiration, reflection and critical dialogue
- provide an opportunity to gain a national perspective on Australian dance practice through the forum and attendance at associated performances, showings, workshops and classes
- build leadership in the Australian dance sector
- foster connections across the dance sector, and provide an opportunity for national networking
- build the profile of Australian dance
- explore the unique qualities of dance as an artform and why we choose it as our mode of expression, communication or storytelling
- embrace views from multiple perspectives: maker, dancer, educator, audience member and the broader community.
Through the National Dance Forum, we:
- embraced and valued diversity of culture and practices across the forum program
- fostered robust debate and encouraged surprising and sometimes provocative ideas
- provided a positive environment focused on achievements and ideas
- focused on the future but acknowledged Australian dance lineages
- challenged each other to be rigorous and strive for deeper understanding
Program
Download the full program and list of speakers.
Program overview
Keynote artist-in-conversations
- Dalisa Pigram in conversation with David Pledger
- Garry Stewart in conversation with Anne Thompson
Breakout # 1
- BlakDance First Nations dance panel. Marilyn Miller and speakers Eric Avery, Tammi Gissell, Gary Lang, Rita Pryce.
- 'Whose responsibility is it to make sense of this?' Chair: Elizabeth Walsh. Speakers: Lee Christofis, Raewyn Hill, Marion Potts, Jake Shackleton and Maija Eränen (Zodiak Festival, Finland)
- Dramaturgy, outside eye or feedback? with facilitator Janenne Willis and provocateurs Martin del Amo and Rachael Swain
Breakout # 2
- Industry preview screening—Virtuosi, with an introduction from Sue Healey
- 'What role does dance education play in shaping Australian culture for tomorrow?’ Chair: Jeff Meiners. Speakers: Janice Deans, Assoc. Prof. Jenny Kinder, Sue Mullane and Gerard Veltre
- Beyond hybridity: current Australia/Asia Pacific dance practices. Chair: Associate Professor Cheryl Stock. Speakers: Julia Mageau Gray, Annalouise Paul, Ade Suharto and Tony Yap
Breakout # 3
- A Lifetime's Collaboration. Presented by Steve Jampijinpa Patrick (Lajamanu), David McMicken and Tim Newth (Tracks co-Artistic Directors)
- Between us: Connections within and beyond the independent dance sector. Chair: Brian Lucas. Speakers: Byron Perry, Kristina Chan, Sam Chester, Paea Leach, Jo Pollitt and Jade Dewi Tyas Tunggal
- What is dance doing in Australia? And what is Australian dance doing in the world? Facilitator: Janenne Willis. Provocateurs: Phillip Adams, Michael Whaites and Gie Baguet (Frans Brood Productions, Belgium)
Postcards from the future—Future visioning session facilitated by Jeff Khan and Janenne Willis.
Project team
The forum was a project of Ausdance National and the Australia Council for the Arts, presented in association with Footscray Community Arts Centre. It was facilitated by Jeff Khan, co-Director of Performance Space, Sydney, with Janenne Willis as a guest co-facilitator. Producer Kath Papas managed the project with a curatorial panel made up of Matthew Day, Julie Dyson, Margrete Helgeby, Raewyn Hill, Carin Mistry and Frances Rings shaping the program.