Special Issue, Spring 2017

WORDS and DANCE

Guest Associate Editor: Robert Vesty (Middlesex University)

Call for Contributions

Deadline for full essays: June 1^st 2016

This special journal issue of Choreographic Practices - WORDS and DANCE – aims to draw together, contribute to and exemplify debates around the use of spoken word in current and future 21st Century dance practices as well as its place in the contemporary cultural landscape.

What are the intersections between spoken words (in the form of live narrative, poetry, dialogue or writing) and choreographic practices?

What is the relationship between the word and the move? 

How can/do spoken words and dance work together, especially in improvisatory practice?

What implications does the use of voice have in dance practice?

Choreographic Practices provides a space for disseminating choreographic practices, critical inquiry and debate. Serving the needs of students, teachers, academics and practitioners in dance (and the related fields of theatre, live art, video/media, and performance), the journal operates from the principle that dance embodies ideas and can be productively enlivened when considered as a mode of critical and creative discourse. This journal seeks to engender dynamic relationships between theory and practice, choreographer and scholar, such that these distinctions may be shifted and traversed. See:http://www.intellectbooks.co.uk/journals/view-journal,id=170/view,page=0/

This special issue emerges from a workshop/symposium in which artists and scholars were invited to engage with the question – What Skills Are Required of the Dancer and Poet to Produce Dance and Poetry in Performance? This day-long event ended a week-long workshop and performance event led by dance artists and poets Julyen Hamilton and Billie Hanne at Chisenhale Dance Space, London entitled Space and Words for Dancers. It brought together twenty-five dance artists working through improvisatory practice to engage with the issues of space and words. It looked at how words take space; how their geometry is somatically informed. It engaged questions to do with the place spoken words can have in instant composition.  This special issue draws, in part, from this event, while aiming to embrace wider concerns in a broader context at a time where it could be said there is a resurgence of interest in spoken word (and especially poetry) in relation to dance and other artistic practices.

We seek new critical insights into interdisciplinary, immersive, participatory and collaborative dance practices, and an articulation of how these may elucidate the way in which spoken words are used by dancers in choreographic practice. Submissions that reflect upon the historic lineages of contemporary dance in Europe and their relationship to new and emerging contexts are welcome. Contributions that capture and articulate choreographic practices explicitly engaging with poetry, aesthetically, thematically, politically or socially, and employ practice-as-research/practice-led research as a methodology are especially encouraged.

The above might include considerations of:

• Ways in which dance practices might both respond to and shape the use of spoken word in 21^stcentury performance practice.
• Contemporary relationships to representations of the political body and identity through dance practices that incorporate spoken words.
• Experimental approaches to dance making that make explicit the use of spoken words with a particular focus on instant composition as a methodology.
• Somatically informed approaches to vocal practice.
• Contemporary propositions for the interpretation, experience, critique and creation of dance that uses spoken word either for or as poetry.

We ask that authors/artists submit articles or artists pages that articulate these territories and offer refreshing critical angles on contemporary practice and its place in our cultural experience.  Contributions to this discourse may be in the form of research essays, transcribed debates, interviews, performance documentation, poems, collections of words, and the like.

How to Submit to Choreographic Practices

It is our intention to publish this special issue in Spring 2017, therefore your contribution would need to be sent byJune 1^st 2016 at:  ChoreographicPractices@live.co.uk 

If you have any questions about the theme or focus of your submission please, in the first instance, contact Robert Vesty (associate editor for this special issue): R.Vesty@mdx.ac.uk

___________

Choreographic Practices is an international peer-reviewed journal, thereby all articles published in the journal undergo rigorous peer-review, based on initial editor screening and anonymised refereeing by at least two anonymous referees. All reviewers are internationally recognized in their fields.  Peer-review reports will normally be returned to us within two months and the editors will provide feedback to you shortly after. Submission of an article to the journal will be taken to imply that it presents original, unpublished work not under consideration for publication elsewhere. By submitting a manuscript, the authors agree that the exclusive rights to reproduce and distribute the article have been given to the publishers.

Instructions for Authors

Submissions:

1. Full article (approx 6,000 words or equivalent in other formats), including article title, abstract (200 words) and 6 keywords.
2. And, in another document, please include author’s name and affiliation, biography (200 words),
3. Plus contact details – both postal and email addresses.

Format: Word format

File Labeling: Clearly name your file with the title of your submission

Spacing and fonts: Please double-space your article and use Arial (or similar) font, size 11 or 12.

Referencing: Choreographic Practices follows the Harvard Style Guide with a full reference list at the end of the article.  See Intellect’s Style Guide for full presentation details.

Images: Choreographic Practices will be able to carry photographic images. If you have access to high quality images appropriate for your article it would be very helpful if you could send 2 or 3 such images in a separate file but with your article. Images should be sent as JPeg or tiff files at 300 dpi. If you are able to send us images please ensure that each contains relevant information including date, title and name of photographer and that the file name is clear.

1. You are responsible for obtaining all appropriate permissions.

Writing style: We encourage a diverse range of writing styles and layouts in line with the form, purpose and content of each submission. You might also consider our readership of dance artists, scholars, students, teachers, academics and practitioners in dance and related fields when writing. It will also be assumed that the author has obtained all necessary permissions to include in the paper items such as quotations, musical examples, images, tables, etc

If you have more general questions about Choreographic Practices or how to submit, contact, Vida Midgelow at:  ChoreographicPractices@live.co.uk

Cyril Baldy and Timan O’Donnell, both formerly of The Forsythe Company, will lead a week-long workshop on ‘whatever-ing’ for up to 20 practitioners: 13–17 April 2016 (with a public sharing on 18 April). The workshop will take place in the Michaelis Dance Theatre, University of Roehampton, London. The deadline for applications is 14 March.

Much more information here: http://roehamptondance.com/blog/open-call-whatever-ing-residency-workshop-with-cyril-baldy-tilman-odonnell/

Big Ideas on a Small Scale

Open Call for Applications

Monday 4 April – Friday 8 April 2016

Pavilion Dance South West and South East Dance are working in partnership to increase development and choreographic opportunities for artists who want to explore creating work that is big in ideas but small in scale, where technical and practical limitations complement the work, rather than compromise it.

Applications are now open for the 2016 Scale & Scope ChoreoLAB. The lab will be an opportunity for two artists to experiment with ideas and test possibilities with a collaborator of their choice (if they wish), investigating new work over a week without the pressure of producing a finished piece of work.  In addition, the participating artists will be invited to the Small Spaces & Rural Places Dance Summit at PDSW in May, and offered the opportunity to take part.

Each artist will receive a budget to cover fees, accommodation and travel. Producers from both organisations will be present throughout the LAB week offering support, advice and feedback.

How to apply

Full details and an application form can be found at:

http://www.pdsw.org.uk/news/news-and-opportunities/open-call-for-applications-scale-and-scope-choreolab/

To apply please complete and return the application form to joel@pdsw.org.uk by 5pm on Tuesday 8 March 2016. Successful applicants will be informed by Thursday 10 March 2016.

Applications for this opportunity are being managed by Pavilion Dance South West.

South East Dance is an Equal Opportunities employer. Supported by Arts Council England, South East, Brighton and Hove City Council and Kent County Council.

PDSW is supported by ACE, Bournemouth Borough Council and BH Live.

Special Issue, Spring 2017

WORDS and DANCE

Guest Associate Editor: Robert Vesty (Middlesex University)

Call for Contributions

Deadline for full essays: June 1^st 2016

This special journal issue of Choreographic Practices - WORDS and DANCE – aims to draw together, contribute to and exemplify debates around the use of spoken word in current and future 21st Century dance practices as well as its place in the contemporary cultural landscape.

What are the intersections between spoken words (in the form of live narrative, poetry, dialogue or writing) and choreographic practices?

What is the relationship between the word and the move? 

How can/do spoken words and dance work together, especially in improvisatory practice?

What implications does the use of voice have in dance practice?

Choreographic Practices provides a space for disseminating choreographic practices, critical inquiry and debate. Serving the needs of students, teachers, academics and practitioners in dance (and the related fields of theatre, live art, video/media, and performance), the journal operates from the principle that dance embodies ideas and can be productively enlivened when considered as a mode of critical and creative discourse. This journal seeks to engender dynamic relationships between theory and practice, choreographer and scholar, such that these distinctions may be shifted and traversed. See:http://www.intellectbooks.co.uk/journals/view-journal,id=170/view,page=0/

This special issue emerges from a workshop/symposium in which artists and scholars were invited to engage with the question – What Skills Are Required of the Dancer and Poet to Produce Dance and Poetry in Performance? This day-long event ended a week-long workshop and performance event led by dance artists and poets Julyen Hamilton and Billie Hanne at Chisenhale Dance Space, London entitled Space and Words for Dancers. It brought together twenty-five dance artists working through improvisatory practice to engage with the issues of space and words. It looked at how words take space; how their geometry is somatically informed. It engaged questions to do with the place spoken words can have in instant composition.  This special issue draws, in part, from this event, while aiming to embrace wider concerns in a broader context at a time where it could be said there is a resurgence of interest in spoken word (and especially poetry) in relation to dance and other artistic practices.

We seek new critical insights into interdisciplinary, immersive, participatory and collaborative dance practices, and an articulation of how these may elucidate the way in which spoken words are used by dancers in choreographic practice. Submissions that reflect upon the historic lineages of contemporary dance in Europe and their relationship to new and emerging contexts are welcome. Contributions that capture and articulate choreographic practices explicitly engaging with poetry, aesthetically, thematically, politically or socially, and employ practice-as-research/practice-led research as a methodology are especially encouraged.

The above might include considerations of:

• Ways in which dance practices might both respond to and shape the use of spoken word in 21^stcentury performance practice.
• Contemporary relationships to representations of the political body and identity through dance practices that incorporate spoken words.
• Experimental approaches to dance making that make explicit the use of spoken words with a particular focus on instant composition as a methodology.
• Somatically informed approaches to vocal practice.
• Contemporary propositions for the interpretation, experience, critique and creation of dance that uses spoken word either for or as poetry.

We ask that authors/artists submit articles or artists pages that articulate these territories and offer refreshing critical angles on contemporary practice and its place in our cultural experience.  Contributions to this discourse may be in the form of research essays, transcribed debates, interviews, performance documentation, poems, collections of words, and the like.

How to Submit to Choreographic Practices

It is our intention to publish this special issue in Spring 2017, therefore your contribution would need to be sent by June 1^st 2016 at:  ChoreographicPractices@live.co.uk 

If you have any questions about the theme or focus of your submission please, in the first instance, contact Robert Vesty (associate editor for this special issue): R.Vesty@mdx.ac.uk

___________

Choreographic Practices is an international peer-reviewed journal, thereby all articles published in the journal undergo rigorous peer-review, based on initial editor screening and anonymised refereeing by at least two anonymous referees. All reviewers are internationally recognized in their fields.  Peer-review reports will normally be returned to us within two months and the editors will provide feedback to you shortly after. Submission of an article to the journal will be taken to imply that it presents original, unpublished work not under consideration for publication elsewhere. By submitting a manuscript, the authors agree that the exclusive rights to reproduce and distribute the article have been given to the publishers.

Instructions for Authors

Submissions:

1. Full article (approx 6,000 words or equivalent in other formats), including article title, abstract (200 words) and 6 keywords.
2. And, in another document, please include author’s name and affiliation, biography (200 words),
3. Plus contact details – both postal and email addresses.

Format: Word format

File Labeling: Clearly name your file with the title of your submission

Spacing and fonts: Please double-space your article and use Arial (or similar) font, size 11 or 12.

Referencing: Choreographic Practices follows the Harvard Style Guide with a full reference list at the end of the article.  See Intellect’s Style Guide for full presentation details.

Images: Choreographic Practices will be able to carry photographic images. If you have access to high quality images appropriate for your article it would be very helpful if you could send 2 or 3 such images in a separate file but with your article. Images should be sent as JPeg or tiff files at 300 dpi. If you are able to send us images please ensure that each contains relevant information including date, title and name of photographer and that the file name is clear.

1. You are responsible for obtaining all appropriate permissions.

Writing style: We encourage a diverse range of writing styles and layouts in line with the form, purpose and content of each submission. You might also consider our readership of dance artists, scholars, students, teachers, academics and practitioners in dance and related fields when writing. It will also be assumed that the author has obtained all necessary permissions to include in the paper items such as quotations, musical examples, images, tables, etc

If you have more general questions about Choreographic Practices or how to submit, contact, Vida Midgelow at:  ChoreographicPractices@live.co.uk

We very much look forward to receiving your submissions and continuing the conversation,

52 Portraits is an online project by choreographer Jonathan Burrows, composer Matteo Fargion and video maker Hugo Glendinning, which will release a short gestural portrait of a different dancer or performer every Monday throughout 2016.

Take a look at the four short teasers from a selection of the films that will be released throughout the year.
We hope you will subscribe at 52portraits.co.uk and follow the films throughout the year.

INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP NOW ONLY £30

DV8 Physical Theatre’s Media Portal is a comprehensive educational tool, invaluable to anyone teaching the company’s work.

Focusing on artistic director Lloyd Newson’s most recent productions, it offers a rare insight into his techniques and the processes involved in making DV8’s award-winning work.

An institutional membership of only £30 includes:

• 50 individual student logins

• Exclusive access to full performance recordings of

   To Be Straight With You and Can We Talk About This?

• Access to a selection of scenes from To Be Straight With

   You and Can We Talk About This?, presented alongside

educational notes and exercises. Some of these scenes

are only available on the Media Portal.

• Education packs

To sign up, simply visit dv8.co.uk/mediaportal

https://www.jw3.org.uk/event/trio-and-yvonne-rainer-dance-film#.VmFnulXhC7Q

JW3
341-351 Finchley Road
London
NW3 6ET

Box Office: 020 7433 8988
info@jw3.org.uk

This is part of a Triple Bill of events

Book 3 dance events for £24 or £12 for students

the other two events are:

Tuesday 12 April
Turn Your F^*king Head
This film takes its title from choreographer Deborah Hay’s frequent reminder to artists taking part in her solo commission project to refresh their awareness. It shows Hay and 20 artists as they engage with the process of creating adaptations of her score, Dynamic. It is a document of her process as she continues to redefine what performance is and how performers perform. The screening is followed by a talk between filmmaker Becky Edmunds and dance artist Deborah Black. This event is a collaboration with Independent Dance.

Thursday 26 May
Introduction to Hilde Holger with Dr Thomas Kampe
Drawing on Dr Thomas Kampe’s first-hand experience of working with Hilde Holger during the 1980s and 1990s and using archive material, this talk unpacks the impact of the Jewish expressionist choreographer on British dance. She was a leading exponent of Austrian Ausdruckstanz in the 1920s and 1930s, who in Britain pioneered dance therapy and performance with dancers with learning disabilities.

To book these three events for £24 or £12 for students visit https://tickets.jw3.org.uk/booking/package/bestavailable/1027
Buy nine tickets for the same event at the same time and get the tenth one free.
To book student discounts and group booking call the Box Office on 020 7433 8988.

Research Seminar

Acts of Transformation: Strategies for Choreographic Intervention in Mark Morris’s Musical Settings
Professor Stephanie Jordan, Department of Dance, University of Roehampton
2 February 2016, 6pm-7.30pm, DU.102 Duchesne, Digby Stuart Campus

The use of existing (concert) music as a choreographic process is often read wrongly, seen as the poor sister of artistic collaboration, which is so often celebrated as the most fruitful meeting of great minds.  To go one step further, using existing music has been seen as an assault, a distortion of intention.  For sometimes music has been used as basis for the most unlikely connotations, even a full-blown plot, or ironically, as source for a joke.  Or certain musical structures have been emphasised and others ignored.  The whole shape and meaning of a piece of music can be subverted by choreography.

Using existing music is not an easy way out—I challenge fiercely the common notion that collaboration from scratch is somehow the most noble or stimulating way of going about things.  For a start, the choreographer has longer opportunity to get to know the music, perhaps through several recordings, and to think about playing with and against its grain.  Music can also open up a rich tradition of historical connotations, and an opportunity to be musically deeply analytical, thereby awakening our ears.

My examples stem from the work of the American choreographer Mark Morris.  While virtually always using existing music, he introduces many different choreomusical approaches across his work and is unusual in this respect.  As for history, Morris has adopted at different times, for different purposes, a number of choreomusical approaches that resonate with previous approaches by other choreographers.   This means that his work can be seen as commentary on the past, indeed drawing upon existing choreomusical ‘styles’ or ‘practices’.

The seminar draws from my new book Mark Morris: Musician-Choreographer (Dance Books, 2015), but also includes examination of his Sang-Froid (2000), transitioning into the subject of my next research project, Chopin and dance.

Stephanie Jordan is Research Professor in Dance at University of Roehampton, London.

More: http://www.roehampton.ac.uk/Research-Centres/Centre-for-Dance-Research/Events/

NEW RESEARCH SEMINAR SERIES | Dance Theatre Dialogues II
18 Nov at 4pm PATS Dance Studio

Royona Mitra in conversation with Akram Khan

Akram Khan is one of Britain’s most acclaimed contemporary choreographers pioneering a new aesthetic of intercultural choreography as a politics of cultural intervention. In conversation with Royona Mitra (Lecturer in Theatre, Brunel University) the two will discuss the nuances of Khan’s intercultural choreographic process in the context of British culture to consider the impact and contribution by the South Asian diasporic community on the international contemporary dance landscape more widely.

http://www.palgrave.com/page/detail/akram-khan-royona-mitra/?isb=9781137393654

13-17 June 2016

We invite interested scholars in our field to come to our next working group meeting from 13th – 17th June 2016, to be held during the IFTR conference in Stockholm, Sweden. Choreography, dance and body-centered performance practices provide a vital site for exploring the convergence of thought and action. Our members approach this intersection from a variety of interweaving perspectives that include socio-political, cultural, philosophical and historical considerations.

Wherever we meet, we try to schedule discussions and performances with choreographers who work and live where the IFTR Conference is held.

The general conference theme for 2016 is Presenting the Theatrical Past, Interplays of Artefacts, Discourses and Practices.

Given the historical theme of the conference, we would hope that many of you who have joined our group in the past will come together with us next year. Since there is no past without a future, we also encourage new members and new scholars, to come along, including the many wonderful Indian scholars who joined us in Hyderabad.

The conference offers bursaries to assist participants with their travel costs. Applications for bursaries need to be submitted by 1^st December 2015. The application form will be available at www.iftr.org from 30th September 2015. Do apply if you want support and encourage your colleagues to do likewise. If you want any assistance from us, such as invitations or support letters, please let us know (by writing to Prarthana at Prarthana.Purkayastha@rhul.ac.uk).

We ask participants to submit papers on their work in progress, which may address the conference theme or some other aspect of choreographic and corporeal research practice. Papers are distributed to the group and are read in advance of conference meetings. They are then grouped for discussion on the basis of synergies between them.

This year’s theme may attract some general conference panels from this working group or may result in a response to the theme within the working group. We now have a dedicated working group webpage and online forum for discussing and determining these matters. To access these, login to the IFTR site (http://www.firt-iftr.org) with the username and password you received when you registered for IFTR membership at the Cambridge Membership portal. The forum provides us with a platform for discussion and can also be used to advertise publications/jobs/conferences of potential interest to our members.

The conference organisers have notified us regarding submission dates for the abstracts, registration dates, plus IFTR membership details. In brief, the deadline for abstract submission is 15^thJanuary 2016. Abstracts should be submitted through the IFTR’s dedicated conference website: http://www.iftr.org/conference. Information on how to submit will be available on the page.

Once this is done, the conference organisers will notify you that your paper has been accepted by28th February 2016. 

We would love to see you in Stockholm.