Dance week 2012

I went to see New Ideas in Dance: Ausdance QLD Dance week 2012 on Monday. New Ideas is a place where emerging dance artists get to have the great platform, exploring their ideas and choreographic skills in progress and sharing the the public and having the feedback for the artist to keep on exploring. The showing happened in Brisbane Powerhouse Visy Theatre. However, i was wondering if  the stereotype of 'performing' stage unconsciously gave the artists pressure to produce a product with an outcome for the public, as the artist forgot about the meaning and the reason of having such an opportunity simply sharing their ideas and receive feedback for them to think about.


There were 2 dance ideas, 1 research talk, and 1 dance showing at the end of the day. In the first 2 dance idea showings, the artists and dancers showed their little 'work' first and have a discussion after each showing. Both of the work I felt they already looked like a final production: they have a general light setting, a big stage, a costume, a structure of the work.


Myth for me:

• the works already looked like a final product, I feel difficult to give feedback and thoughts on top of the effort they have made. Therefore, i heard some compliments from other audience member when I guessed the choreographers (artists) were still exploring, choosing what they want or don't. And compliments at the stage become a very dangerous thing to hear?
• artists were showing of their technical skills rather than being honest about their idea of interest that they originally wanted to play with and explore 'further'?
• Was the showing location becomes an unconscious blockage to the artists (choreographers) to truly thinking about their idea than making a product within a short amount of time? Was the showing location too stressful and formal to show their scratch work?
• On the top of all previous myths, were the discussion truly help the artists to progress their work and choreographic process?

I don't mean we only need to give our critical (harsh) feedback to scare the artist off, blocking them from creativity and sharing their mind of work. I think we need to educate both the artists and the audience that what 'showing' really means to the artist and what the audience need to expect from 'scratch works'.

This is an environmental progress for Brisbane dance. we definitely need to improve and update our dance education and practice when the young artists are still at uni.: (a) What is happening now in Brisbane and Australia (b) What concept we need to understand when we're at uni. (c) we need to build a bridge for the young artist to connect with the real world....

On the top of all these, I'm still learning....