Making Space I: Bodies, Space and the Anthropocene

The future of our planet is unlikely, unpredictable, innovative and deeply interwoven; an improvisation at a planetary scale. As our world continues to warm, we are learning to expect the unexpected, learning to flow, move, collaborate and make space.

This event prefaced a week-long workshop which brought together choreographers and specialists from other disciplines, that asked artists and academics to respond to the idea of the Anthropocene. We pick up this conversation again, this time including the choreographers to reflect on the process of making work in artist-non-artist collaborations and ways of thinking-through-practice in the Anthropocene.

At the conclusion of the talk, there was a bespoke experimental music performance, curated by E M U S (Exploratory Music Sydney) an organisation promoting improvised, exploratory, experimental music and sound art in Sydney and its surrounds.

Bodies, Space and the Anthropocene was built on the 2019 Sydney Festival event ‘Talking Dance: Hacking the Anthropocene’ by Critical Path and Strange Attractor.

Timestamps

00:00   Introduction and Welcome to Country – Michelle St Anne
03:55   Explaining the Choreography Lab – Bek Conroy
10:35   What is the Anthropocene?
17:35   How do Choreographers Approach the Idea of the Anthropocene?
21:00   What are Your Emotions about the Anthropocene?
30:25   Approaches to Choreographic Practice
43:50   How does Creative Collaborations Affect Research?
49:30   New Kinds of Thinking for the Future

Speakers

Astrida Neimanis is a feminist writer, researcher, and teacher based at the University of Sydney.
Bek Conroy is an artist, critical thinker and writer.
Sarah Pini is a choreographer and anthropologist.
Jodie McNeilly-Renaudie is an independent choreographer, researcher and dance dramaturg.
Michelle St Anne, Sydney Environment Institue and Living Room Theatre.

Making Space is a Sydney Environment Institute off-campus series partnered with 107 Projects and curated by Michelle St Anne, that asks what happens when performers, artists and academics approach the act of ‘making space’ hand in hand. This event was held at 107 Projects, Redfern on 6 March, 2019.