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Volume 15, Issue 2, 2024
- Editorial
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Editorial
Authors: Lee Miller and Simon EllisLee Miller and Simon Ellis are artist–researchers who co-edit Choreographic Practices (along with Dani Abulhawa and Amaara Raheem). In this very short editorial (not much longer than an abstract), they discuss the web of practices and knowledges that underpin choreographic and artistic practice and its pivotal role in research.
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- Articles
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We have the technology
More LessThis discussion reflects on obsolescence as a hauntology through the lens of an interdisciplinary, critical-creative, artistic practice of improvisation. The practice is grounded in contemporary dance, choreographic thinking, experimental sound and is distracted by relationships between the body and technology. The writing offers further exposition, speculating on and generating insights about improvisation in relation to dance and technologically mediated sound in live performance. Informed by cultural theorist Mark Fisher’s perspectives (2012) and French philosopher Jacques Derrida’s notion of hauntology (1994), this article reflects on relationships between hyper-capitalism and obsolescence. Those relationships are considered a terroir of affect acting constantly upon both practice and practitioner. Notions of improvision (not to be confused with the word ‘improvisation’ in this writing) are explored in relation to hyper-capitalism and obsolescence, revealing challenges around ageing, futurity and artistic production. Improvisation is itself proposed as a meta-resource for responding to issues that can emerge through improvising a dance–sound art form.
From these reflections, a critical framework is developed, which at times threatens to overshadow the practice. Within that critical framework, a process of renovation emerges along with novel perspectives and discoveries about pre-existing materials, skills, practitioner knowledge and hope.
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Approximating superpositions in the continuum of jo-ha-kyū and ma: A method of mediating indeterminacy in movement improvisation
More LessIn movement improvisation, improvisers often experience vagueness and uncertainty of perception prior to moving. This article examines the sense of indeterminacy before movement is formed. It explores key concepts in Japanese Noh theatre, namely the sequencing concept of jo-ha-kyū (序破急) and the notion of interval, or ma (間), as a framework for mediating the indeterminacy in the act of improvising from the perspective of embodied practice. By configuring improvised movement as discrete jo-ha-kyū modulations, the ma interval occurs when one modulation is fulfilled, and the next one is about to take form. The interval is where potential of upcoming movement emerges from its indeterminacy. This article proposes that the improviser can approximate the fields of attention through the notion of ‘superposition’ where the felt sense of potential movements and relations are schematized as coexisting. In so doing, the sense of potentiality can be directly attended to, not only for enriching actualized movements but also for accounting for the wholeness of movement events. By drawing attention to the indeterminacy and potentiality in movement improvisation, this article argues that potential movement that becomes actualized, and that which does not, are equally valuable as improvisational material for enhancing the experience of both improviser and audience.
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A choreographic method of mis/fit in aerial dance
More LessThis article examines the disability studies concept of misfit applied to aerial dance choreography. Rosemarie Garland-Thomson defines a misfit as an incongruency between two things, as in a square peg and round hole. Thus, misfit is not a fixed attribute but rather arises from the interaction of those two things. In aerial arts, fit or misfit is located in the relationship between a particular dancer’s body and the aerial apparatus. The aerial hoop, a rigid metal circle, is rife with potential misfits. The dancers in this project are visibly non-disabled, yet Garland-Thomson explicitly invites a broad application of misfit, noting that it is an inherent aspect of all embodiment. The material reality of the aerial apparatus in relationship with each dancer’s particular embodiment reveals misfits that might otherwise go unnoticed, unacknowledged and unvalued in dance practices. In this practice-research, a misfit approach to choreography serves to re-examine virtuosity and highlight the context-specific abilities of the bodies involved. This method guided the research inquiry in three areas: movement invention, spatial design and costuming and provided insight into the particularities of embodiment and perceptions of virtuosity in dance and circus practices.
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Artistic methods for remote touch: A practice-based research with audio recordings
By Greta GauheThis article investigates the creation of ‘Until We Meet’, an outdoor sensory performance that used pre-recorded audio tracks to recreate the sensation of touch for participants. The project was designed to engage individuals who are unable or uncomfortable with direct physical contact, offering a remote alternative to experience touch-like sensations. Through practice-based research, including rehearsals and participant feedback, the study explores how sensory language and diverse types of touch can evoke emotional connection and bodily awareness through audio. Employing an interpretive framework, the research highlights the potential of these audio-guided performances to foster sensory engagement, connection and well-being, especially for individuals with limited access to affective touch. The findings underscore the broader implications for integrating touch-based experiences into accessible and inclusive creative practices, offering new possibilities for therapeutic innovation in both physical and digital spaces.
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- Interview
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A research conversation: Stephanie Arsoska and Andrew Morrish
Authors: Stephanie Arsoska and Andrew MorrishThis interview is a research dialogue between Stephanie Arsoska and Andrew Morrish, focusing on their exploration of Stephanie’s solo improvisation practice. Over the course of a year, they conducted ten, ten-minute solo improvisations via Zoom, analysing emerging patterns over time. Stephanie’s practice, which integrates movement and text, is deeply rooted in acting and physical theatre traditions. Rather than engaging in conceptual analysis, they adopted reflective and descriptive methods to gain insights through lived experience. Their goal was to better understand and articulate their creative processes. The conversation highlights the importance of cultivating a pedagogical awareness within artistic practice, fostering openness and mapping these practices to achieve a deeper understanding. Their methodology involved gathering data from multiple perspectives, promoting a reflective engagement with personal experiences and uncovering new insights through the process of improvisation.
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Moving Writing
Authors: Jonathan Burrows and Adrian Heathfield
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