NEWS: Co3 in situ at AGWA | Reason for Being

Co3 will be lifting the curtain on the creative process by developing a new work right in the middle of one of Perth’s cultural institutions, the Art Gallery of WA. Co3 Artistic Director Raewyn Hill, along with six Co3 dancers will be exploring the beginnings of Reason for Being in the lower concourse from 17-21 February, culminating in a public showing on the 21st.

Co3 says:

“Over the week, Raewyn will reveal her process of creating and defining a distinct contemporary choreographic language based on two concepts: emotion and architecture.

Raewyn will invite people who are blind or vision impaired into the development to describe how they express emotion without having seen emotion expressed. With the Co3 dancers, Raewyn will translate this conversation into a physical language and develop characters that embody their experiences. Inspired by AGWA Architect Charles Sierakowski, Raewyn will use the Bauhaus philosophy of ‘form follows function’ in the structure of movement material.

Throughout the development, the dancers will ask the question: if you take a sense away, is the physicality of emotion learned? Or is it innate?”

Of the project, Artistic Director, Raewyn Hill says:

“To me, being alive means to engage in creative activity and as a choreographer, I am always seeking new ways and environments to create work. I am grateful to have the opportunity to spend time in the beautiful space of the Art Gallery of WA and thrilled to partner with AGWA, enabling the extraordinary company dancers to join me on this journey.”

Of the partnership, AGWA Director Stefano Carboni said:

“I’m delighted that WA’s newest contemporary dance company, Co3, is AGWA’s first artistic residency for 2016. It is an innovative partnership that will allow visitors to experience contemporary dance created in response to works on view at AGWA and the Gallery’s striking architecture.

“In 2016, we’re inviting people to see things differently, and this new collaboration is a leading highlight of our program. The interpretation of visual arts across art forms is an exciting area to explore, and the opportunity for audiences to follow the creation of each dance work is a rare opportunity,” he continued.

Join Raewyn Hill and the Co3 dancers at the Art Gallery of WA, as part of the Perth International Arts Festival Wed 17–Sun 21 February, 10am–4pm with a development showing on Sunday 21 February at 3pm.

Further dates for Reason for Being development at AGWA in 2016:

Wed 9–Sat 12 March; Wed 6–Sat 9 April; Wed 4–Sat 7 May; Wed 20–Sat 23 July; Wed 17–Sat 20 August; Wed 19–Sat 22 October; Wed 23–Sat 25 November