Category: News

A message to all SDR members:
We are now holding elections to the Executive Committee, with four vacancies for general membership of the Committee, and an additional two vacancies for the offices of Secretary and Treasurer. You should receive a nomination form from us by email or post, and the deadline for receipt of the nominations has been extended to Saturday 27 August. Please let us know if you haven’t received a nomination form so we can resend one to you. Thank you!

Tickets are now on sale for Dance, Diaspora and the role of the Archive on Eventbrite.

Saturday 17 September 2016, 10:00-17:30
University of Bedfordshire: Bedford Campus, Polhill Avenue Bedford MK41 9EA

in association with State of Trust and Rimap (University of Bedfordshire)

Visit the event page here for full details.

We are proud to announce a new series of events entitled Dance Dialogues, providing unique and stimulating opportunities for dance researchers and practitioners to engage in lively discussions, debates and sharings. The inaugural event is on Thursday 9 June – Delve into Dance Histories at the Black Cultural Archives. This is a chance to find out about this developing archive and to view some of the newly deposited dance related materials from the Black Dance Archives Project and to meet others interested in the contributions of artists from the African diaspora to dance in the UK. Full details available on the event page.

Society for Dance Research
in association with State of Trust and Rimap (University of Bedfordshire) presents:

Dance, Diaspora and the role of the Archive

On Saturday 17 September 2016 at University of Bedfordshire

Deadline for receipt of proposals: (extended to) 15th June 2016

As the work of the Black Dance Archives Project is revealing, an understanding and awareness of a particular dance style, artist or institution depends in part on how it is situated historically, how it is documented and remembered. As the field of dance research has expanded, the significance of archives and archival practices extend beyond concerns of recovering memory, providing avenues through which to investigate questions of authenticity, tradition and ownership, among other issues. Archives are constantly in flux, open to interpretation, and can increase the visibility of the invisible. Significantly under-represented in the past, more material records of dancers and dancing from various diasporas are currently being collected and catalogued. The concept of archive also extends beyond the official documents, to encompass the memories that reveal perspectives of performers, creators, funders, administrators and viewers, captured through interviews, personal photos, journals, rehearsal notes and correspondence.

Papers are sought that explore the concept of the dance archive with particular reference to dancers and dancing of diaspora communities. Presenters are encouraged to engage with the Black Dance Archives Project, but papers that explore wider issues around archives are also welcome. Themes may thus include:

• The significance of particular archive materials relating to one artist/company
• The work of a particular artist/company whose work is documented as part of the Black Dance Archives collections or other diasporic dance archives
• Issues revealed by archive materials relevant to the career trajectories and management of emergent Black British or other diasporic artists
• The relationship between memory and the archive
• Archival issues and complexities that are specifically relevant to dance and /or diaspora.
• The influence of the work of dance artists from the diaspora on current choreographic and performance practices

Abstracts/Proposals of no more than 300 words with an indicative bibliography and any technical requirements should be sent to Brendan.mccarthy@gmail.com. Any enquiries may be directed to jane.carr@beds.ac.uk or s.prickett@roehampton.ac.uk.

Abstracts/proposals will be blind reviewed by a panel. Individual papers should be 20 minutes in length but we also encourage submissions of roundtable discussions, lecture-demonstrations, movement workshops, performative engagements and collaborative presentations, or posters.

Deadline: 15th June 2016 

Information about State of Trust Black Dance Archives Project
With funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund, State of Trust* is working with partners across the UK to collate, preserve, document and make accessible 25 collections from eminent individuals and organisations from the British Black dance sector who have made a significant impact on dance in Britain. The initial stage of the project has collected materials from the following companies and individuals: ACE Dance & Music, Avant Garde, Boy Blue, Breakin’ Convention, Bullies Ballerinas, Jeannette Brooks, Carl Campbell, Shaun Cope, Jonzi D, June Gamble, Robert Hylton, , Kompany Malakhi, Greta Mendez (inc Maas Movers), Nubian Steps, Henri Oguike, Phoenix Dance Company, RJC Dance Company, State of Emergency, Step Afrika!, Norman ‘Rubba’ Stephenson, Tavaziva Dance, Sheron Wray, and Union Dance.

For further information contact admin@stateofemergencyltd.com
*State of Trust is the registered charity sister company of State of Emergency Productions

Join us in a discussion on She Said by English National Ballet, a few days after the performances at Sadler’s Wells from 13-16 April 2016.

With invited speakers Dr Kathrina Farrugia-Kriel (Senior Lecturer in Dance, Royal Academy of Dance // Co-Chair, Contemporary Ballet: Exchanges, Connections and Directions, 2016) and Julia K. Gleich (Choreographer // Curator, CounterPointe performance series, NY/London // Head of Choreography, London Studio Centre), this Choreographic Forum is open to students, researchers, artists and practitioners, and will take place on Monday 18 April, 6:30pm at Sadler’s Wells.

Tickets can be booked via Eventbrite, and are free to SDR members. 30 places only!