Inspired by the dancer’s continual need to adapt to their external environment, their physical mutations and their constantly enquiring minds, this new work for the Touring Company taps into a gold mine of diverse and instinctual choices made within the performers unique physical ability.

Set to premiere in 2013, Second Nature looks into what we too eagerly deem as foreign without investigating the possibility that perhaps it is ourselves who are foreign, different, other, odd or strange. It is all a matter of circumstance, position, perception and environment.

A studio showing of this work in progress for APAM delegates is scheduled for 1 – 2pm Monday 27 February and 5 – 6pm Thursday 1 March 2012.

To follow the blog link from the first stage development in 2011 at Bundanon click here.

Featuring in the February / March 2012 issue of the Dance Australia magazine, South Australian dance critic, Alan Brissenden mentions Restless Dance Theatre (Adelaide) as the ‘Most interesting Australian group or artist’.

For more of Alan’s choices for 2011, go to link

A member of the Youth Ensemble, the Education Team and a regular presenter (emerging director) of Restless’ DEBUT Program, Lorcan is one of 75 young and emerging artists selected – the largest ever intake into an Australian artist mentoring program designed to advance their careers and make their mark on the Australian arts industry.

Over the next ten months, he will work with Peter Sheedy from the Adelaide College of the Arts to devise a unique program of integrated participation with other young dancers. Lorcan will join contemporary dance technique and composition/choreography classes at the College and will be supported by a personal assistant (PA) throughout his program who will assist in his learning and help create a video of his JUMP experience.

To follow Lorcan’s project and for program updates throughout 2012, visit the JUMP Mentoring website.

Involvement with the company:

Alison performed in the Restless Dance Theatre youth ensemble in 2004-2005 in Sustenance by Kat Worth and Daisy Brown and Vocabulary by Garry Stewart (a collaboration with ADT). Alison was mentor to Dana Nance in Debut, a season of works by company members in 2008. Alison was then choreographer for Restless Dance Theatre’s Bedroom Dancing in 2009 which was awarded Outstanding Achievement in Youth and Community Dance at the 2010 Australian Dance Awards. In 2009/10 Alison joined the Education Team for the Riverland Special School Artists in Residence project and performed in the 2010 Touring Company production of Beauty, an all female cast directed by Ingrid Voorendt.

Independent history:

In 2005 Alison was an intern with The Builders Association, a media and performance company, in New York City she worked on Supervision directed by Marianne Weems. Alison has been mentored by Solon Ulbrich to create successful works as an independent dance artist in Adelaide, and by Amanda Phillips enabling her to work as a dancer and rehearsal director in Adelaide and Shanghai, China.

Alison received the Ausdance Outlet Dance Award in 2006. She has performed and directed several short works for Ignition, Choreolab, Adelaide Fringe, South Australian Living Artists Festival, local artist initiatives and the Adelaide City Council, she received the Judges Special Mention Zoom Award in 2004 for the dance film Public Liability. In 2008 Alison was the successful recipient of the inaugural triennial project grant from Arts SA to assist the development of 42a, which toured Australia in 2010.

Alison worked as rehearsal director in the creation and remounting of CRUSH: a solo dance work in Newcastle UK and Adelaide. CRUSH, performed by Dan Daw and choreographed by Liv Lorent received the award for Best Dance Adelaide Fringe 2009.

Alison’s choreographic work crosses over into the visual arts field and in 2010 she collaborated with Bridget Currie in Three Ways to Hold, a series of performances and exhibition at SASA gallery.

In 2012 Alison will present a new work In pursuit of repetition [fame and squalor] with collaborator Kel Mocilnik at Next Wave Festival Melbourne.

http://alisoncurrie.com/

http://hqstudio.snappages.com/home.htm

This season of work was united by the theme: ‘The Butterfly Effect’. Each work demonstrated how small changes in one part of a complex system can have a dramatic effect elsewhere.

These new short works are a chance for the three directors, all emerging disabled artists, to explore their own ideas and gain experience whilst having the guidance and direct feedback from their mentors.

Director Lorcan Hopper notes “Debut 3 has helped me learn to put myself out there and take risks, and to challenge myself.” Debut 3 is a fantastic opportunity for professional development, marking a significant milestone in these three exciting emerging artist’s careers.

The casts of each work were be made up of dancers from Restless Dance Theatre’s Youth Ensemble and Restless Central community workshop program, all aged between 15-26, and dancers in their first year at Adelaide College of the Arts.

Debut 3 was presented at the Restless Studio 7.30pm on Friday 11^th November and 3pm & 7.30pm on 12^th November 2011. The Friday performance was audio described for vision impaired audience members and Auslan interpreted for people with hearing impairment.