DANA WARANARA DIGITAL 2023
Dana Waranara Digital brings together artists, producers and presenters who are interested in supporting First Nations choreographers to create, present and tour more productions. BlakDance’s goal with this project is to create the conditions where strong, reciprocal and equitable relationships can form between artists and presenters, leading to long-term pathways for new work.
Through Dana Waranara Digital, artists are supported to test and develop new ways of pitching or presenting their ideas and practice, and to build relationships with presenters. By trialing two new modes of engagement - the Critical Response Process (CRP), and digital pitch prototypes - we hope to seed a stronger dialogue and network of champions and advocates for First Nations dance.
The program will run from January - February 2023, with online sessions and gatherings for participants.
In 2015 BlakDance delivered the first edition of Dana Waranara at the Judith Wright Arts Centre, Brisbane. Dana Waranara 2015 saw 28 choreographers and 21 national presenters and producers, plus 5 international guests take part in a professional exchange around practice, protocol, choreographic expression, collaboration and transformation. It identified critical creative development and presentation challenges and opportunities for Indigenous choreographers, and challenged presenters and producers to work more proactively to broaden their understanding and programming horizons.
For presenters commissioners, producers or other supporters of new work, the offer is to participate in up to 5 Critical Response Process sessions looking at works in progress; and to trial and respond to up to 3 new Digital Pitch Prototypes - exploring the capacity of AR, VR and other technologies to help you visualise and explore new work and ideas.
Dana Waranara offers two opportunities for artists: the Critical Response Process, and the Digital Pitch Prototype.
1. Critical Response Process
The Critical Response Process (CRP), developed by US choreographer, performer and teacher Liz Lerman is “a method for giving and getting feedback on work in progress, designed to leave the maker eager and motivated to get back to work… It gives makers a way to rehearse the connections they seek when art meets its audience or a product meets its purpose.”
BlakDance is partnering with Joyce Rosario, certified CRP Facilitator and Independent Curator, to offer the CRP to artists who currently have works in development, or existing works that are being re-visited.
2. Digital Pitch Prototype
This branch of the program aims to explore how new technologies can be used to better share dance works with potential partners, presenters or collaborators. Artists will be supported with the skills development, partnerships and resources needed to create and test new forms of a ‘digital pitch prototype’, centred on either a work in development or existing work. BlakDance is partnering with First Nations digital media consultant Simon O’Toole of Reality Dreaming to mentor artists and develop these digital prototypes.
