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Ageism and the mature dancer

Research statement:

The research will investigate the role of dancers who extend beyond the western ballet and contemporary dance industry expectations of acceptable age, and analyse the contribution that they make to current dialogues relating to ageism in the field.

2019 Doctor of Visual Art Research

Principal Supervisor: Dr Laini Burton

Associate Supervisor: Dr Heather Faulkner

Abstract:

This research questions the taboo issue of ageing and its relationship to the early retirement of professional dancers in Western dance culture.

My personal experience as a dancer informs this research which examines the contribution that Older Experienced Dancers (OEDs) make to current dialogues relating to performance and ageism in the field of dance. The dancers within this study have chosen to extend their careers beyond the Western ballet and contemporary dance industries’ expectations of an acceptable age to perform. They endeavour to retain visibility despite entrenched discrimination, which begins at around the age of thirty-five, curtailing careers before they have had the opportunity to mature. Thus, I observe from a European-Australian standpoint, addressing endemic ageism and a lack of value of these under-represented dancers within Western dance culture.

To meet the aims of the research, an interdisciplinary and practice-led approach has been employed to investigate dancers and ageing through surveys, interviews, and by producing dance films in collaboration with a cohort of OEDs. This research places importance not only on the performances of the dancers but also on their verbal accounts of their practice. Their observations offer unique insight into their physical and mental endurance at a challenging time of life and give voice to the issue of ageism in dance.

The practice-led outcomes result in a series of short dance films that feature nine OEDs, including myself, as visual documentation demonstrating their craft and representing a life of dance experience, nuance and embodied memory. Through the form of screendance, I intend to create an inclusive space for OEDs by ensuring they remain visible. In doing so, this research demonstrates a new understanding, professional appreciation and empathy towards the OED. By using the form of screendance, the OED is acknowledged, not only for their corporeal difference but also for how their practice, rather than their age, defines them.

Dancers who feature in the research

Australia:

Anca Frankenhaeuser, London Contemporary Dance Theatre, the Australian Dance Artists, Australia.
Patrick Harding-Irmer, London Contemporary Dance Theatre, the Australian Dance Artists, Australia.
Susan Barling, Sydney Dance Company, the Australian Dance Artists, Australia.
Ross Philip, Sydney Dance Company, the Australian Dance Artists, Australia.
Lucinda Dunn, Prima Ballerina, the Australian Ballet, Australia.
Liz Lea, Liz Lea Dance, Canberra Dance Company, Australia.
Brian Lucas, Chunky Move, independent artist, Australia.
Dr Elizabeth Cameron Dalman, founder Australian Dance Theatre, independent artist and scholar, Australia
Annalouise Paul, dancer, actor, mentor, director, Annalouise Paul Dance Theatre, independent artist, Sydney, Australia.
Eileen Kramer, former Bodenweiser dancer, author, independent artist, Sydney Australia.
Dr Julie Ann Long, independent artist, scholar, author, choreographer, director, Sydney Australia.
Michele Ryan, Australian Dance Theatre, Meryl Tankard Company, artistic director Restless Company, Adelaide Australia.
Glen Murray, Australian Dance Theatre, Sydney Dance Company, Australian Ballet, (In)Visible Dance, Hobart Tasmania.
Rosetta Cook, Queensland Ballet, Sydney Dance Company, independent artist, choreographer and educator, Brisbane, Australia.
Vicki Van Hout, indigenous independent artist, Bangara Dance, the Aboriginal Islander Dance Theatre, Fresh Dancers, Sydney Australia.

International:

Sabine Kupferberg, NDT, NDT3, The Hague, Holland.
Gérard Lemaitre, NDT, ballet master NDT, founder member NDT3.
Brit Rodemund, soloist Deutche Staatsoper Berlin, Ballett Nürnberg, Freelancer, Dance On Ensemble, Berlin, Germany.
Ami Shulman, Compagnie Marie Chouinard, Compagnie Flak, Movement Director for the Shakespeare Theatre Company, Dance On Ensemble, Berlin Germany.
Amancio Gonzalez, Scottish Ballet, NAPAC, Scapino Ballet, Ballett Frankfurt, The Forsythe Company, Dance On Ensemble Berlin Germany.
Ty Boomershine, Lucinda Childs Dance, Merce Cunningham Repertory Ensemble, rehearsal Director for ICKamsterdam, Dance On Ensemble, Berlin Germany.
Christopher Roman, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, Ballett Frankfurt, The Forsythe Company, Dance On Ensemble (dancer and artistic director) Berlin Germany.
Liz Aggiss, independent artist, choreographer and dancefilm maker, UK.
Siv Anders, ballerina, Cullberg Ballet, independent artist, Stockholm Sweden.
Rafi Sady, Bat-Dor Dance Company, Cullberg Ballet, Ballet de Grand Theatre de Geneve, assistant to Mats Ek, Stockholm Sweden.
Tomo Sone, Batsheva Dance, Israel.
Irem Bekter, Dance and voice artist, Montreal Canada,
Stephanie Burridge, Artistic director Canberra Dance Theatre, scholar, mentor, Lecturer Lasalle College of the Arts, Singapore.
Susan Sentler, Martha Graham Ensemble, Senior Lecturer Trinity Laban, Candoco Dance Company, independent artist, Lasalle College of the Arts, Singapore.
Pat Catterson, Yvonne Rainer, choreographer, educator, independent artist, USA.
Charlotta Öfverholm, DV8 Physical Theatre, Bill T Jones, Complexions Dance, Compagnie Jus de la Vie, Age on Stage 2015/17/19 Sweden.
Nicolas Minns, Rambert. Les Grands Ballets de Canadiens, Writing about Dance, UK.
Clare Whistler, Rambert, Leverhulme Artist in Residence, QMUL, London, UK.
Dr Mark Edward, independent artist and Dance Scholar Edgehill University, UK.
Wendy Houstoun, DV8 Physical Theatre, independent artist, UK.
Naomi Sorkin, London City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, New World Ballet, independent artist, UK.
Debbie Lee Anthony, Theatre of Motion, Senior Lecturer in Dance, Winchester University, UK.
Ann Dickie, Rambert, From Here To Maturity, UK.
Dr. Susie Crow, Royal Ballet Company, soloist Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet, Dancing the Invisible, Ballet in Small Spaces, UK.
Louise Lecavalier, La La La Human Steps, Fou Glorieux, Canada.
Leanne Benjamin, Prima Ballerina, Royal Ballet Company, UK.
Jennifer Jackson, soloist Royal Ballet Company, Dancing the Invisible, artistic director Images Ballet, London Studio Centre, UK.

Ageism and the mature dancer

Research statement:

The research will investigate the role of dancers who extend beyond the western ballet and contemporary dance industry expectations of acceptable age, and analyse the contribution that they make to current dialogues relating to ageism in the field.

2019 Doctor of Visual Art Research

Principal Supervisor: Dr Laini Burton

Dancers who feature in the research

Australia: ​

Anca Frankenhaeuser, London Contemporary Dance Theatre, the Australian Dance Artists, Australia.

Patrick Harding-Irmer, London Contemporary Dance Theatre, the Australian Dance Artists, Australia.

Susan Barling, Sydney Dance Company, the Australian Dance Artists, Australia.

Ross Philip, Sydney Dance Company, the Australian Dance Artists, Australia.

Lucinda Dunn, Prima Ballerina, the Australian Ballet, Australia.

Liz Lea, Liz Lea Dance, Canberra Dance Company, Australia.

Brian Lucas, Chunky Move, independent artist, Australia.

Dr Elizabeth Cameron Dalman, founder Australian Dance Theatre, independent artist and scholar, Australia

Annalouise Paul, dancer, actor, mentor, director, Annalouise Paul Dance Theatre, independent artist, Sydney, Australia.

Eileen Kramer, former Bodenweiser dancer, author, independent artist, Sydney Australia.

Dr Julie Ann Long, independent artist, scholar, author, choreographer, director, Sydney Australia.

Michele Ryan, Australian Dance Theatre, Meryl Tankard Company, artistic director Restless Company, Adelaide Australia.

Glen Murray, Australian Dance Theatre, Sydney Dance Company, Australian Ballet, (In)Visible Dance, Hobart Tasmania.

Rosetta Cook, Queensland Ballet, Sydney Dance Company, independent artist, choreographer and educator, Brisbane, Australia.

Vicki Van Hout, indigenous independent artist, Bangara Dance, the Aboriginal Islander Dance Theatre, Fresh Dancers, Sydney Australia.

International:

Sabine Kupferberg, NDT, NDT3, The Hague, Holland.

Gérard Lemaitre, NDT, ballet master NDT, founder member NDT3.

Brit Rodemund, soloist Deutche Staatsoper Berlin, Ballett Nürnberg, Freelancer, Dance On Ensemble, Berlin, Germany.

Ami Shulman, Compagnie Marie Chouinard, Compagnie Flak, Movement Director for the Shakespeare Theatre Company, Dance On Ensemble, Berlin Germany.

Amancio Gonzalez, Scottish Ballet, NAPAC, Scapino Ballet, Ballett Frankfurt, The Forsythe Company, Dance On Ensemble Berlin Germany.

Ty Boomershine, Lucinda Childs Dance, Merce Cunningham Repertory Ensemble, rehearsal Director for ICKamsterdam, Dance On Ensemble, Berlin Germany.

Christopher Roman, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, Ballett Frankfurt, The Forsythe Company, Dance On Ensemble (dancer and artistic director) Berlin Germany.

Liz Aggiss, independent artist, choreographer and dancefilm maker, UK.

Siv Anders, ballerina, Cullberg Ballet, independent artist, Stockholm Sweden.

Rafi Sady, Bat-Dor Dance Company, Cullberg Ballet, Ballet de Grand Theatre de Geneve, assistant to Mats Ek, Stockholm Sweden.

Tomo Sone, Batsheva Dance, Israel.

Irem Bekter, Dance and voice artist, Montreal Canada,

Stephanie Burridge, Artistic director Canberra Dance Theatre, scholar, mentor, Lecturer Lasalle College of the Arts, Singapore.

Susan Sentler, Martha Graham Ensemble, Senior Lecturer Trinity Laban, Candoco Dance Company, independent artist, Lasalle College of the Arts, Singapore.

Pat Catterson, Yvonne Rainer, choreographer, educator, independent artist, USA.

Charlotta Öfverholm, DV8 Physical Theatre, Bill T Jones, Complexions Dance, Compagnie Jus de la Vie, Age on Stage 2015/17/19 Sweden.

Nicolas Minns, Rambert. Les Grands Ballets de Canadiens, Writing about Dance, UK.

Clare Whistler, Rambert, Leverhulme Artist in Residence, QMUL, London, UK.

Dr Mark Edward, independent artist and Dance Scholar Edgehill University, UK.

Wendy Houstoun, DV8 Physical Theatre, independent artist, UK.

Naomi Sorkin, London City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, New World Ballet, independent artist, UK.

Debbie Lee Anthony, Theatre of Motion, Senior Lecturer in Dance, Winchester University, UK.

Ann Dickie, Rambert, From Here To Maturity, UK.

Dr. Susie Crow, Royal Ballet Company, soloist Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet, Dancing the Invisible, Ballet in Small Spaces, UK.

Louise Lecavalier, La La La Human Steps, Fou Glorieux, Canada.

Leanne Benjamin, Prima Ballerina, Royal Ballet Company, UK.

Jennifer Jackson, soloist Royal Ballet Company, Dancing the Invisible, artistic director Images Ballet, London Studio Centre, UK.

Australia: