HOW IS IT THAT “I” PRACTICE (IN) THIS BODY?
A conversation dancing at the intersection of health, choreography and somatic practice between Victoria Gray and Roberta Jean.
This discussion took place as part of Dance Insights Online
Content Warning: This conversation addresses themes such as suicide, mental health and drug use. If you are affected by any of the issues raised by the artists there are links to further reading in the article, or you may wish to visit NHS UK for advice and links to relevant support organisations.
Please Note: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not reflect the views of DanceXchange. DX does not endorse the taking of drugs of any kind without medical advice and supervision.
Roberta Jean
Roberta is a critically acclaimed choreographer. She works collaboratively with artists and makers from across disciplines to produce dances for a diverse range of contexts. Her choreography is centred around poetics and is often underpinned by anthropological research.
She is a 2020 winner of the Bonnie Bird Choreographic Development Award, a 2019 finalist at Aesthetica Short Film Festival, Screen.dance and New Renaissance Film Festival. She is a 2018 finalist for the Total Theatre & The Place Dance Award.
Victoria Gray
Victoria is an artist and practice-led researcher, and has presented work nationally and internationally throughout the UK, Europe, USA and Canada. With an initial conservatoire training in dance and somatic practice (1998 – 2004), her primary medium and material is the body. Her work includes actions, interventions, time-based sculpture and video, being presented in museums, galleries and festivals in performance art, fine art and choreographic contexts. Currently, she is an Autism Spectrum Specialist, working within FE, HE and arts-based contexts. This aligns with her current artistic research, developing on her PhD (awarded 2017), exploring experiences of autistic perception and sensory differences in ASC through somatic practice and process philosophy.
http://www.victoriagray.co.uk/