In 2016, Critical Path and Performance Space returned to a long-standing partnership with the Experimental Choreographic Residency (ECR) project. This project supports a 3-week period of research & creative development that explores experimental or interdisciplinary approaches to choreography and movement practice and pursues an interest in the role of the body in choreography – its presence and/or absence, and its role in the choreographic process.
The first artist for this project, by invitation, was Justin Shoulder (2016). Working with Victoria Hunt as his mentor Justin spent three weeks exploring his movement vocabulary and considering his choreographic decisions and process. He spent a further week at The Drill Hall working on the final development of his new solo work Carrion in 2017, taking forward his ECR work into a new performance development. Carrion was presented by Performance Space and had its premiere at Liveworks Festival 2017. Carrion has since toured to Artshouse, Melbourne (2018), Theatre Kampnagel, Hamburg, DE (2019), Fierce Festival, UK (2019) and MAI, Montreal Arts Interculturels (2019).
Atlanta Eke was selected as the 2017 recipient, following a call out, and spent three weeks at the Drill Hall exploring new choreographic material for a new solo work The Tennis Piece (Working Title). Atlanta’s ‘work-in-progress’ showing took place at the Drill Hall, facilitated by Performance Space and Critical Path. Atlanta went on to show The Tennis Piece at Dance Massive in 2019.
Also in 2017 artist Taree Sansbury was offered a further collaborative residency. Taree spent three weeks exploring new choreographic material for a new work mi:wi. She was hosted by partner organisations, Creative Practice Lab, School of the Arts and Media, UNSW and Campbelltown Arts Centre. A ‘work-in-progress’ showing took place at the Drill Hall, facilitated by Critical Path. mi:wi was commissioned by Next Wave and premiered in the 2018 festival.
In 2018, Rajni Shah was the recipient of the Experimental Choreographic Residency. Rajni was in residency with Alex Tálamo and Victoria Hunt for three weeks at the Drill Hall. They explored the entwining of colonisation and choreography for their work ‘I don’t know how (to decolonise myself)’. The artist had a sharing of their work at the Drill Hall, facilitated by Critical Path.
In 2019, for her Experimental Choreographic Residency Ivey Wawn worked on a new group choreography; In Perpetuity and investigated the demands of capital on bodies, human and non-human. She collaborated with Daniel Jenatsch, Ellen Davies, Megan Payne and Rohan Willard and shared the outcomes of her work in a showing at the Drill Hall, facilitated by Performance Space. In Perpetuity will be part of Next Wave 2020 and has received further development support from Lucy Guerin Inc and Arts House, Melbourne.
In 2020, Critical Path and Performance Space continue their long-standing partnership with the Experimental Choreographic Residency (ECR) project. This year, Nat Randall & Anna Breckon will be in residence at The Drill from November, developing a new work titled Set Piece for presentation in 2021.