Matt will spend a month with Dance4 at their new international Centre for Choreography as part of our ongoing residency exchange program with the UK. Residency exchange partner Dance4 is an internationally recognised centre for the development of extraordinary 21st century dance, with a unique voice in the UK dance sector. Dance4 works with artists from a philosophy of risk, curiosity and doubt, commissioning and producing work that challenges perceptions of dance, blurs the disciplinary boundaries and that explores current and future choreographic practices. Based in Nottingham (UK) Dance4 is producer of Nottdance Festival.
Along with time in the studio to explore his own practice Matt will interact with local artists. These include Nottingham-based emerging artist Lewys Holt and Tetrad Collective, who run a regular platform Us and Them for new and emerging artists in the East Midlands region. Matt will also be in public conversation with Caroline Bowditch discussing The Joy Of Living In A Unpredictable Body.
Matt Shilcock is a South Australian based dance artist. He is a 2nd Kyu in Budo Taijutsu and specialised weaponry; he adapts mobility aids to choreographic and weaponised use. His passion extends from his own accomplishments in transitioning from a full-time wheelchair user to his current practices in dance, fitness training and martial arts. In 2009, Matt began performing professionally and has since engaged with companies across Australia, including Murmuration, No Strings Attached Theatre for Disability and Restless Dance Theatre, Kaldor Public Arts and internationally with Mass Box (China), Touch Compass (NZ), Full Radius (USA), Candoco (UK), Independence (UK), FreeWill Theatre (HK) and the Van L Dance Company (UK).Matt is a current ensemble member with Murmuration.
During his time at Dance4, Matt joined Dance4 Associate Artist Caroline Bowditch at The Joy of Living in an Unpredictable Body, a discussion about how as choreographers and dancers they sustain their practice within their unpredictable bodies (19 Jan) offered a sharing during Sunday Supplement: Matt Shilcock (29 Jan) and wrote several blogs:
Dance4 Residency: Osteogenuine; a practice in authenticity
Dance4 Residency: Sigilisation
Dance4 Residency: Movement Bases
Dance4 Residency: Suspension
Image 1: Underbelly Arts Festival 2015 (back stage). Photo by Gabriel Clark
Image 2: Underbelly Arts Festival 2015 (development). Photo by Dean Walsh
Cover image: Underbelly Arts Festival 2015 (back stage). Photo by Gabriel Clark