What are contemporary ideas? (2020)

In this video we’re taking a look at the history of Contemporary Dance glossing over 5 decades of contemporary influences and asking what that might mean for its future. Why do we use the term contemporary? Can anything ever be truly contemporary? What are contemporary ideas?

This video can only begin to scratch the surface of history and knowledge and is not intended to replace academic research but, instead, to spark debate! Join in through the comments section below! We want to hear from you! You can find out more about the background of this video and our research here: https://bit.ly/3dKKljn

Produced and written: Grace Nicol and The Place
Design and animation: Pictures for the People
Voiceover: Kiera Lane
Music: ‘Tropix’ Written & produced by Matthew Wigton, Performed by Nu Alkemi$t.

Footage and images courtesy of:
London Contemporary Dance Theatre, ‘Eclipse’, Dancers: Robert Cohan and Noemi Lapzeson. Image by Anthony Crickmay, (1969).
https://www.theplace.org.uk/london-contemporary-dance-theatre
Robert Cohan, ‘Cell’. Image by Anthony Crickmay, (1969).
https://www.theplace.org.uk/robertcohan
Robert Cohan rehearsing with Bob Smith of London Contemporary Dance Theatre. Image by Anthony Crickmay, (CA 1969).
‘Step At A Time’. Image by Anthony Crickmay, (1976).
Robert Cohan, ‘Dances of Love & Death’. Image by Anthony Crickmay, (1981).
London Contemporary Dance Theatre, Dancers Sheron Wray, Elizabeth Fancourt, Peter Dunleavy. Photo by Anthony Crickmay, (1992).
Tavaziva ‘Umdalo Kasisi’, The Place. (2004)

Home

Lucy Suggate ‘Postcard’, The Place . (2006)
https://www.lucysuggate.com/
Uchenna Dance ‘Hansel & Gretel’, The Place/ Bernie Grant Arts Centre. Image by Foteini Christofilopoulou (2018)

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Frauke Requardt & Daniel Oliver ‘Dadderrs’. Image by Zoe Manders (2019)
https://www.requardt-rosenberg.com
https://www.danieloliverperformance.com/
Kindergarten Cop Universal Pictures (1990)
Directed by Ivan Reitman
Writing Credits
Murray Salem: Story and screenplay
Herschel Weingrod: Screen play
Timothy Harris: : Screen play

The Place, image by Benedict Johnson
http://www.benedictjohnson.com/
London Contemporary Dance Theatre tour poster. (1969).
Martha Graham ‘Letter to the World (The Kick)’. (1940).
Jacky Lansley ‘Dance Object’, X6 Dance Space. (1976).

Home

Jacky Lansley and Sally Potter in Richard Alston’s Strider. (1972).
https://sallypotter.com/
https://www.richardalstondance.com
Mary Prestidge and Madee Dupree in ‘By River and Wharf’ collectively curated by X6 Dance Space. (1976).
https://www.belong.org.uk/bluecoat/mary-prestidge/
Rose English ‘Quadrille’, Southampton Horse Show. (1975).
https://roseenglishperformance.net/
Richard Alston and Sally Potter ‘Combines’. (1972).
Found footage ‘Early 1980s Punks in Chelsea, London Home Movies’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_znmHZo1co
Lea Anderson The Cholmondeleys Image by Chris Nash. (1990s).
http://www.leaanderson.com/
Lea Anderson The Featherstonehaughs Image by Chris Nash. (1990s).
Michael Clark Image by Steve Pyke/Getty Images. (1985).
https://www.michaelclarkcompany.com
DV8 ‘Dead Dreams of Monochrome Men’. (1990).
https://www.dv8.co.uk/projects/archive/dead-dreams-of-monochrome-men–film

Vincent Dance Theatre ‘Noli Me Tangere’. (1994).

Noli Me Tangere

Shobana Jeyasingh ‘Transtep’. (2004).
https://www.shobanajeyasingh.co.uk/works/transtep/
Jerome Bel ‘Shirtologie’. (1997).
http://www.jeromebel.fr/index.php?p=2&s=3&ctid=1
‘Strictly pros and Candoco Dance Company perform to ‘Life on Mars’- BBC Strictly 2018’ (2018)