VFM is a contemporary dance work exploring the differing values we place on human lives and bodies, focusing on how relationship, proximity and community change our perception of a life’s worth and the worth of a body as a vessel.
GUTS Dance have commissioned choreographer Sara Black to create a new contemporary dance work Value For Money. After an initial 3 week development in 2019, GUTS’ directors, Frankie Snowdon and Madeleine Krenek, along with Sara and a team of amazing dancers and creatives will continue to bring this work to life over the next year. The process will consist of an extensive research and data collection phase, a 4 week studio development and a week long season at Araluen Arts Centre in May and June 2021, with opportunities for community engagement via free classes and workshops in schools .
Value For Money speaks to a conversation we need to have. We experience our communities becoming more divided, frightened and insular. We are regularly presented with messages of who and what we should fear, closing down our ability to engage with empathy and acknowledge bias. This fear separates us from communities that appear ‘different’ rather than allowing us to see our commonalities.
Work of this nature brings people together encouraging critical thinking and conversation and provides access to provocative stimuli through the form of dance, from which people can begin to think about their world(s) and place with a different lens.
Value For Money will see a group of 12 acclaimed Australian artists and creatives come together in Mparntwe/Alice Springs for the development, rehearsal and presentation of the work. The full team consists of:
Concept and choreography: Sara Black
Collaborating performers: Kelly Beneforti, Waangenga Blanco, Thomas E S Kelly, Madeleine Krenek and Frankie Snowdon
Sound design and composition: Tom Snowdon (No Mono)
Lighting design: Chris Mercer
Costume design: Lizzy Verstappen
Research Assistant: Tessa Snowdon
Dramaturge: Jonny Rowden
Production manager: Anders Pfeiffer
The current global situation has put our artists, our work and our futures in a state of precariousness. We are committed to making valuable contributions to our national cultural landscape, and offering important employment opportunities for the exceptional artists who create them. Donations from this campaign will be used to ensure our outstanding team of artists and creatives are paid properly for all the amazing work that they will do on the project, and buy us a little more time to ensure the work itself is as rigorous and robust as possible.
For more details about GUTS please visit www.gutsdance.org.au
Double the value of your donation! Thanks to Creative Partnerships Australia’s ACF Boost program, every dollar you preference to this campaign will be matched dollar for dollar, up to $5,000.
