Research at Lucy Guerin Inc

Creating new works in contemporary dance is at the heart of Lucy Guerin Inc’s activities as an organisation. It is a search for new ways of moving, discovering different choreographic processes and clarifying the way that dance can be understood. The creation of these new works happens essentially through research in the studio where movement is explored and tested to reveal its meaning and potential. It also happens through reading, writing, discussion, collaboration and thinking.

In February 2010 Lucy Guerin Inc invited a number of people across dance and academic fields to discuss how it might develop and articulate its relationship to research. The company has created a Research Co-coordinator position to integrate and facilitate its research activities, which will have applications across many aspects of the organisation including archiving, creative research for the choreographer, documenting and searching for partnership and funding opportunities.

Pete Volich has started in the position of Research Co-coordinator; his background has crossed over various disciplines within the arts. In 2007 he was awarded a Skills and Arts Development grant to undertake a mentorship with internationally acclaimed film and video artist Isaac Julien in London, where he worked on projects such as Cast No Shadow, a collaboration between Isaac Julien and Russell Maliphant, Derek a documentary about Derek Jarman, and small boats: Western Union a multi channel video installation. He has worked with various arts organisations such as Next Wave Festival, Performance Space, Australia Council for the Arts, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney, and Royal College of the Arts, London.

It's very exciting for Lucy Guerin Inc to initiate this new position within the company as it nears it’s 10th year of operation. Through a process of documentation, dialogue and dissemination the company can reflect on the way it conducts its research activities as feedback for change and growth.

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Tim Darbyshire
First Run June 2010
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