Co3 continues ‘Reason for Being’ at AGWA

Co3, Western Australia’s flagship contemporary dance company, continues its innovative cross-arts partnership with the Art Gallery of WA (AGWA) in July. Gallery visitors have the opportunity to experience their State Art Collection re-interpreted through contemporary dance and collaborative performance.

This new partnership has seen Co3 as AGWA’s first performance artist-in-residence this year. Over the course of 2016 and 2017, Co3 will develop segments of a new work, Reason for Being, which will be performed as one final piece in 2018. On July 9, a section of this piece will once again be presented as a work-in-progress at the Gallery after Co3 dancers rehearse there July 6-8.

AGWA Director Stefano Carboni originally said the partnership with Co3 was part of the Gallery’s 2016 brand direction, inviting people to “see things differently.”

“Reimagining the Gallery experience is our goal in 2016 with an eclectic program of exhibitions and experiences including dance, video and cross-media work,” Carboni stated during the announcement for the collaboration. “We are offering fresh ways of enjoying Your Collection with the introduction of contemporary dance created by Co3, in an exciting new residency, in response to our spaces and works on view.”

Gallery visitors have actually been encouraged to follow Co3 Artistic Director and Choreographer Raewyn Hill as she develops a new segment of the work with Co3 dancers in response to the Gallery’s architecture and artworks on view. From first conceptual conversations through to a showing of the week’s work, Hill has revealed the process of creating contemporary dance in the unusual live studio environment of AGWA.

Development of the first piece started in mid-February as part of the 2016 Perth International Arts Festival. From there, development has continued off and on, with various showings in late February, mid-March, early April and May, and this month.

Following the July events, WA dance fans can save the dates for August 17-20 and November 23. For further information on Co3 performances and events, visit http://co3.org.au. For more information, visit artgallery.wa.gov.au.

Photo by Toni Wilkinson.