Life and Death: Kenneth MacMillan, Making Dance Beyond the Boundaries conference 16th March 2019 – Susanna Reece reports

‘I’m always accused of dealing only with sex and violence but what I really deal with is life and death.’  Thus quoted Monica Mason, opening the St Hilda’s College/DANSOX Conference Kenneth MacMillan: Making Dance Beyond the Boundaries held on Saturday 16th March 2019.

Dame Monica, former Principal Dancer and Director of the Royal Ballet Company, was just one of many sharing their memories of MacMillan and his creative approach at this smörgåsbord of delights blending academic research, choreography and performance. On a wet and windy day, in political and climatic times that can sometimes feel reminiscent of the dark events triggered at Mayerling, we were treated to talks by MacMillan’s widow Deborah on how MacMillan worked with designers, Guest Lecturer Natalie Wheen on his innovative use of music, choreologists on how Benesh notation helps to preserve his choreography, and academic specialists on his historical imagination. The conference concluded with excerpts from a reconstruction of Playground by Yorke Dance.

 

DANSOX/Society for Dance Research Conference: The Role of the Choreographer in the Stage and Screen Musical, St Hilda’s College 28th November

A major forthcoming dance conference on an important topic.  The Society for Dance Research and DANSOX present:

‘The Role of the Choreographer in the Stage and Screen Musical’

With distinguished keynote speeches from Dame Gillian Lynne, acclaimed British dancer, choreographer, and theatre/television director; and Professor Millie Taylor (University of Winchester). Dame Gillian Lynne will speak at 2pm. With a drinks reception after.

Date:  Saturday 28th November, 2015 – 10:30am to 4:30pm

Venue:  Jacqueline du Pre Building, St Hilda’s College, Oxford

Come to any part or all of conference – free (except for lunch).
To register go to: http://www.torch.ox.ac.uk/role-choreographer-stage-and-screen-musical-1 and click on the link.

 

Conference Call for Papers: Music and movement as process and experience, UCL Institute of Education 23rd October 2015

Proposals are invited for a one-day conference for post-graduate students.  Music and movement as process and experience is organised by PhD students through the Music Education Special Interest Group at the UCL Institute of Education, University of London, and hosted by the Royal Academy of Dance, London SW11 3RA Friday, 23rd October 2015.  There will be no charge for attending.

Scholarly attention to music and dance is often focused on works and performances, while very little research in dance education includes a focus on music. At the same time, recent scholarship on music and movement in music psychology, clinical music therapy, sports science, geography, anthropology, and cultural studies suggests ways that this imbalance could be addressed, to mutual benefit. The aim of this conference is therefore to bring together researchers in any field or discipline who are interested in music and movement as process and experience, with a particular focus on non-performance contexts such as training, rehearsal, recreation, and rehabilitation.