Recognizing the NOW in UK Contemporary Dance

This transcript replicates Rosemary and Claire’s use of series of (perhaps) contentious statements as a starting point for dialogue around Contemporary Dance in the United Kingdom, which formed a keynote presentation at the Questioning the Contemporary in 21st Century British Dance Practices Symposium (July, 2014). Thinking of the future, they reflect back but mainly ask about what we are doing now and why, since one cannot make work for the future but only for the present. Both believe in the possibility of a truly Contemporary Dance sector in the United Kingdom and bring their own perspectives as practitioners to it – as artist and producer, respectively. How do our systems, knowledge and beliefs impact upon the work we create, the work we value and the way we support and nurture our most important asset, our artists?