Dance Critics Association Annual Conference, 9-12 juin 2011, Seattle
Dance Critics Association
Annual Conference
June 9-12 2011 Seattle, WA.
Talking about “Re”
Re-staging, Re-constructing,
Re-visioning, Re-working
What do we see of the past in the works we perform today ?
The Dance Critics Association returns to the West Coast - and to Seattle - for its annual conference. The 2011 DCA Conference, “Talking about ‘Re’ – Re-staging, Re-constructing, Re-visioning, Re-working,” is focusing on reconstruction : How do we discuss works from the past that are brought forward to the present ?
The conference will be hosted by Pacific Northwest Ballet and sessions will be held at the Phelps Center (301 Mercer Street), Pacific Northwest Ballet’s home base at the Seattle Center, and at the Maxwell Hotel, which is two blocks away from the Phelps Center.
The conference will coincide with Pacific Northwest Ballet’s new production of the Romantic Era classic “Giselle.” That production, which is to incorporate materials from original movement and music sources, will act as a fulcrum for a variety of discussions on philosophical topics like authenticity and identity, as well as more pragmatic issues facing working critics who grapple with works bridging past and present.
Panels will include :
• An in-depth presentation about PNB’s new staging of old materials
• An examination of “Giselle” in the 21st century repertory
• An opinionated survey of contemporary critical practice
• A lively conversation about what actually goes into a reconstruction
• A thoughtful discussion about reconstructing 20th century American ballet
• A consideration of the relationship between the work we see in front of us and the influence of its ancestors.
The 2011 DCA Senior Critic Award will also be awarded during the conference.
Other highlights include Elizabeth Zimmer’s fearless Kamikaze Writing Workshop. And, most importantly, there will be the chance to talk with colleagues.
Our field is changing as fast as the dance we watch. This conference is a chance to get support and perspective from other people who do what we do.
In addition to the PNB “Giselle,” there are several other performances going on in Seattle during the conference weekend :
• On the Boards is running their annual showcase of regional innovation
• The Northwest New Works Festival, the and the Beyond the Threshold Festival feature local, national and international artists in multiple venues (partnering with the Daipan Butoh Festival, including Katsura Kan the weekend before the DCA conference).
Altogether, this should be a dynamic weekend talking about writing and talking about dancing, new and old and in-between. I hope that you’ll be there !
Sandi Kurtz
DCA 2011 Conference Coordinator
