Lismore-based artist, Philip Blackman is part of the collaborating team that will bring The Corner Dance Lab to life from 16 – 24 January 2015. The Corner Dance Lab is a week-long skills development and professional development program of contemporary dance held at Jasper Corner, which is the cultural heart of the Federal village on the NSW North Coast / Northern Rivers region.

The program lists a line up of some of Australia’s leading dance / theatre practitioners and is suitable for emerging and experienced dancers, physical theatre performers, actors, dance and drama teachers, community artists with or without disability.

As part of the performance making project, participants will work with composer, Ben Ely (formerly Regurgitator) and multi-media visual artist, Kellie O’Dempsey who will add an exciting element to The Main Event performance at Federal on Saturday evening 24 January 2014.

As a local resident and dance maker of the Northern Rivers region it is fantastic to see The Corner Dance Lab continue into it’s second year in 2015. This is one of those exciting and rare initiatives which brings together a wide variety of highly skilled and respected artists from all-over the country and abroad. I can’t wait to immerse myself in the practice and choreography of the facilitators whilst also engaging with the group through my own classes and exploration. Phil Blackman

Auslan interpreters are available throughout the project.

To find out more about the event, go to Facebook or website

Expressions of Interest close on Monday 22 December 2014. For more information or to request an Expression of Interest form, email Sean Campbell <seanwcampbell@hotmail.co.uk>

BIOGRAPHY

Philip Blackman lives and works in Lismore, which is situated in the NSW Northern Rivers region. He has a BA Dance Major from Western Australia Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), Perth (2003).

He has devised and performed work for Oh! I Wanna Dance with Somebody, Campbelltown Arts Centre, Sydney (2012) and follow-up residency for Stage 2 with Martin Del Amo (2013); Railway Wonderland, NORPA, Lismore (2012); Beautiful Bones, NORPA, Lismore (2012); Matthew Barclay’s Faust, West Australian Opera Company, Perth (2004); and WAAPA’s LEGACY, Global Dance, Dusseldorf, Germany (2002); STRUT and Artrage, Perth.

Solos include: In Search of Fluidity, Lismore Show (2009); Landscape of a Memory, Experiments in the dark, NORPA.

Philip is the dance facilitator for local disability service provider R.E.D. Inc. He choreographed under the Artistic Direction of Philip Channells the Sprung! Integrated Dance Theatre project, Dwell – A Triple Bill, Byron Bay (2013). This project was supported by Dance Integrated Australia and the NSW Government through NSW Aging, Disability and Homecare.

He has facilitated workshops for Tralalablip and choreographed their film clip ‘Soccer in Space’ (2012); Philip was employed by NORPA to co-facilitate at Wilson Park Primary School with Rosie Dennis as part of NORPA’s commissioned co-production with Urban Theatre Projects, My Radio Heart (2012/13).

In 2014 Philip was invited to teach dancers from the local area, across Australia and New Zealand at the inaugural The Corner Dance Lab in Federal NSW, which was led by Philip Channells (Dance Integrated Australia) and Gavin Webber (Animal Farm Collective). He continues to teach drama and movement at the Northern Rivers Conservatorium.

Photo: Grant MacIntyre

The Corner Dance Lab 2015 was made possible by the Australian Government’s regional arts program, the Regional Arts Fund, which gives all Australians, wherever they live, better access to opportunities to practice and experience the arts.