Programs | Artist Residencies Melbourne

LGI offers a diverse, year-round program of contemporary dance-focused activities at WXYZ Studios.

Our artist-centred activities include:
• PIECES - our annual performance program
• Residency opportunities for independent artists
• Classes and Workshops for professional dancers
• Secondments and Auditions

These activities are integral to the way in which the company shares knowledge and resources with the dance community. They provide access to training and career pathways for both emerging and established artists.

LGI’s commitment to critical thinking around dance is realised through various Dance Dialogues. In addition to Critter sessions, LGI also hosts talks, forums, lectures and residency showings to continue discussions around current choreographic explorations in dance.

Our Resident Company, Yellow Wheel, is also hosted at WXYZ Studios.

For the latest news on LGI programs, subscribe to LGI’s monthly enews, or keep an eye on LGI’s Facebook and Instagram.

Lead images: Classes, Performance Programs and Workshops - Bryony Jackson / Residencies - Shelley O’Meara

+Residencies

Resident Director / Artists in Residence / Resident Company

LGI selects one choreographer annually to become the company’s Resident Director.

This year-long position was created for choreographers approaching mid-career. It’s an opportunity that focuses on supporting the individual’s specific goals and interests as they look to take the next step as an artist.

A primary purpose of the program is to assist the Resident Director in developing the skills required to become an Artistic Director. These skills are distinct from those of a choreographer, but essential for the successful running of a dance company or other organisational structure.

During their time in residence, Resident Directors are encouraged to explore topics such as the type of company model that would best support their style of work, as well as seeking to develop a sustainable artistic practice as a choreographer.

This position is also an opportunity to work creatively more consistently than their current project funding may allow. The artist receives dedicated free studio time and an annual fee along with assistance in finding both funds and presenting opportunities for new works created during this period.

Resident Directors also receive mentoring in all aspects of running a company, including the opportunity to gain insight into Board meetings, budgets and strategic planning.

Find out more about our current Resident Director by clicking their name, below.

Previous Resident Artists:

2019

Alisdair Macindoe

2018

Mariaa Randall

2017

Prue Lang

2016

Jo Lloyd

2015

Melanie Lane

2014

Antony Hamilton

2013

Stephanie Lake

LGI’s Artist-in-Residence program is part of our commitment to supporting artists to develop their choreographic practices and create new works.

Open to local and national contemporary dance choreographers, this opportunity offers short-term studio space (typically two weeks), basic administrative support, and the opportunity to gain peer feedback through a public sharing, Critter session or alternative outcome. All Artists in Residence are selected through an open application process, which typically takes place towards the end of each year.

LGI Residencies 2019
For 2019, there were two types of residency available:

Moving Forward residencies are designed to support projects that are ready to take the next step in their development. They have been created to support artists to progress a project towards an outcome, such as a presentation, and typically last 2-4 weeks full-time.

Making a Start residencies are designed for early-stage developments and creative experiments. They have been created to suit artists at the start of a choreographic or exploratory journey and typically last 1-2 weeks either full-time or ‘out of time’ (evenings and weekends)

From over 40 high-quality applications, the following artists have been awarded a residency with LGI during 2019:

Moving Forward Residency:
Sarah Aiken / Shelley Lasica / Lee Serle / Renae Shadler.

Making a Start Residency:
Alice Will Caroline / Dance Plant Collective / Deanne Butterworth / Chloe Chignell / Matthew Day / Sally Gardner / Harrison Hall / Rebecca Jensen / Jenni Large / Lilian Steiner.

Click the artists’ names to read more about their projects, available on their dedicated residency blog post, written by them.

Congratulations to all our artists-in-residence for 2019.

Image: Amanda Lever and Gillian Lever in residence (2018). Credit: Shelley O’Meara

2018

James Andrews, Alice Heyward, Leah Landau, Amanda Lever, Siobhan McKenna, Caroline Meaden, Emma Riches, Jack Riley, Brooke Stamp, Ivey Wawn

2017

Luke George, Rebecca Jensen, Stephanie Lake, Carly Sheppard, Lilian Steiner

2016

Sarah Aiken, Chloe Chignell, Tim Darbyshire, Prue Lang

2015

Matthew Day, Liz Dunn, Rennie McDougall, Lee Serle, Geoffrey Watson

2014

Natalie Abbott, Theo Clinkard, Atlanta Eke, Stephanie Lake

2013

Ashley Dyer, Michaela Pegum, Sarah Aiken & Rebecca Jensen, Lilian Steiner, Alisdair Macindoe, Jo Lloyd

2012

Luke George, Janine Proost, Shian Law, Antony Hamilton with Melanie Lane

2011

Lee Serle, Shelley Lasica, Luke George, Caroline Meaden, Alice Dixon, Melissa Jones, Nat Cursio, Rennie Mcdougall, Fiona Bryant, Paula Lay, James Brennan and Stephanie Lake

2010

Antony Hamilton, Luke George, Tim Darbyshire, Rennie Mcdougall, Holly Durant, Alisdair Macindoe

Youth Dance Company, Melbourne. Yellow Wheel

Yellow Wheel
Melbourne’s pre-professional dance company, Yellow Wheel, are the Resident Company at Lucy Guerin Inc.

Each year, Yellow Wheel supports talented young artists to challenge expectations, connect to the professional dance industry and achieve their ambitions. Activities include the creation of major new works, public intensives and Trip the Light - a choreographic season of dance works created by the dancers.

The Yellow Wheel team is: Joshua Lowe (Artistic Director), Kyall Shanks (Associate Director) and Adam Wheeler (Artistic Executive).

Find out more on the Yellow Wheel website.

Image: The People’s Dance by Yellow Wheel (2017). Credit: Paul Malek

+Performance Programs

+Classes & Workshops

+Dance Dialogues

Critter
Critter is an artist feedback program facilitated by LGI to provide a platform for artists to generate critical exchange.

An evolution of First Run which began in 2008, Critter provides artists with a tailored opportunity to share material with a critical outcome and initiate discussion relevant to their new work’s stage of development.

Artists are invited to think broadly to formulate the most appropriate and useful format of Critter for their project’s stage of development. This could include a sharing of material and discussion to generate critical feedback with peers, or inviting subject experts to offer further insight or context to their project.

Critter is an open, artist-centred and malleable space of possibility.

For news of the next Critter session, sign up to our enews and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

Dance Dialogues
Talks, Forums and Special Events

LGI constantly seeks ways to play an active role in both local and global contemporary dance discourse. This desire extends beyond the Company’s performance and participatory programs and can include talks, forums and film showings.

Through these activities, we invite the dance community and wider public to discover, learn, debate and discuss themes and subjects important to contemporary dance.

Next event: Indian contemporary dancer Tishani Doshi in conversation with Ade Suharto.

Part performance, part video, part talk – join us for an intimate evening with Indian contemporary dancer Tishani Doshi as she traces her career in India, and shares what her exchange with legendary choreographer Chandralekha meant for her artistic oeuvre. Specifically speaking to the work SHARIRA, a 63-minute work developed over 15 long years with Chandralekha, Doshi unpacks what it really takes to demand the complete attention of the audience.

Thursday 29 August 2019.
Doors 6:30pm for 7pm start.
FREE but booking required.
More info and booking.

Find out about upcoming Dance Dialogue events by signing up to our enews.

Image courtesy of artist [cropped]

+Secondments & Auditions

+Projects Supported by LGI