Carriageworks Announces 2018 Keir Choreographic Award Public Program

Carriageworks today announced the public program for the 2018 Keir Choreographic Award (KCA), Australia's first major choreographic award, in partnership with The Keir Foundation, Dancehouse and Australia Council for the Arts. From 27 February - 20 March 2018, the diverse public program expands on the Keir Choreographic Awards Sydney season and includes performances, workshops and discussions engaging the 2018 KCA jurors.

Highlights of the program include the Australian premiere of an evening of solo works from acclaimed choreographer and performer Meg Stuart at Carriageworks and two workshops in Western Sydney in association with Campbelltown Arts Centre; Black Dance facilitated by Ishmael Houston-Jones, US choreographer and improviser; and Little Orange Workshop with celebrated Australian choreographer Lucy Guerin for emerging Western Sydney artists with disabilities.

Hungarian choreographer, dancer and performer, Eszter Salamon will speak at the National Gallery of Australia; present a seminar in conjunction with the University of New South Wales and lead a choreographic lab at Critical Path, Sydney. Launched in 2014, the Keir Choreographic Award looks to identify and illuminate experimental choreographic practices occurring in the Australian context today.

For the third edition of the Award, the eight commissioned artists will present their new work at Melbourne's Dancehouse 6 - 10 March 2018, with four works then selected to participate in the Sydney season at Carriageworks 15 - 17 March 2018 to compete for the accolade of the $30,000 Award and the $10,000 Audience Choice Award announced on the 17 March 2018.

The 2018 Keir Choreographic Award jury responsible for selecting the eight finalists, is comprised of: Head of Dance, Performing Arts of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority, Hong Kong, ANNA CY CHAN; local dance icon LUCY GUERIN; ISHMAEL HOUSTON-JONES, US choreographer, author, performer, and curator; Hungarian choreographer, dancer and performer ESZTER SALAMON; Artistic Director of international arts festival Kunstenfestivaldesarts, Brussels,CHRISTOPHE SLAGMUYLDER; and acclaimed Brussels-based American choreographer and dancer MEG STUART. The eight artists selected for the 2018 Keir Choreographic Award are: Nana Biluš Abaffy, Branch Nebula (Lee Wilson and Mirabelle Wouters), Luke George, Amrita Hepi, Prue Lang, Melanie Lane, Bhenji Ra and Lillian Steiner. The inaugural Keir Choreographic Award in 2014 was presented to Melbourne-based artist Atlanta Eke and in 2016 to Sydney-based Torres Strait Islander choreographer and performer, Ghenoa Gela.