Note from Artistic Director: Gary Gordon

Gary Gordon

Exactly 20 years ago – in 1989 - I received the Young Artist Award for Choreography and Dance at the National Arts Festival for “outstanding contribution to choreography and dance”. In true collaborative style and with great enthusiasm, I worked with seven performers, a musician, a singer and a designer and made Anatomical Journey of a Settler Man.

The work spoke of where we lived; this was my world presented in contemporary dance; there was improvisation as well as silliness and pain; there were animals but also roller skates and a bicycle; the score had ordinary noise as well as sounds from inside your head; songs were sung to the beat of a drum and clashed with the ringing of the telephone; there was silence; performers moved to words and not only in English; this anatomical journey contemplated struggle, humour, power, emptiness, aspiration and loss. The breath of this settler man inspired the shapes, sounds and movements of this world of his in the Eastern Cape. He started the work in stillness and he continued in it dancing his part in a land that was still waiting to be re-imagined. It was after all 1989.

It was a momentous occasion for me. This was the first award for contemporary dance at the National Arts Festival. I so wanted to share my vision of the vibrancy, relevance and complexity of contemporary dance with others. I moved with zest, belief and complete joy.

Looking back I might re-think the way I created that first anatomical journey. Some of it probably would appear dated now. I could have improved on some things and made other choices and creative encounters. But some things have definitely survived – for example the extended and fruitful collaborations with artists like Juanita Finestone-Praeg and Andrew Buckland. We were together in that production and 20 years later we are still working together. Now in 2009, Andrew is directing Stilted for First Physical and Juanita is presenting her own inspired visions in Inner Piece. 

And emerging artists and teachers were in that production too. Like Paul Datlen now lecturing at University of KZN and Eric Bouvron performing his own works in Paris. That vote of confidence in 1989 was worthwhile and the legacy still continues. 1989 was not the last Young Artist from this place. The anatomical journeys have continued with more Young Artists. Acty Tang was one of them and you can see him in Inner Piece. Last year there were 8 MA’s in choreography and contemporary performance. An Examiner described Rhodes drama and First Physical as the “authoritative voice for choreographic research in the country”. And at this festival you can see some of these driven young artists in New Voices and Stilted.

And collaboration, innovation and intervention are part of what has become associated with First Physical – in different disguises of course from that first Anatomical Journey. And with this in mind, Juanita Finestone-Praeg has created startling visions for Inner Piece – her anatomical journey towards the interior.