Articulate Animal @ Dancebase, Edinburgh

Over in Edinburgh, Fiona Campbell meets Sue Hawksley, artist in residence at Dance Base and professional researcher of the body

Feature by Fiona Campbell | 02 Feb 2009

Sue Hawksley’s CV reads like a wish list of accomplishments. After training at the Royal Ballet School, Hawksley has performed for Rambert, Scottish Ballet and Philippe Genty, as well as choreographing and teaching throughout the UK.

Now in Edinburgh and focusing on her PhD with Edinburgh College of Art and the University of Edinburgh exploring embodiment through dance, philosophy and technological mediation, Hawksley’s has turned her attentions to research-based practices. In 2007 she established articulate animal as “a vehicle to facilitate creative practice and research focusing on the moving body with an emphasis on interdisciplinary inquiry”.

From 9 February articulate animal will be undertaking a two week residency at Dancebase. Hawksley will set up improvisational processes and structures to explore embodiment and meaning in movement: “I like the fact that we spend our lives (apparently) in our 'body-minds-in-the-world', with all the attendant feelings and sensations of 'being-ness', yet know so little about what this is.”

Collaborating with “widely experienced, articulate and independent-minded” dance artists and musicians, including composer Suzanne Parry, Hawksley welcomes the cross-fertilisation of ideas likely to germinate in an artistically rich environment: “the residency is a great opportunity to develop ideas with a fabulous group of people. I'm interested in them and what they will see and do with the problems.” More concerned with questioning than searching for answers, her work takes many exciting, unexpected directions.

 

The residency will culminate in a free studio showing on 20 February at 4pm, followed by an informal questions and answers session.