An exploration the biomechanics of ageing; the third event in the Speciens to Superhumans series created with Shape

Speciens to Superhumans

A series of events exploring contemporary issues around biomedical science, disability and ethics, and how these are explored, represented and critiqued in art.

A one-day participative workshop exploring the implications of the biomechanics of ageing for contemporary dance practice.

While traditional dance science looks at how to enable an elite dancer to achieve perfection in both performance and aesthetics, this participative event will seek to explore what we can learn from the science of ageing about how a disabled or older dancer’s body works and what they need in order to perform to full capacity and to unlock their body’s full potential.

For both older and disabled dancers, achieving elite standards may be neither possible nor what they are striving for, and this event will seek to explore the nuances between the social model of disability and the medical model of ageing, to see what common ground emerges.

This collaborative event, the third in the Arts Catalyst/Shape series Specimens to Superhumans, was hosted by Roehampton University.  The day was led by choreographers Ann Dickie, Director of From Here to Maturity Dance Company and Anna Bergström, Associate Artist at Candoco Dance Company, audio and digital artist, Trevor Mathison. Drawing from expertise across the University, Professor Raymond Lee and his colleagues Dr Siobhan Strike and Dr Jin Luo from the Active Ageing Unit at Life Sciences Department also participated in the event.

Created in collaboration with and the support of:

Shape www.shapearts.org.uk

Roehampton University’s Dance Faculty www.roehampton.ac.uk

Louise Portlock and Frank McDaniels from Gloucestershire Dance www.gloucestershiredance.org.uk

Funded by

Wellcome Trust People Award www.wellcome.ac.uk