Artistic lab
+++ Postponed +++
In relationship to their performance of Make Banana Cry, Canadian dance artists Stephen Thompson and Andrew Tay will host an artistic laboratory to collectively think about critical art making and embodied politics. Attempting to playfully navigate the slippery territory of “how we perceive ourselves” vs “how others perceive us”, the laboratory seeks to utilise these questions as exciting material for the body. They hope to imagine performance strategies collectively that are critical of the various power structures that underpin the contemporary art system.
The lab will give time for dancing and physical work, as well as deep chats and hang outs. Through the exchange of practices and reflection on how our political ideologies can be reflected in the ways that we work together, Thompson and Tay will create a space for dialogue around the kind of work we are hoping for in the future.
works at the intersections of performance, choreography, Djing and dance curation. In 2005, he co-founded Wants&Needs Danse with Sasha Kleinplatz. Together, they produce the popular dance events Short&Sweet and Piss in the Pool which take place in non-traditional venues throughout Montreal. He recently relocated to Toronto to begin his new role as Artistic Director of Toronto Dance Theatre. He has presented his work at Fierce Festival (UK), Dance made in Canada (Toronto), Diver Festival (Tel Aviv) and has danced for well-known choreographers such as Doris Uhlich.
originally from Calgary, Alberta is an interdisciplinary artist working between Canada, USA and Europe. Stephen’s introduction to movement and performing was through competitive figure skating. He received a Bachelor of Kinesiology (art and science of movement) and Dance from the University of Calgary. In 2015, at the World “Figure” Championships in Lake Placid, Stephen received the bronze medal. He has worked with Trajal Harell, Jennifer Lacey, Antonija Livingstone and several times with Benoit Lachambre.
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