This winter feels like a good time for a bit of a reality check. With a few pending projects to think about, I’ve been probing some conceptual branding ideas lately, and lo, what I’ve discovered is a pre-occupation with stylization. Not least of all mine, and particularly with regards to Eastern trade routes and ethnicity; traditions and customs; faith-based practice; folk expressions and cross-pollinaton; gender roles, migration and self-preservation; musicality, performance studies and technology.

With an Artist-In-Residence spot at LWDance Hub coming up in July-August, I’d be glad to share my new buzzword for that enigmatic phenomenon called ‘style’. Estilo! Adapted from Latin (and later Portuguese and Spanish), ‘estilo’ is Filipino for ‘style’ which can also translate as grace, way of doing things, fashionable skill among others. Definitely some intrinsic attributes that I would say are constitutive to aspiring to uphold a sense of bravura when it comes to artistic endeavour. But how could I begin to describe the idea of a group of gung ho creatives looking at coming together in a dialogic space centred around that post-modern idea of collaboration?

My highschool gym coach was resolute about safety not being a compromise when it comes to team work. Likewise, working with an artform such as dance that can be quite visceral, trust is a vital aspect when it comes to how the composite parts might function harmoniously as a whole. ‘Breathe to prepare’ we we’re told at dance school and without hesitation we followed. This at best was applied at all costs ie. whether performing a simple porte des bras, while ploughing through a complex petit allegro sequence or navigating a big travelling jump combination.

Concurently then, as I find myself somewhere not unlike the ‘inter-sections where Art, Theatre and Fashion collide’ enclosed herewith, and mindful of the potential ‘artistic de rigeur’ that organic creative processes might fashion, I really hope that #thestylecollaborative can serve as an inspiring hashtag and platform for an exciting In-Studio Development with some cool Adelaide crew.

#lwdancehub #thestylecollaborative #instudiodevelopment #danceemancipation