By Ashleigh Fielding | posted on September 7, 2019
TWO artists from different mediums have joined forces to share with others their interpretation of the birthing season of Albany.
A Moment in Time is the current project of Vancouver Arts Centre artists in residence, dancer Floeur Alder and visual artist Virginia Ward.
The pair met through mutual contacts within the recently-folded Perth group Ochre Contemporary Dance Company, and Alder knew Ward would be the perfect partner for a residency she passionately wanted to do.
Alder, whose dance training began in childhood with parental teachers and world-renowned ballet dancers Lucette Aldous and Alan Alder, was teaching at the WA Academy of Performing Arts when she realised she was in desperate need of a sea change.
“I guess I was a bit lost,” she said, having taught for so many years and losing her father in July.
“I needed to perform otherwise I was going to go crazy, so I started ringing around for a residency.”
Alder and Ward have been in Albany for one week and have so far visited Waychinicup National Park, Little Beach, Normans Beach and the Porongurups to gather research on Indigenous connections to the land and the biodiversity in the district.
The pair are passionate about Indigenous culture and said works created during the residency would be a response to what they’ve immersed themselves in during their four-week stay.
“My dad was a geologist so ever since I was a child, I’ve been immersed in the landscape and had a deep understanding of the metaphysics of the land,” Ward said.
“So now, we’ve only been here a week, but we’ve been absorbing the place around us and researching.”
The pair’s efforts will culminate with a showcase on September 19, combining Alder’s solo dance and Ward’s words and artworks.
“But that won’t be the final product,” Alder said.
“I’m going to take it back to Perth and work on it, and hopefully bring it back to Albany.”
Ward and Alder are also holding dance and experimental drawing workshops this weekend on September 8.
Contact Vancouver Arts Centre on 6820 3740 to RSVP.
