In 2020, the eight commissioned artists of the Keir Choreographic Award share their Development Diaries with us. Works will be developed all over Australia, with the four finalists performing at Carriageworks in the finale season, 12-14 March.
In this diary we follow Sydney-based artist Zachary Lopez.
3 Mar 2020
Zachary presents his work ‘Peril’ in Melbourne at Dancehouse for the 2020 Keir Choreographic Award Semi Final.
24 Feb 2020
Zachary shares the details of his work for KCA 2020, Peril.
This work is an exorcism of undesired narratives imposed on the Asian body. Drawing from folklore, ritual and the concept of material culture, two bodies endure states of dissonance and turmoil, vibrating between fantasy and the fantasised. They attempt to interrogate histories, conjure spirits and escape the threat to and of their bodies, creating a hypnotising cleanse. In collaboration with Yilin Kong and sound designer James Brown, a new reality unfolds. Peril enables bodies to transcend objectification and pass into a unified identity.
9 January 2020
Zachary reflects on the development of his work during December:
‘I spent the first week researching information found in Australian newspaper articles from the 1920’s-1930’s, reading literature and academic work about Asian Australian experiences and responding to these with improvisation. After this week, I found ideas stronger than others and will be able to use this moving forward into the final development period.’
1 December 2019
Below is a video capturing movement exploration during Zachary’s first week of development, exploring ideas from the image underneath.
Zachary Lopez is a contemporary dancer and emerging choreographer. A Filipino-Australian, he explores the duality between his identities to understand cultural lineage and nationality within his practice. He has been awarded an Australia Council Artstart Grant in 2015 and a Young Creative Leaders Fellowship (Create NSW) in 2019, where he began creative work with young people at Western Sydney’s Migrant Resource Centre.
See videos of Zachary’s previous work here.
