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, is hosted by Roehampton University. The day will be 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 will also participate in the event.