ResDance S2: Episode 3: Practices of care: autonomy of the performer with Grace Nicol and Temi Ajose Cutting

ResDance S2: Episode 3: Practices of care: themes of autonomy in the context of dance Grace Nicol and Temi Ajose Cutting offer insight into their shared experiences as artists, alongside their current research practices and interests. Through revealing their processes and ways of working, they discuss their shared interest of supporting the wellbeing and needs of dancers both inside and outside of the studio. In this open dialogue, they question the autonomy of the performer, the power dynamics of inviting people to be seen, and invite listeners to consider where power and responsibility lie within these exchanges.   In this episode, they discuss the practice-based collaborative project, Slip Mould Slippery, concerned with body, object and space relations and the power structures that exist around these ideas, exploring how to dismantle these structures through movement practice. This is supported by a new pastoral care offer where they are attempting to redefine the way choreographers work with freelance dance artists. Grace Nicol  Grace Nicol is a London-based choreographer, movement director, and activist. Her choreographic work has been shown predominantly in gallery and museum contexts in London and nationally including; London College of Fashion, Hackney Showroom, Performance Space, NN Contemporary, Tate Modern, V&A Museum, Guest Projects. She has also worked on commercial projects/film (including BBC, NTS, Chivas Regal, i-D, Christian Louboutin). She’s a visiting lecturer and provide mentoring, workshops & talks for institutions/community groups (LCDS, Dance4, AMATA, London Bubble’s Creative Homes etc). She has been featured in various media publications (Hunger, Dazed, Arts Professional). Contact details: Instagram: @gracebnciol Website: www.grace-nicol.com/ Temitope Ajose Cutting Temitope Ajose Cutting is a Bonnie Bird Choreography Award winner (2005) and has created and staged works for venues such as Royal Opera House and ROH2. She has been commissioned by The Place Prize Bloomberg, dance producer Eckhard Thiemann at Woking Dance. Her works have been performed at DanceXchange, RichMix, Dancebase in Edinburgh, Swindon Dance and the Soho Joyce (New York). As a dancer Temitope has worked with Punchdrunk, director Carrie Cracknell at The Gate Theatre and The National, Theo Clinkard and Protein Dance Company (Critally acclaimed Border Tales 2014-2018 creation of En Route 2021) Darcy Wallace at the V&A, Lea Anderson, Joe Moran, Sue Maclaine and Seke Chimutengwende and most recently Lost Dog's A Tale of Two Cities. Temitope also engages with movement direction (Old Vic and National Theatre). In addition to this she has been part of the performance team restaging Joan Jonas retrospective at the Tate Modern, working with choreographer and curator Nefeli Skarmea for artist Megan Rooney at the Serpentine Pavilion and now collaborates with Megan Rooney for her solo shows at Kunsthalle Germany and most recently the Lyon Bianale.  Temitope continues to make her own work producing a work at The Southbank in collaboration with critically acclaimed writer Jay Bernard My Name is my Own 2019 and the creation of her solo work Lady M (at home with Lady Macbeth) Choreodrome 2021. Contact details: Email: [email protected] Instagram: @temitope_ajosecutting