Dancing with design

As contemporary dance continues to evolve, design is becoming increasingly integrated into the art form.
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Image: Melanie Lane’s Merge as part of Dance Massive 2015. Photo: Dian McLeod.

The art of design – whether of set and costume, sound and lighting – has long played a significant role in contemporary dance. But in recent years, as choreographers look to extend their practice, design has become an increasingly essential aspect of the contemporary dance toolkit.

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Richard Watts OAM is ArtsHub's National Performing Arts Editor; he also presents the weekly program SmartArts on Three Triple R FM. Richard is a life member of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, a Melbourne Fringe Festival Living Legend, and was awarded the Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards' Facilitator's Prize in 2020. In 2021 he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Green Room Awards Association. Most recently, Richard received a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in June 2024. Follow him on Twitter: @richardthewatts