Luke George is a dancer and choreographer. His work often explores connection between the audience and the performers, creating a space in which the audience is a part of the event, not just a passive watcher.
“Dance is an embodied space, it is a visual space, it’s a sensual space and I just have such a strong desire for the audience to be in their bodies as well as the performers and for them not to be sitting in a black box as if they are watching television, in their heads thinking about things, analysing.”
'Erotic Dance' - photo by Laurent Phillippe
Luke hails from Tasmania, coming to Victoria to study at the Victorian College of the Arts. Upon graduating Luke became the co-artistic director of Stompin Youth Dance Company in Tasmania, a role he shared with Bec Reid. Stompin was the company that introduced both Luke and Bec to dance as teenagers.
Luke often collaborates across disciplines including theatre, film, TV, music, visual and live art. Collaborations can at time shift the performances into new realms as is the case with Bunny, created in collaboration with Daniel Kok. Bunny uses Kinbaku (rope bondage) to explore consent, collective responsibility, and the relationship between audience and artists.
“if I could reduce all the work I have been doing over the years it is about intimacy and empathy, and how do we share a space”
He has worked with a range of Australian companies and artists including Gideon Obarzanek, Phillip Adams, Michael Kantor, Jo Lloyd, Stephanie Lake, Lucy Guerin, Nicola Gunn, Shelley Lasica and Rose Myers. Luke has also worked with international companies and artists including: Frances d’Ath (Berlin), Field Works (Brussels), ITOH Kim (Tokyo), Miguel Gutierrez and the Powerful People (NY), Jack Ferver (NY), K.J. Holmes (NY), luciana achugar (NY), Neal Medlyn (NY), Hermann Nitsch (Vienna) and Deborah Hay (TX).
Luke is also well versed in making performance for queer club nights, including TROUGH, JOHN, MAXFREAK and BARBA. His award list is extensive and includes: Melbourne Fringe Awards (2013), Asialink Residency (2005), Russell Page Fellowship (2007), Greenroom Award for Best Male Dancer (2011).
Luke is currently an artist in residence at Abbottsford Convent. In spring this year he will be continuing his ongoing project A Call To Actions at the convent. This project invites anyone to come and participate in the creative process and actions of the work that take place in public spaces. There will be a number of events in the lead up to a mass day of actions on November the 18th. Stay tuned to the Abbotsford Convent website for more details and the opportunity to participate. You can read more here.
Links to work:
PUBLIC ACTION (2018),
EROTIC DANCE (2016),
BUNNY (2016, co-creation with Daniel Kok),
NOT ABOUT FACE (2013),
NOW NOW NOW (2010)
LIFESIZE (2008)
Upcoming dates:
Sharing: New Work in Development
ADAM (Asia Discovers Asia Meeting for Contemporary Performance)- September 1st, 2018
*Collaboration with Daniel Kok
BUNNY
December Dance | Concertgebouw | Brugge, Belgium- December 7th - 8th, 2018
Usine C | Montréal, Canada/Quebec- February 6th - 9th, 2019
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'Erotic Dance' - photo by Sarah Walker.