McNicol Ballet Collective's new creative residency programme, Compositions & Configurations, will offer paid opportunities for composers and choreographers to experiment at DanceEast with professional dancers before a formal creative process.
The residency programme also offers pre-residency meetings and workshops, guest speaker sessions and mentoring and support from a dramaturg, concluding with an informal sharing of the artist’s work to an invited audience and industry professionals. The company plans to commission at least one choreographer and composer to further develop their work and present it as part of its 2024–25 season.
Andrew McNicol said, “I firmly belief that the future of dance and specifically contemporary ballet is inherently linked with the future development of music. To ensure MBC and the wider dance and music sector has talented choreographers and composers with the knowledge, experience, and tenacity to shape the future of our artforms, it’s vital we invest in artistic development and experimentation in an intentional way. I’m thrilled to offer this opportunity to support new music and dance and facilitate connections between artists in different fields."
Applications open 30 October 2023 and close 15 January 2024. The residency will take place from 15–20 July 2024, with regular preparatory meetings taking place from March. Successful applicants will be announced in February 2024.