Precarious Movements: Choreography and the Museum

Since the mid twentieth century, dance has expanded beyond the stage, with works presented in myriad forms in galleries and museums around the world. From artistic experiments and reworks of historical choreographies to performances responding to permanent collections, dance as a mode of expression has increasingly carved out a unique place in institutions and exhibitions as a means to engage audiences. 

Precarious Movements: Choreography and the Museum is a survey of the choreographic turn within the visual arts, mapping a new field of practice that considers dance a contemporary-art media. Featuring more than twenty expert contributions from performers, scholars, critics, choreographers and arts professionals working across archives, conservation, curation and production, this publication scopes the work of the work, the artists and institutions, and the legacy and trace of choreography in the museum today.

Edited by Erin Brannigan, Pip Wallis, Hannah Mathews and Louise Lawson with Amita Kirpalani, the publication features more than twenty expert contributions from performers, scholars, critics, choreographers and arts professionals working across archives, conservation, curation and production. The publication scopes the work of the work, the artists and institutions, and the legacy and trace of choreography in the museum today.

Authors include Daina Ashbee, Julia Asperska, Caitrín Barrett-Donlon, Lara Barzon, Erin Brannigan, Lisa Catt, Natasha Conland, Tamara Cubas, Alicia Frankovich, Brian Fuata, Tammi Gissell, Angela Goh, Rochelle Haley, Maria Hassabi, Amrita Hepi, Alice Heyward, Victoria Hunt, Beatrice Johnson, Juanita Kelly-Mundine, Shelley Lasica, Louise Lawson, MaryJo Lelyveld, Adam Linder, Hannah Mathews, Carolyn Murphy, Louise O’Kelly, Cori Olinghouse, Pavel Pyś, Melissa Ratliff, Ana Ribeiro, Latai Taumoepeau, Zoe Theodore, Pip Wallis, Ivey Wawn, Catherine Wood, and Sara Wookey

This publication was produced for the Australian Research Council project Precarious Movements: Choreography and the Museum, in conjunction with partner organisations the University of New South Wales, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Monash University Museum of Art, Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts, Tate, independent researcher Shelley Lasica and the National Gallery of Victoria.