Five Minutes with with Carl Sciberras, Program Coordinator from Form Dance Projects

The festival showcases a diverse range of dance styles, and the choreographers in the program will present works with equally as wide-ranging ideas. A lot of these young people are performing dances about relationships and their personal experiences and views of the world, others are investigating form – there’s a very rich mix of styles with incredibly long to incredibly short histories. There really will be a bit of something to everyone’s taste.

How did you come to select works for the heats of the competition?

The festival is about inclusivity and opportunity. Young aspiring choreographers simply registered their works to FORM with a bit of a context and sample video of their works. FORM then curated the program based on the genre of dance most fitting to the different heats. There were a substantial number of applications, so not all can be selected, but we try our best to get as many in as possible.

What criteria will the entries be judged by?

The main focus for the panels on selecting finalists is innovation. The festival celebrates works that really test the dancers and their audience, test the art form, and risk-taking. Unlike a lot of dance competitions, where technique and execution are at the forefront, we consider dance to be about creativity foremost, and works are selected based on how the individual dancers or groups challenge their own artistic practice, rather than pitching them against one another.

How important are events like these to support emerging artists?

Without an opportunity to perform in front of an audience in a professional setting, it’s very difficult to learn and develop as a dancer. Sharp Short Dance gives young people a safe and supportive environment to practice choreography and performance, which is vital in growing as an emerging artist. The festival also gets these young people seen, they meet peers and often develop working relationships with them.

What else does FORM Dance Projects have on the horizon in the coming months?

This is our last project for 2015, but in 2016 we’ll be presenting some exciting new works by local and international artists. Our program will be launched very soon so keep an eye out for it! Visit form.org.au.

[Short Sharp Dance photo by Credit Pia Moore]