This is Sondra Loring with Steve Paxton on the topic of the theme of the Movement Research Festival Fall 2011: DEVOTION/RIGOR/SUSTAINABILITY. 

photos: Anja Hitzenberger

This is K.J. Holmes with Lisa Nelson on the topic of the theme of the Movement Research Festival Fall 2011: DEVOTION/RIGOR/SUSTAINABILITY. 

photos by Anja Hitzenberger

K.J. Holmes interviews Simone Forti on the topic of the theme of the Movement Research Festival Fall 2011: DEVOTION/RIGOR/SUSTAINABILITY.

photo: K.J. Holmes by Enid Farber and Sondra Loring by Anja Hitzenberger

Choreographers, philosophers and performers engaged in a conversation on the nature of consciousness and how dance as an artistic practice acts as experiential research into this fundamentally human yet indeterminate and far-ranging territory. In addition to gathering different perspectives on the subject, some questions will be considered: How does dance affect current philosophical thinking on consciousness? How do choreographers and performers engage with theory on the subject? How have personal experiences and artistic practices contributed to private and collective understanding and development of consciousness? How can these experiences enter into broader discourse on the subject? Participants in this conversation included philosopher and author Alva Noë, dance performer Michelle Boulé, choreographer Daria Fain, and others.

Studies Project is an artist-curated series of panel discussions, performances, and/or other formats that focus on provocative and timely issues of aesthetics and philosophy in the intersection of dance and social politics, confronting and instigated by the dance and performance community.

Special thanks to the Gina Gibney Dance Center for the donation of the space for this discussion.