Choreographer, dancer and founder of Lucy Guerin Inc, Lucy Guerin, and choreographer and dancer Amrita Hepi joined Richard Watts on SmartArts ahead of Lucy Guerin Inc's 2023 iteration of their annual commissioning program PIECES. This year, Amrita Hepi, Luke George and Harrison Ritchie-Jones are premiering works at The Substation.

Amrita's work 'The Read' was developed in collaboration with writer, sex worker and activist Tilly Lawless alongside collaborators Mish Grigor and Sarah Aiken. Amrita says 'The Read' explores "what it means to be a body in service"; though she doesn't want to compare dance and sex work, or say that they're necessarily similar, she says there are related questions to both that deal with their 'carnal' and 'professional' dimensions.

Amrita and Lucy also discuss the other commissioned works: Luke George's 'FELL' which Lucy says “really draws you in and puts you into a particular state of mind”, and Harrison Ritchie-Jones' 'TANTRUM For 6' which is a "thought-provoking and entertaining" exploration of childhood emotions carried into adult lives.

Richard asks Amrita and Lucy about why Melbourne is a "magnet" for contemporary dance, and together they discuss how spaces like PIECES can be opportunities for dancers and choreographers to experiment and take risks with the form.

PIECES 2023 runs from December 6th-9th at The Substation.

Image courtesy of Amrita Hepi.