Why we need dance criticism

To preserve ephemeral art forms we need to write about them creatively and exactingly.

Image: Keir Choreographic Award semi-finalist Chloe Chignell’s Deep Shine. Photo by Gregory Lorenzutti.

The ephemeral nature of live performance – especially smaller independent works, which can often go almost undocumented – is one of the major reasons why the art of criticism needs to be supported, according to dance historian and critic Jordan Beth Vincent.

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Richard Watts is ArtsHub's National Performing Arts Editor; he also presents the weekly program SmartArts on Three Triple R FM, and serves as the Chair of La Mama Theatre's volunteer Committee of Management. Richard is a life member of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, and was awarded the status of Melbourne Fringe Living Legend in 2017. In 2020 he was awarded the Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards' Facilitator's Prize. Most recently, Richard was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Green Room Awards Association in June 2021. Follow him on Twitter: @richardthewatts