THE SCORE
Tanya Voges with Amelia Watson, Photographer: Gregory Lorenzutti, 2025
The creative practice framing The Score series is deeply influenced by my therapeutic work with vulnerable communities. As a mental health practitioner utilising creative arts therapies and Dance Movement Therapy to support refugees, new migrants, people with disabilities, and women in acute mental health states with dance as a form of communication has provided profound insights into movement vocabulary that differs from my own, shared energies, and unspoken stories. These experiences shape a relational and liminal creative space for my work.
Interview about Dance Residency and showing of The Score #12. Video by Josh Trezise for The Mill, 2024
The Score #12 was an ensemble piece presented as a sharing at The Mill as part of the first stage creative research and The Score #13 is a duet. The works are built on shared written and graphic scores —a visual representation of movements and instructions that evoke states of improvisation and play. Reflecting the research into polyvagal theory, the work explores the impressions of stories held within the body, mirrored in the materials used for costumes and props. The creases and textures of these materials, combined with projections from collaborators, capture traces of memory and extend the ephemeral nature of dance.
The Score #13 filmed and edited by Cobie Orger at Dancehouse, Melbourne for Basically… everything is dancing 2025 Independent Choreographer’s Program
The Score has a recorded soundscore composed by Belinda Gehlert and I am joined by dance artist Amelia Watson for The Score #13. Previous developments of The Score has been supported by residencies at The Mill, Adelaide (2024), and continue through the inSpace residency at the Adelaide Festival Centre in early 2025. The Score #14 & #16 has been presented as site-adaptive performances at the Art Gallery of South Australia (January–March 2025) during the Radical Textiles exhibition, where dancers embody the scores in the gallery spaces and Belinda Gehlert performs the scores live on violin, interacting with the dancers. Thank you to the staff and curator of the exhibition for all the amazing artworks that The Score was staged alongside. For a full list of the artists and artworks within the exhibition visit AGSA website.
The Score #14 filmed by Tim Standing at Art Gallery of South Australia within the Radical Textiles exhibition for the January 2025 First Friday event.
2024 Creative Development has been possible through The Mill Adelaide, with funding support from Creative Australia and City of Adelaide, and through Dancehouse Melbourne’s Independent Choreographers Program supported by Creative Australia and Arts South Australia with mentorship provided by Priya Srinivasan. Tanya Voges is the recipient of the 2025 inSpace Expand Residency and presented The Score #14 and #16 at Art Gallery of South Australia for First Friday in connection with Radical Textiles exhibition for Adelaide Festival.
