Meg Stuart

{{short description|American choreographer and dancer (born 1965)}}

Meg Stuart (born 1965 in New Orleans) is an American choreographer and dancer who lives and works in Brussels and Berlin. Her company, Damaged Goods, operates from Brussels since 1994.

Start as a dancer and choreographer

Stuart moved to New York City in 1983 where she studied at New York University. She continued her studies at Movement Research (New York) where she studied several release techniques and was active in the Downtown New York dance scene. In the eighties she worked as a dancer for Nina Martin, Lisa Kraus, Federico Restrepo and Marcus Stern. For five years (1986–1992) she was part of the Randy Warshaw Dance Company.{{Cite web|url=https://desingel.be/nl/credit/meg-stuart?id=a1gb0000000xI0QAAU&search=meg+stuart|title=deSingel|website=desingel.be}} On the invitation of the Klapstuk festival in Leuven (BE) in 1991 she created "Disfigure Study", her first evening-length performance, which launched her career in Europe. In "Disfigure Study", Meg Stuart approaches the body as a vulnerable physical entity, one that can be deformed, deconstructed, and displaced but still resonates with meaning.Damaged Goods, [http://www.damagedgoods.be/EN/about_meg_stuart Meg Stuart Official biographical page] on company website. Retrieved: May 8, 2019.

Damaged Goods

Interested in devising her own structure, Stuart founded Damaged Goods in Brussels in 1994. Damaged Goods is an open and flexible structure, which makes the production of highly diverse projects and interdisciplinary collaborations possible. Together they have worked on a broad range of projects, ranging from solos such as "XXX for Arlene and Colleagues" (1995), "Soft Wear" (2000) and the evening-length solo "Hunter" (2014) to large-scale choreographies such as "Visitors Only" (2003), "Built to Last" (2012) and "UNTIL OUR HEARTS STOP" (2015). Other projects include video works, installations and site-specific creations. Her work has travelled the international theatre circuit and has also been presented at Documenta X in Kassel (1997), at Manifesta7 in Bolzano (2008) and at PERFORMA09 in New York.{{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/about|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – About|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}

Damaged Goods has an ongoing collaboration with {{ill|Kaaitheater|fr}} (Brussels) and HAU Hebbel am Ufer (Berlin). Before they also worked together with Schauspielhaus Zürich (2000–2004), Volksbühne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz Berlin (2005–2010), Münchner Kammerspiele (2010–2015) and Ruhrtriennale (2015–2017)

Improvisation and artistic collaboration

Improvisation is an important part of Meg Stuart's practice. She initiated several improvisation projects, such as "Crash Landing" and "Auf den Tisch!". In 2016 Stuart hosted City Lights – a continuous gathering in the Berlin HAU Hebbel am Ufer, in collaboration with an all female group of local artists.

Stuart strives to develop a new language for every piece in collaboration with artists from different creative disciplines and navigates the tension between dance and theatre. Previous collaborations include works developed with visual artists Gary Hill and Ann Hamilton, and composers such as Hahn Rowe and Brendan Dougherty. Through improvisation, Stuart explores physical and emotional states or the memories of them. Her artistic work is analogous to a constantly shifting identity. It constantly redefines itself while searching for new presentation contexts and territories for dance.

Teaching

Alongside her work as a choreographer, Stuart regularly teaches workshops and master classes at dance schools, festivals and institutions. In the book Are we here yet? (2nd edition, 2013), she reflects on her practice in conversation with editor Jeroen Peeters and describes the exercises, tasks and narratives that she uses in workshops and the creative process.

Awards

Meg Stuart and Damaged Goods received the K.U.Leuven Culture Price (2000), the German Theatre prize Der Faust (2006) for her choreography of "Replacement", the prestigious French Prize for Criticism (2008) for "BLESSED", a New York Dance and Performance Award (2008), also known as BESSIE Award for her oeuvre, the Flemish Culture Prize (2008) and the Konrad Wolf Preiz 2012.

In 2014 Meg Stuart received the Grand Prix de la Danse de Montréal, a prize that is awarded since 2011 to dance artists that contributed greatly to the art of dance.{{Cite web|url=http://prixdeladanse.com/en/laureat/meg-stuart-2/|title=MEG STUART|website=Les Prix de la Danse}} That same year the German magazine Tanz – Zeitschrift für Ballett, Tanz und Performance crowned her choreographer of the year for her productions "Sketches/Notebook" and "Hunter".{{Cite web|url=https://www.vrt.be/vrtnu/kanalen/canvas/|title=Canvas: (her)bekijk je favoriete programma's: actua, docu en series | VRT NU|website=www.vrt.be}}

In 2018, The Venice Biennale awarded Meg Stuart the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement in the category of dance. She receives the prize for her constant developing of new languages and methods for each new creation, in which she keeps on redefining new contexts and territories for dance.EWC, [https://web.archive.org/web/20180330181543/https://www.demorgen.be/podium/choreografe-meg-stuart-krijgt-gouden-leeuw-in-venetie-b913d1f2/ Choreografe Meg Stuart krijgt Gouden Leeuw in Venetië], in: De Morgen, 17/01/2018[https://www.kunsten.be/nieuws/8057-meg-stuart-ontvangt-gouden-leeuw Meg Stuart ontvangt Gouden Leeuw], op de website van Kunstenpunt, 17/01/2018[https://web.archive.org/web/20180330182250/http://www.labiennale.org/en/news/2018-lion-awards-dance The 2018 Lion awards for Dance], op de website van La Biennale di Venezia, 17/01/2018 Meg Stuart/Damaged Goods also received the Deutscher Tanzpreis Award for outstanding performer from Dachverband Tanz Deutschland that year.[https://web.archive.org/web/20180418182834/http://www.deutschertanzpreis.de/preisverleihung/preistraeger/?L=0 Aankondiging van de winnaars van de prijzen door Dachverband Tanz Deutschland toegekend in 2018], op de website van Dachverband Tanz Deutschland

Choreographies/collaborations

Disfigure Study, 1991{{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/disfigure-study|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – Disfigure Study|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}
No Longer Readymade, 1993{{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/no-longer-readymade|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – No Longer Readymade|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}
Swallow my yellow smile, 1994{{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/swallow-my-yellow-smile|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – Swallow My Yellow Smile|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}
XXX for Arlene and Colleagues, 1995{{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/xxx-for-arlene-and-colleagues|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – XXX for Arlene and Colleagues|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}
No One is Watching, 1995{{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/no-one-is-watching|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – No One is Watching|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}
Inside Skin #1 They live in Our Breath, 1996{{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/insert-skin-1-they-live-in-our-breath|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – Insert Skin #1 – They Live in Our Breath|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}
Splayed Mind Out, 1997{{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/splayed-mind-out|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – Splayed Mind Out|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}
Remote, 1997{{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/remote|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – Remote|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}
appetite, 1999{{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/appetite|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – appetite|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}
Comeback, 1999
Snapshots, 1999
I'm all yours, 2000{{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/i-m-all-yours|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – I'm all yours|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}
Private Room, 2000{{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/private-room|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – Private Room|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}
sand table, 2000{{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/sand-table|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – sand table|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}
Soft Wear, 2000{{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/soft-wear|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – Soft Wear|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}
Highway 101, 2000/2001{{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/highway-101|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – Highway 101|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}
Alibi, 2001{{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/alibi|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – Alibi|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}
Henry IV, 2002
Das goldene Zeitalter, 2003
Visitors Only, 2003{{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/visitors-only|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – Visitors Only|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}
Forgeries, Love and Other Matters, 2004{{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/forgeries-love-and-other-matters|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – Forgeries, Love and Other Matters|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}
Der Marterphahl, 2005
REPLACEMENT, 2006{{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/replacement|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – Replacement|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}
It's not funny!, 2006{{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/it-s-not-funny|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – It's not funny|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}
Blessed, 2007{{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/blessed|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – BLESSED|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}
Maybe Forever, 2007{{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/maybe-forever|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – Maybe Forever|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}
All Together Now, 2008{{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/all-together-now|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – All Together Now|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}
Die Massnahme/Mauser, 2008
Do Animals Cry, 2009{{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/do-animals-cry|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – Do Animals Cry|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}
the fault lines, 2010{{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/the-fault-lines|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – the fault lines|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}
Signs of Affection, 2010{{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/signs-of-affection|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – Signs of Affection|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}
Off Course, 2010{{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/off-course|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – Off Course|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}
Atelier, 2011{{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/atelier|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – Atelier|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}
VIOLET, 2011{{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/violet|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – VIOLET|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}
Built to Last, 2012{{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/built-to-last|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – Built to Last|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}
Sketches/Notebook, 2013{{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/sketches-notebook|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – Sketches/Notebook|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}
An evening of solo works, 2013{{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/an-evening-of-solo-works|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – An evening of solo works|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}
Hunter, 2014{{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/hunter|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – Hunter|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}
UNTIL OUR HEARTS STOP, 2015{{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/until-our-hearts-stop|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – UNTIL OUR HEARTS STOP|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}
Inflamável, 2016{{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/inflamavel|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – Inflamável|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}
Shown and Told, 2016{{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/shown-and-told|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – Shown and Told|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}
Atelier III, 2017{{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/atelier-iii|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – Atelier III|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}
Projecting [Space[, 2017{{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/projecting-space|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}
Celestial Sorrow, 2018{{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/celestial-sorrow|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – Celestial Sorrow|date=March 30, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180330185648/http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/celestial-sorrow|archive-date=2018-03-30}}

Improvisations

Crash Landing, 1996–1999{{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/crash-landing|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – Crash Landing|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}
Auf den Tisch!,2005–2011{{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/auf-den-tisch|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – Auf den Tisch!|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}
Politics of Ecstasy, 2009{{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/politics-of-ecstasy|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – Politics of Ecstasy|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}
Atelier II, 2012{{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/atelier-ii|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – Atelier II|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}
City Lights – a continuous gathering, 2016{{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/city-lights-a-continuous-gathering|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – City Lights – a continuous gathering|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}

Projects

Running, 1992{{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/running|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – Running|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}
This is the Show and the Show is Many Things, 1994{{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/this-is-the-show-and-the-show-is-many-things|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – This is the Show and the Show is Many Things|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}
Revisited, 2007{{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/revisited|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – Revisited|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}
walk+talk #2, 2008{{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/walk-talk-2|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – walk+talk #2|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}
Intimate Strangers, Brussels, 2008{{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/intimate-strangers-brussels|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – Intimate Strangers, Brussels|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}
walk+talk #16, 2011{{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/walk-talk-16|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – walk+talk #16|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}
Intimate Strangers, Ghent, 2011{{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/intimate-strangers-ghent|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – Intimate Strangers, Ghent|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}

Video works

Smell the flowers while you can (Johan Grimonprez, 1994–2012, 6 min){{Cite web|url=https://2019.argosarts.org/work.jsp?p=work.jsp&workid=f3c4af2912c54a8bb779485e4d7ffef9&lang=nl|title=ARGOS centre for art and media|website=2019.argosarts.org}}
Meg Stuart’s Alibi (Maarten Vanden Abeele, 2001, 24 min){{cite web |url=http://www.bozar.be/en/activities/126628-showings |title=Showings {{!}} BOZAR |website=www.bozar.be |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170518170021/http://www.bozar.be/en/activities/126628-showings |archive-date=2017-05-18}} {{Cite web |url=http://www.bozar.be/file/1787/download |title=Archived copy |access-date=2019-05-08 |archive-date=2017-04-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170422213051/http://www.bozar.be/file/1787/download |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/meg-stuart-s-alibi|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – Meg Stuart's Alibi|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}
the invited (Jonathan Inksetter, 2003, 12 min){{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/the-invited|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – the invited|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}
Somewhere in between (Pierre Coulibeuf, 2004, 67 min){{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/somewhere-in-between|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – Somewhere in between|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0440815/|title=Somewhere in Between|via=www.imdb.com}}
The Only Possible City (Meg Stuart, 2008){{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/the-only-possible-city|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – The Only Possible City|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}
I thought I'd never say this (Philipp Hochleichter, 2008, video-installatie){{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/i-thought-i-d-never-say-this|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – I thought I'd never say this|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}
Inflamável (Meg Stuart, 2016, 16 min)
Study of a Portrait (Meg Stuart, 2016, video-installatie){{Cite web|url=http://www.damagedgoods.be/en/study-of-a-portrait|title=Damaged Goods / Meg Stuart – Study of a Portrait|website=www.damagedgoods.be}}