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Curated and narrated by Kirsten Marie Walsh
Podcasts on Process explores choreographer Liz Lerman’s creative process. Lerman, a MacArthur Genius Fellow known for evocative performances and innovative teaching methods, has revolutionized not only contemporary dance but also arts-related instruction over the course of her career. The series examines Lerman’s working methods and investigates how other artists and scholars are considering these same principles.
In her creative work and career, Lerman has asked big questions: Who are the dancers? What is an artist's discipline? How do we heal? Podcasts on Process identifies tools from the choreographer’s practice and explores how these tools are used to address questions around contemporary artistic practice, audience, multidisciplinary collaboration, and performance.
Listeners are encouraged to not only tune in but also interact on an episode-by-episode basis. Respond to the Creative Challenges in each episode!
The first episode will dive into Lerman’s body of work to familiarize listeners with her approach to choreography and research. Then Podcasts on Process will examine four of Lerman’s tools: collaboration, who gets to dance and make, documentation and critique.
Podcasts On Process is curated and produced by Kirsten Marie Walsh, MFA in Curatorial Practice candidate at the Maryland Institute College of Art. Liz Lerman graciously opened up her creative world to the curator, sharing with her the research and rehearsal process for Healing Wars. In addition, Walsh’s year-long Graduate Fellowship at The Contemporary afforded her the opportunity to work with and explore Lerman's practice.
Original music for Podcasts on Process was composed by Ruby Fulton and performed by the Nudie Suits. Estelle Kline and Sean Tubbs were the masterful sound engineers for the series.
LIZ LERMAN
Liz Lerman, along with being awarded a 2002 MacArthur Genius Grant Fellow and the 2011 United States Artists Ford Fellowship, founded the Liz Lerman Dance Exchange in 1976.
Lerman and the Healing Wars team provided Kirsten Walsh with multiple research opportunities including a writer and researcher position during the choreographer's residency at the Maggie Allesee National Center for Choreography (MANCC)
Over the course of her career, Lerman has been commissioned by the Lincoln Center, the American Dance Festival, Harvard Law School, and the Kennedy Center. Lerman is also the author of Critical Response Process: a method for getting useful feedback on anything you make, from dance to dessert, the critically acclaimed Hiking the Horizontal: Field Notes of a Choreographer, and Teaching Dance to Senior Adults.
MFA IN CURATORIAL PRACTICE
Maryland Institute College of Art's MFA in Curatorial Practice prepares students to take a responsible approach to the expanding role curators play in creating a vibrant cultural life in the 21st century's global society. Designed to forge connections among art, artists, and the community, the program's collaborative and individual curatorial projects allow students to explore new methods of exhibition presentation-thinking outside of traditional models and training to create relevant, timely and accessible exhibitions for their audiences. All student work is driven and supported by community and institutional partnerships, including local museums and galleries, non-profit organizations, and individuals. This innovative graduate program is the first MFA in Curatorial Practice in the United States. More information at micacuratorial.org
THE CONTEMPORARY
Founded in 1989, The Contemporary is a nomadic, non-collecting art museum in Baltimore, Maryland with the mission to expand the idea of a museum as an incubator commissioning site-specific and subject-oriented projects. The Contemporary engages diverse audiences and advances contemporary art through projects and educational programming. The museum's work is inspired by three guiding principles: artists matter, collaboration is key, and audience is everywhere.