On the table: An open invitation

In this text, we propose the table as a choreographic and discursive tool that enables fruitful, collective exploration of artistic material. Through poetics, essay and scores, we share our project On the Table (OTT) – a format for artistic exchange and collaboration. We, Caitlin and Ebony, co-developed the OTT format in Naarm (Melbourne, Australia), where it runs as a programme of regular sessions out of Dancehouse. Each is hosted by a different artist who puts something ‘on the table’ for everyone who attends to explore together. This can be any manner of provocation, meaning sessions take disparate forms, ranging from workshops and in-progress showings to open artistic explorations and collaborative research. Hosts come from various forms of dance, approaches to bodily practice and relationships to movement. We platform artists who work with dance in combination with other fields, which have included those working within martial arts, game design, science and therapy. People from these fields or with thematic interests in a session are encouraged to attend regardless of movement experience. Our practice enables everyone in the room to contribute towards and shape the session’s explorations. The aim is for an unconventional array of people to work synergistically, from their varied points of interest and differing levels of expertise. Although the format is applicable beyond a dance or choreographic context, it centres around collective, embodied encounters. In this text, we extend an open invitation to readers to borrow from our practice or initiate their own satellite OTT events.