Gary Gordon

Gary Gordon (19**-) is an actor, dancer, choreographer, director, academic and teacher.

The leading proponent of physical theatre in South Africa in the 1990s and early 21st century.

Biography

Training

He trained at the University of Natal (Durban) Department of Speech and Drama, before going to England. He received a Masters Degree in choreography from the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London.

Career

From 1989 to 1992 he was a member of the teaching faculty at Laban where he participated in a number of inspirational workshops facilitated by Lloyd Newson and this led to his commitment to physical theatre. During his years at Laban, he taught choreography, contemporary dance technique, classical ballet and dance history.

He taught Voice and Movement at Lee Strasberg Studio in London (1991 to 1992). He returned to South Africa to become professor and head of the Rhodes University Drama Department (1992 until 2009?). There he also founded the First Physical Theatre Company in 1993 and began to train numerous young practitioners in the field.

He was Guest Artist in Residence, Department of Theatre and Dance, Tulane University, New Orleans in Spring Term, 2009. From 2010-2014, he worked as the MFA Coordinator/Head of Academic Studies at the School of Dance at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. While coordinating, he worked with students from Hong Kong, Mainland China, Singapore, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Korea. He also served on the selection panel for the Hong Kong Dance Awards.

He returned to Rhodes University, where he taught post graduate courses in creative practice, choreography and physical performance and was still actively involved with the First Physical Theatre Company. He retired from the Drama Department in December 2017.

Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance

As director

1974: Six Characters in Search of an Author (Rhodes University Drama Department)

1977: The Trojan Women (Rhodes University Drama Department)

As choreographer

Gary Gordon has choreographed a number of works. Some of these include:

1977: Candide (Baxter Theatre)

1979: The Relapse (CAPAB)

1985: Annie Get Your Gun

1999: The Fall of the House of Usher (Rhodes University Drama Department)

Original works

Gordon has created and choreographed a number of physical theatre productions and documentary danceplays. Some of these include:

1994: On the Light Side of the Moon

1994: Surround her With Water: An Epiphany

1996: Dead: A Slight History of One Called Ivan (created with Reza de Wet)

1996: The Unspeakable Story (created with Reza de Wet)

1998: Icons (created with Reza de Wet)

1998: Lilith (created with Reza de Wet)

1998: Portraits

2000: Bessie's Head (created with Reza de Wet)

2002: Rockabye for a Sleeping Man and a Barking Dog

2002: Ozymandias (created with Jenni-Lee Crewe)

2002: Ceremonial on Leaving (Third year repertory, Rhodes University Drama Department)

2003: This Beautiful House is Un-made (created with Juanita Finestone-Praeg)

2003: Re-collections (First Physical Theatre Company)

2003: Three Tales from Unfolding the Skin (Third year repertory, Rhodes University Drama Department)

2006: 6 Kinds of Emptiness (National Arts Festival)

2006: Vrypas (with Francois Toerien, First Physical Theatre Company)

As performer

He was performer in one of South Africa’s first contemporary dance companies, JazzArt Dance Theatre in 1982.

He appeared in a number of works, including:

Ozymandias (2002), Songs that seep into forgetfulness (2002), Vrypas (First Physical Theatre Company, 2006)

Awards, etc

Gordon received a number of national awards including 1989 Standard Bank Young Artist Award for Choreography; Choreographer of the Year for Shattered Windows'' (1994); and the FNB Vita Award for Most Outstanding Presentation of an Original Contemporary Dance Work for The Unspeakable Story (1996). In 2000 he received Rhodes University Vice Chancellor’s Award for Distinguished Teaching and in 2016 he received a Standard Bank Standing Ovation Award for his long-term significant contribution to the National Arts Festival.