PART III: THE STORY OF MARGARET HARVEY x FORCE MAJEURE

Welcome to the exciting and final episode of our three-part story series!

This is another special behind the scenes perspective about one of the artists we work with and the impact supporters such as yourself can have on their journey.

Catch up on previous episodes:

Part I: The Story of Ghenoa Gela x Force Majeure

Part II: The Story of Eliza Scott x Force Majeure

This episode, Part III: The Story of Margaret Harvey x Force Majeure, is set at the beginning of a new story with our next Associate Artist, who we are delighted to announce is, Margaret Harvey!

Enjoy,

-Danielle Micich

Margaret and I first met through our INCITE Intensive program.

But that meeting almost didn't happen.

Margaret was recommended by a colleague to engage with us, and it was still three years until she finally walked through those studio doors.

Margaret and I engaged in a deep conversation over these years, full of complicated questions about whether it was a right fit for her practice as an artist.

"I realised Force Majeure was the company for me when I first encountered their unique blend of storytelling and movement," Margaret shares.

"Their commitment to interdisciplinary, movement-based performance and Danielle’s commitment to facilitating workshops to share the practice resonated deeply with my own creative practice."  

It's always about finding the right time for an artist to commit and invest in such a significant program, and then finally, Margaret arrived at our two-week INCITE Intensive at our Carriageworks home. 

Each morning of the Intensive we have a check-in where I ask if there's any thoughts anyone would like to share or contribute as a way of progressing and developing dialogue and dramaturgy.  

For the first four days, Margaret was brief but considered in her contributions.

It was on the fifth morning, the moment that began our sharing. Our connection. 

Margaret began sharing her thoughts and had so many questions for me. What I enjoy most about our connection is that I am equally engaged with the exchange of sharing and learning.

It's a beautiful, dynamic space.

Margaret threw herself into the work of the Intensive, was so present, and really up for all the deeper tricky conversations that comes up with sharing a room with such diversity in practice.

After those two weeks in the room together we continued talking and progressing on thoughts and ideas.

Margaret was in the early stages of developing her work, USULAL, and followed with an invitation for me to come to Naarm and share studio time with her. 

Those two weeks were a remarkable time for me.

I can truly say that I was witnessing Margaret "dancing" with her ancestors in moments.

It was a very special and generous space to be invited into.

Margaret talks about being like an infant in this world, and in a way, when you are learning something new it does feel like infancy, but she is embracing that in her journey with embodied movement with such grace.

There’s such beauty in someone just letting go. Finding something. And you can see that courage in her while she is on the floor moving. Margaret is a Powerhouse!

"My time with Force Majeure has significantly changed my approach to creating work. I now prioritise the physical embodiment of stories rather than the English language, using corporeal expression to convey complex narratives and access ancestral knowledge," Margaret says.

"This approach has enriched my practice, allowing me to explore the interconnectedness of body, mind, and spirit in storytelling."

I knew there was more to explore in this artistic relationship, and I know what it is to have support as an independent artist at this point in your career.  It was another good conversation with Margaret about what it would mean for her to consider being Force Majeure's Associate Artist.

Margaret accepted, and we are thrilled to officially announce Margaret Harvey as Force Majeure's new Associate Artist!

I'm looking forward to getting back in the room together later this year to see where this new platform of support takes the story of Margaret Harvey x Force Majeure.

I have a feeling it's just the beginning...

You can play a part in Margaret's story and the many others that will follow by supporting Force Majeure.

Thanks to our supporters we can get more artists like Ghenoa, Eliza, and Margaret in the studio, and ensure the continuation of Force Majeure’s industry-leading artist development programs and visceral movement-based theatre. 

Powerful performance begins with an artist. It continues with you.

Be a force for artists.

Make a tax deductible donation today.

Danielle Micich

Artistic Director

Force Majeure