Newson, Lloyd (1954– )

Australian choreographer and dancer, an exponent of avant-garde dance in Britain. He aims to make ‘dance about something’, and many of his pieces explore psychological and social issues, sexual politics, and gender stereotypes. Strongly influenced by the theatricality of Pina Bausch, his choreographic process includes improvisation, frequently devising pieces with the collaboration of dancers and designers. He is the cofounder and director of the DV8 Physical Theatre (1986).

His work for DV8 includes Dead Dreams of Monochrome Men (1989), If Only . (1990), Strange Fish (1992), MSM (1993), Enter Achilles (1995), and Bound to Please (1997). He has collaborated with film-makers to make award-winning films of several of his pieces for the company.

Newson went to Britain in 1980 to spend a year at the London Contemporary Dance School. He danced with the Extemporary Dance Theatre 1981–85 and also choreographed pieces for the company. Frequently provocative, Newson challenges conventional conceptions of gender stereotypes in his ballets, for example, My Body, Your Body (1987). His choreographic methods make use of contact improvisation.