World + is a series of conversations, development, and in-person events aiming to reimagine and reconceptualise the notion of ‘battles’ within the street dance culture based in Melbourne, curated by Producer in Residence MaggZ. Through the process of co-designing with industry peers, mentors and active community members aged between 18-25 from the street dance sector, this program aspires to shine light on the voice of the youth and to investigate the current complexities within the battle culture, as well as to extend the infrastructure and modality of ‘battles’ with the notion of world-building whilst honouring the socio-political context and the history of street dance.

*World + is made up of:
Co-design: weekly meetup with industry peer and a focus group of 4 participants aged between 18-25 to co-explore ways to re-conceptualise battles, facilitated by MaggZ, supported by mentors and peers

World + Lab: a 6-hour guided development session at Brunswick Mechanics to trial out ideas from the co-design process, facilitated by MaggZ, peers and an external facilitator; participated by the focus group (open to all, but prioritising age 18-25).

World + Event: a 6-hour public-facing event at Brunswick Mechanics to actualise the re-conceptualisation of battles after the co-design and World + Lab process, facilitated by MaggZ and peers.

When
Co-design: Regular sessions throughout Apr & May 2023
World + Lab: Sat 6 May 2023
World + Event: Sat 3 June 2023
📍Brunswick Mechanics 
270 Sydney Rd, Brunswick VIC 3056

More information coming soon.

MaggZ is a Naarm-based (Melbourne, Australia) queer Chinese movement artist, creative director and producer, trained in ballet and now specialised in waacking - a freestyle dance originated in 1970s LA from the Latinix and African American queer community, predominantly involving arm movements. Traversing amongst street dance battles, performances, installations, creative direction and producing, MaggZ’s practice centres aliveness, stillness, persistence and agency and aspires to honour the authentic self and living experience through transdisciplinary explorations in both physical and digital landscapes. MaggZ is appointed as Producer in Residence at Next Wave (Naarm), and producer / performance art consultant at Collide24 (Berlin, Germany). MaggZ’s recent achievements are - the recipient of the Young Creative Awards in 2020, nominated four times by the Green Room Awards, and the winner of Destructive Steps allstyle 2v2 dance battle in 2022.

The Producer in Residence and Creative Leadership programs are generously supported by VicHealth through their Future Healthy initiatives.