THE ROOTS OF DANCE International cultural exchange project
Workshop:
April 8 | 2-6pm and April 9 & 10 | 10am-1pm, 2-5pm | 2022
Scotiabank Dance Centre, Vancouver
Registration deadline: March 15, 12 noon
About the Project:
The Roots of Dance / Korzenie tańca is a multicultural artistic project for dancers and choreographers. It is about stimulating creativity by going back to the roots of cultures, looking for inspiration for the development of contemporary dance and enriching the world’s dance culture. Traditional Polish culture is the springboard serving to jumpstart the exploration of these processes, but the project includes participants from all backgrounds including but not limited to South Asian, African, European and Indigenous forms. This year marks the third edition of the project, which will last until the end of 2022 and now includes dance organizations from Poland, Mexico, Croatia, India, USA, Canada, Georgia, China, and Malaysia.
This project is for you if you are:
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an emerging to mid-career dance artist interested in building on dances from your own cultural traditions;
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interested in folklore and how one transposes the elements into contemporary dance;
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intrigued by the dialogue around contemporary vs traditional;
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interested in participating in a cultural exchange project involving artists from nine countries, culminating in a visit to Poland lasting five days in late August 2022.
You do not need to know nor does your work need to connect to Polish culture. Those registering for the workshop and wishing to be considered for participation in the final stage of the project and its presentation in Poland must agree to attend the workshop in Vancouver, respond to tasks given to them by the facilitators, and share these with the partners and their participants (via Zoom, video recordings and online meetings).
Workshop Details:
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April 8 | 2-6pm and April 9 & 10 | 10am-1pm, 2-5pm | 2022 at Scotiabank Dance Centre.
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Space is limited to a maximum 12 participants.
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Cost:
Members: $50 +GST.
Regular: $75 +GST.
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5 bursaries are available of $50 each.
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Up to 2 artists will be selected through the workshop to attend the final stage of the project in Poland in August. Travel and accommodation will be paid.
How to Register:
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brief profile (who you are: maximum 250 words);
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why you are interested to participate (maximum 250 words);
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your availability for the project components;
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1-2 references who can testify to your readiness to participate in this opportunity.
Submit your application using this form.
Deadline: March 15, 2022 at 12 noon.
Bursary decisions will be allocated by March 20. Recipients will be reimbursed upon completion of the workshop.
Workshop Leaders:
Jacek Luminski is an internationally-acknowledged contemporary dancer and choreographer, and is Adjunct Professor and Head of the Dance Division at the Academy of Music in Katowice, and professor at the Beijing Dance Academy, China. In this workshop he is joined by Sebastian Wiertelak, dancer and choreographer with significant experience of working across Poland and internationally; Professor Aleksandra Dziurosz, PhD, dancer, choreographer, teacher, former Deputy Director of the National Institute of Music and Dance and a professor at the UMFC in Warsaw; and Mateusz Czekaj, Coordinator of The Roots of Dance and international projects at the National Institute of Music and Dance in Warsaw, and a dancer, filmmaker, and teacher.
The project is supported by the Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage as part of the “Inspiring Culture” program, and Polish diplomatic missions abroad, including the Polish Consulate in Vancouver (Canada).
MORE ABOUT ROOTS OF DANCE:
The project starts with a look at Polish traditional dance culture and how these elements are transposed into contemporary dance, building up new vocabulary and approaches. Initially built to popularize Polish traditional dance across the globe, this project has evolved and now looks at similar interests around the world, considering the transposition of traditional dance into contemporary expressions. In 2021-2022 it involves partner dance organizations, companies, and studios from nine countries: Arts Research Institute in Tbilisi (Georgia), Moving Borders in Mérida (México), The Dance Centre in Vancouver (Canada), TRAFIK dance/theatre company and Croatian Institute for Dance and Movement in Zagreb (Croatia), Kofago Dance Ensemble in New York (USA), Sapphire Creations Dance Company in Kolkata (India), ASK Dance Company in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Conservatory of Music in Hangzhou (China) and the Dance Division at the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music (Poland).
Online lectures and workshops on music and traditional dances from central Poland and Beskid Żywiecki are on offer as examples to fuel imagination and curiosity, as well as workshops on contemporary choreography. The Roots of Dance will conclude with a meeting in Poland, where participants will visit the Beskid Żywiecki and Podhale regions to meet with traditional dance communities. They will participate in workshops and give a final performance in Katowice. Project partners include the following diplomatic missions: Polish Cultural Institute in Tbilisi (Georgia), Embassy of the Republic of Poland in México City (Mexico), Polish Consulate in Vancouver (Canada), Polish Cultural Institute in New York (USA) and Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia).
More details: https://nimit.pl/en/aktualnosci/the-roots-of-dance-korzenie-tanca-project-goes-on-world-tour-for-the-third-time/