Ramallah Contemporary Dance Festival / 21 April to 5 may 2009.

About the festival

Ramallah Contemporary Dance Festival is annually organized by First Ramallah Group. It is an artistic festival specialized in contemporary dance, and was first held in 2006. In 2007, the Masahat Contemporary Dance Network, which in addition to First Ramallah Group includes Maqamat Dance Theater – Lebanon, Tanween Dance Theatre – Syria, The National Center for Culture and Performing Arts – Jordan, was established. Since 2007, contemporary dance festivals are jointly organized by these organizations. The Festival aims at promoting dialogue and cultural exchange between the Palestinian people and the peoples of the world. It also aims to introduce a variety of contemporary dances to the Palestinian people and to develop the capabilities of those who work in the dance field in Palestine. The Festival targets the Palestinian public in general and the youth sector in particular. Ramallah Contemporary Dance Festival was awarded the Qattan Distinction Prize for the Year 2008.

more details

Contact

Ramallah Contemporary Dance Festival

Sareyyet Ramallah – First Ramallah Group

T: + 97 22 295 26 90

F: + 97 22 298 05 83

e-mail: festival.sirreyeh@palnet.com AND kmn@palnet.com

ALKANTARA | Pointe to Point – Applications close on 26 January 2009

Until 26 January 2009 you can still send your application to the Pointe to Point project, whose sixth edition (and first to be held in Portugal) will be hosted by alkantara from 12 to 27 June 2009. Pointe to Point is a program of interchange between European and Asian artists. This 6th Meeting will focus specially on inspiring its participants, allowing them to make discoveries and reflect on various issues. It aims to create a field for the exploration of dance and other contemporary performative arts, stage work and international collaborations between choreographers and artists who work mainly with their bodies. The project is open to European and Asian authors. Application form and other information available here. 

Forum: City and Art | Istanbul, 6-8 March 2009

The Forum “City and Art” which will take place in Istanbul between 6th-8th March 2009 in Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University will include conferences, discussions, presentations, workshops, as well as artistic and cultural activities, excursions and receptions. The Forum aims at bringing together European art and design academia with cities’ cultural actors in order to question the present and future role of the art universities in relation with the cities in which they are located and in relation with their citizens. In order to draw an overall picture of the present situation and the tendencies which will influence the future, European cultural, educational and media policies will initially be revisited and their influences on the metropolitan culture and the position of the arts in the metropolitan society will be discussed. The Forum will then focus on the notion of art in public space and the public intervention of art. Examples of art and design practices related to city and the arts as well as methods of learning and teaching in which city is used as the site or material of the arts and design practices will be presented.  Please visit the forum website www.cityandart.org for details and registration. No participation fee is required.

Arab Dance Platform

Dear Colleagues,

We would like to invite you to participate in the Arab Dance Platform which will take place in Beirut from the 23rd until the 26th of April 2009.

The Platform aims to introduce the work of established and emerging choreographers in addition to studio presentations for young talents. Selected Contemporary Dance Choreographers from Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Jordan, Palestine, Egypt, Tunisia, and Morocco will present their work as well as participate in meetings, talks and round tables.

It would be a great pleasure for us if you attend this platform, as it is an opportunity to know more about the dance scene in these countries. You will also have the chance to meet other choreographers and participate in meetings, talks and round tables aiming at strengthening and developing contemporary dance in the Arab World and its relationship with dance internationally.

The Arab Dance Platform will take place within BIPOD – Beirut International Platform of Dance, which is an annual contemporary dance platform established in Beirut in 2004. The festival will be celebrating its fifth edition in 2009 and have invited many interesting companies in previous editions such as Les Ballet C. de La B. –Belgium, Kafig – France, Folkwang Tanzstudio –Germany, Cie Alias – Switzerland, Jo Stromgern – Norway, Helena Waldmann – Germany, Cobosmica – Spain, Mancopy –Denmark, Kristina de Chatel – Netherlands, Mal Pelo-Spain and many other interesting choreographers.

Hope to hear from you soon

With Best Regards

Omar Rajeh
Artistic Director
Maqamat Theatre Dance
Floor  5 S.S.
Rasamny Bldg
Hamra Main Street
Beirut, Lebanon
T/F +961 1 34 38 34
omar@maqamat.org
www.maqamat.org

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Chers collègues,

Nous souhaiterions vous inviter à la Plate-forme de Danse Arabe qui aura lieu à Beyrouth du 23 au 26 Avril 2009.

La plate-forme a pour objectif de présenter le travail de chorégraphes confirmés et émergents, plus des présentations en studio de jeunes talents. Des chorégraphes de danse contemporaines du Liban, Syrie, Iraq, Yémen, Jordanie, Palestine, Egypte, Tunisie et Maroc présenteront leur travail et participeront à des rencontres et tables rondes.

Ce serait un grand plaisir pour nous si vous pouviez assister à cette plate-forme, car c’est une occasion d’en savoir plus sur le panorama de la danse contemporaine dans ces pays. Vous aurez également la possibilité de rencontrer d’autres chorégraphes et de participer aux réunions, aux entretiens et aux tables rondes visant à renforcer et à développer la danse contemporaine dans le monde arabe et son rapport avec la scène internationale.

La plate-forme arabe de danse aura lieu dans le cadre de BIPOD (Plate-forme Internationale de Danse de Beyrouth), qui est une plate-forme annuelle de danse contemporaine  établie à Beyrouth depuis 2004. Le festival célébrera sa cinquième édition en 2009 et a au cours des éditions précédentes à invité beaucoup de compagnies comme entre autres: Les Ballet C. de La B. – Belgique, Kafig – France, Folkwang Tanzstudio –Allemagne, Cie Alias – Suisse, Jo Stromgern – Norvège, Helena Waldmann – Allemagne, Cobosmica – Espagne, Mancopy –Danemark, Kristina de Chatel – Pays-Bas, Mal Pelo- Espagne…

En espérant avoir bientôt de vos nouvelles,

Bien cordialement,

Omar Rajeh
Artistic Director
Maqamat Theatre Dance
Floor  5 S.S.
Rasamny Bldg
Hamra Main Street
Beirut, Lebanon
T/F +961 1 34 38 34
omar@maqamat.org
www.maqamat.org

DBM MEETING IN AL-JADIDA / MOROCCO

DBM MEETING IN AL-JADIDA / MOROCCO
(5th-7th December, 2008)

An Informal Report
By Zeynep Gunsur

It was yet another inspiring DBM meeting in an old city Al-Jadida, a fortress-town hundred kilometers south of Casablanca. As Brahim (Sourny) mentioned in his editorial, contemporary dance in Morocco faces number of difficulties, yet there are five professional companies who already have a repertory. They are scattered through Casablanca and Marrakech, and there is also a recently founded dance association (11.org) in Al-Jadida which has contacted with young people and started to do workshops, already building a dance audience. There are 30 professionals actively working in contemporary dance field in Morocco, or should I say: in contemporary Moroccan dance, as Omar Borgouthi rightfully emphasized in his lecture on the 6th of December at the Chouaib Doukkali University. Well, whatever the name you call it, the dance in South Mediterranean is certainly claiming its place in a wider map.
The first day, we listened the analysis of five Moroccan choreographers working in different parts of the country. Each time I attend a DBM meeting taking place in a Southern part of the Mediterranean, I feel that artists, scholars, cultural operators of dance have much to say to each other. As if we are witnessing the same stories in diverse ways. Therefore, there is always a lot to share, discuss and question together. The afternoon session supposed to bring the political/cultural authorities of Al-Jadida. The director of “Alliance Franco-Marocain” in Al-Jadida, Mr Philip Salis was present from the first day until the last but the Moroccon authorities did not show up, except Mr. Azzeddine Karra (Director of the Regional Department of Culture) appearing towards the end of the session. This, in itself, points out the situation of contemporary performing artists in Morocco, but not to worry!
The second day started with the presentation of Mr. Abderaman Ajbour, a scholar at the university of Chouaib Doukkali. He talked about a folkloric dance, the Ahwach in Morocco and mentioned the negative image of folklore in Moroccan culture. Today’s approach to return to tradition seems based on only entertainment, hence exploiting the heritage as merchandise. Mr. Abjour raises these questions: What would be the relation between academic knowledge and the heritage? / How can one implement the folk dances to contemporary practices of dance in Morocco? / What kind of strategies can be developed concerning the promotion of folklore? I believe the following lectures were providing certain answers to these questions: Filipa Francisco and Omar Borgouthi talked about their own experiences in Portugal and Palestine respectively.
Filipa Francisco shared with us her work that was created with young Cape Verde immigrants living in Lisbon. The workshops she did with these young women in two years time turned out to be a wonderful performance in the end. The participants were experimented with their folk dance traditions and hip-hop, arriving to a contemporary dance language. It is also a robust example that dance can be a tactic of resistance in this world. Mr. Omar Borgouthi’s mind opening lecture was titled as “Dancing in the Shadow of the Wall”. His themes were related to resistance, transcendence and decolonizing the mind. He particularly emphasized the tendencies of dance being too self-defensive in areas of oppression. In his words, “dance of oppression” has certain inclinations like: museum tendency / monkey tendency / victim dance / fitting the frame (Particularly the last one rings a lot of bells for me concerning the similar attitudes in Turkey!). He mentioned that Palestinian folk dance is usually about happiness and there is no room for drama. Therefore he raised the question concerning contemporary Palestinian dance: Can you dance your tragedies? Mr. Borgouthi also underlined that there is an immense need to build contemporary relation with the roots.
The third and last day continued with again an inspiring presentation of Mrs. Catherine Hasler, the responsible of education and formation of “Center Choréographique de Montpellier”. ex.e.r.ce is a resilient example of an alternative educational approach developed by Mathilde Monnier. Then we moved into project presentations included “Action Danse” in Marrakech, Pedexumbo –a Portuguese cultural association promoting popular dances and music in Portugal-, “On Marché”- a dance festival in Marrakech, the 4th of which takes place in Jan.-Feb. 2009-, Filipa Francisca’s two years project called “How to Change the World?” and the residency projects in Casablanca. Following evaluation session was really helpful for DBM as a network which is building up future projects and strategies to move on. The announcements will be made in new internet spaces like DBM Blog, facebook and youtube in coming weeks.
Apart from the daily activities, there are always nice talkative dinners in DBM meetings as some of you are familiar. This meeting was particularly special with dinner tables, probably influenced by delicious Moroccan food and specious live music. The exchanges, always accompanied with lots of laughs were not remote of dramas taking place in the Mediterranean, yet everyone seemed to cope with them in this very friendly and hopeful atmosphere. You might get an idea from the lovely photos of Filipe Viegas, our Portuguese warrior of DBM –also one of the founders of “moveoutloud” project- Check it in our new blog:  http://dbmblog.wordpress.com
HAPPY NEW YEAR AND PEACEFUL WORLD TO ALL…
WITH A BLISSFUL SMILE FROM AL-JADIDA, WISHING TO MEET AGAIN SOON

Gaza – January 2009

In the context of the attacks perpetrated in Palestine, DBM network expresses its grief and extends its solidarity to all Palestinian people.

DBM Blog and new DBM website

Dear DBM members and friends,
First of all we would like to wish you a happy new year!!!

To start the new year we’ve created this TEMPORARY DBM BLOG at wordpress.com in which you will find news from DBM and information about calls for participation, funding opportunities, etc that may be of your interest. You’re invited to contribute to this temporary blog with information that you think can be relevant to share with other members. To read or post information please send us your info to the following e-mail adress: blog@d-b-m.org

Together with our facebook account, this blog will be a temporary platform to share information, until we have our NEW DBM WEBSITE, that will be hopefully on-line before the second half of 2009.

The new DBM website will be designed as an virtual dance community that apart of providing information about DBM and host the Mediterranean Dance Map, will be also using the most advanced social software and internet rich multimedia applications (profiles, blogging, chatting, video sharing, document sharing, etc.) in order to provide to each user (performing art professionals from the region and beyond ) the possibility of sharing work, ideas and research, generating this way opportunities for the dynamic sharing of information and collaborative projects amongst DBM members. It will be also a useful platform to keep in touch and work together in between DBM meetings.
The new DBM website will be complementary to the existing DBM site, and will be developed by Dance-Tech.net , adopting the same software format of dance-tech.net and linked to an extend network of internet social platforms of dance networks such as Dance-Tech.net or South American Dance Network.
More information soon!

Until then stay tuned to our DBM facebook account and DBM blog!

Once more… HAPPY 2009!!!

Call for proposals: 23rd World Congress on Dance Research, Athens 1-5 July 2009

Confirmed professionals are invited to submit proposals for: performances, classes, research reports, lecture-demonstrations, exhibitions/sales, video projections.

Call for proposals: 23rd World Congress on Dance Research, Athens 1-5 July 2009

All forms of dance: ballet, modern, folk, ballroom, contemporary, traditional, classical, ethnic etc. All approaches: teaching, performing, research, therapy, criticism, recreation, management, journalism etc.

The largest gathering of dance experts in the world. Largest number of conferees. Largest number of countries. Maximum publicity. Official recognition. Scientific Committee.

Strictly non-commercial. Not to be confused with festivals, conferences, workshops, symposiums, trade fairs, competitions etc., while containing their most important features

visit: www.orchesis-portal.org/cdr/

Research residency in dance, art & science, Montpellier, France (deadline: 31 Jan)

Call for project of research residence in dance, art and science – National choreographic center of Montpellier – Languedoc Roussillon, Kawenga, Digital art center, ConnaiSciences

Make the proposal of a call for project of residence of research opened to:
- teams made of: choreographer, scientist, digital artist and/or technician

or,
- choreographers having tried out this approach of bond between science and art, but eager to meet other partners in the scientific disciplines and digital arts,

or,
- choreographers not having tried out this approach but eager to engage a research task in these fields.

Thematic framework :
It is possible to postulate within an open framework set of themes or within the scientific national sets of themes for the year 2009:
World year of Astronomy 2009

Year Darwin, principles of the evolution.

Implementation framework :
The partners structures will bring a technical supplies (studio of work, material and engineering team, housing), and a financial support for the residence.

Depending on the team and the project, we will provide a close accompanying to the choreographer in his research. An appropriate linking will be set up according to human and technologic ressources of partners structures.
Meeting times will have to be organized during the residence.
Duration 3 to 5 weeks
Localization: National Choreographic Center of Montpellier Languedoc-Roussillon.

Eligibility :
Please present a project justified and argued on research.
Deadline: January 31st , 2008
Selection: February 2009
Realization: 2nd six-month period 2009
A project per annum will be adopted

Your candidatures are to be addressed in three specimens to:
CCN Montpellier-Languedoc Roussillon
Boulevard Louis Blanc
34000 Montpellier France

The Marc de Montalembert Foundation Grant (deadline 31 Dec 2008)

The Marc de Montalembert Foundation offers a scholarship to a person under the age of 30 from a Mediterranean country so as to help develop his understanding of the Region’s cultures. The scholarship is for 7,000 euros, and allows the candidate to achieve a discovery trip on a specific, predetermined topic. This trip will result in a written account, which may be published and distributed by March 31 of the following year at the latest. Special attention will be given to projects linked to Byzantium, the Medieval Period, or the contemporary Mediterranean world.
The deadline for applications is December 31, 2008

For more information, go to :
www.fondationmdm.com