ENVIRONMENTAL DANCES

about the piece

Climate change and its associated social upheavals are preoccupying people in all parts of the world. The effects of man-made changes on the climate are drastically influencing life and coexistence on this planet. In order to stop the continued destruction of the environment, we need to shift from an anthropocentric view of the world to a way of dealing with nature that regards all forms of life as equal. Many place great hope in the powers of science and technology, but to achieve real sustainability in dealing with nature, technology alone will not be enough. The problems of climate change can only be solved together and art can help. We believe that dance as one of the most original forms of expression has the potential to support this search for answers, because many cultures have a large repertoire of dances that express the relationship between humans and nature in many different ways. This is also the case in numerous African cultures. Harvest dances, animal dances or rituals, such those to call for rain, are often part of complex ceremonies based on the close observation of how nature shifts and change, as well as an understanding of local ecosystems.

We would therefore like to ask ourselves: is it possible that practicing such dances makes us more attentive to the needs of nature? That dance can teach us to pay more attention to our environment? And what could forms of contemporary dance look like that deal in new ways with our relationship to nature in all its facets?

FIRST PART OF THE PROJECT: AFRICAN ENVIRONMENTAL DANCE CHALLENGE.

The initiative “Dance Revolution East Africa”, the production house Yongonlon and the Company Christoph Winkler have therefore joined forces to begin major research on the topic of “Environmental Dances”. Due to the worldwide pandemic and the travel restrictions associated with it, we have decided to start a video challenge with the goal of selecting the ten Best Environmental Dance Videos. The videos should have a length of ca. three to five minutes. Exceptions are possible. Each selected video will receive a prize of 250,00 Euro and will be published online in a compilation together with all other videos. Winners will be selected by a jury.

videos

credits

A collaboration between Company Christoph Winkler, DREA (Uganda) and the production house Yongonlon (Burkina Faso)

First part of the project: African Environmental Dance Challenge.
Selected video works:

The Future of Dance Company: Adebajo Oluwafemi and Rasheed Ridwan | Dawit Seto | Geoffrey Oryema | Waka Waka Dance Theatre | Okurut George | Alex Ssebaggala | Paul Kaboré | Florent Nikiéma | Guluma Mgongo | Julie Iarisoa

Funded by the Senate Department for Culture and Europe.

dates