1st Dance Films Festival in Prague!

Organized by: Artn
Program:
- Hommage to Pina Bausch - Pina Bausch / Auf der suche nach tanz – das andere theater der Pina Bausch
- Dancin’ Germany (German dance films)
- DV8 - Enter Achilles
- Ultima Vez - Body, Body On the Wall / Blush
- and other short movies:
Dust (B, 1996, 4 min.), režie: Wim Vandekeybus
Montevideoaki (E, 2004, 5 min.), režie: Octavio Iturbe
Bliss (D, 2004, 3 min.), režie: Jacob Stage
Horizon of Exile (UK 2007, 22 min.), režie: I. Rocamora
Speed Ramp (UK 2002, 5 min.), r. Simon Corder


About artn (Czech):

Občanské sdružení Artn vzniklo s cílem prezentovat a iniciovat nové projekty z oblasti soudobé hudby, klasické hudební prostředky použít v jiném rámci, v jiném spojení, s prací jiných uměleckých oborů. Většina koncertů byla realizována v prostorách přímo nevyhrazeným koncertním či divadelním prezentacím. V minulosti tak byly projekty uvedeny v Tančícím domě v Praze, Plaveckém bazénu ve Slaném, Bazilice sv. Jiří na Pražském hradě apod. Artn je také hlavním organizátorem Festivalu tanečních filmů, jehož první ročník se uskuteční v Kině Světozor od 13. do 15. listopadu 2009. www.art-n.cz

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ashtanga.cz yoga

I am going to ashtanga class to stretch out again after 1.5 year long break from dancing. Thanks Evicka for this great tip! :-)

DV8 - To Be Straight With You

As suggested in a blog entry from 2006, DV8 started to work on a new performance, and now it is out! It premiered in Lloyd's country of birth, Australia, on 13th - 16th March, and there will certainly be more reviews coming!

Official info here: DV8's Artistic Director Lloyd Newson leads a multi-ethnic cast in a poetic but unflinching exploration of tolerance, intolerance, religion and sexuality.

DV8's new production is based on hundreds of hours of audio interviews collected throughout the UK with people directly affected by these issues. Incorporating dance, text, documentary, animation and film, twenty years on DV8 still refuses to be defined.

Lamine Gueye's Modern Dance Workshop in November

Great dancer, choreographer and teacher of modern dance, Lamine Gueye, is giving an intensive workshop of his technique in Prague from 20-27 November 2006. (www.lavitamine.cz)

The classes take one on a 'voyage' through movement, breath and mind to learn how to express oneself with confidence, honesty and without judgement. They require discipline, but also allow freedom and encourage open mind. Lamine prefers working with non-professional dancers as he thinks they are without any dance judgement, prejudice and attitude, having belief that he can teach his technique to any untrained body.

Lamine's technique brings placement into any movement, lets you concentrate on breath, teaches strength and endurance, passion for dance and any kind of movement or action. This is a great treat for the body that certainly deserves it and will remember it in future.

Among many of influences of Lamine the most significant were Carlos Orta and Jose Limon. Full c.v. is here.

DV8's new work in 2007

On the weekend of 11th and 12th November 2006, the Physical Dance Theater DV8 are having auditions for a new project "based on ideas around tolerance and intolerance, religion and sexuality." (www.dv8.co.uk)

Ultima Vez in Prague

Ultima Vez (Belgian dance group led by Wim Vandekeybus) had one of their three performances in Prague last night. Hosted in the Archa Theatre (www.archatheatre.cz), this was their sixth (!) visit to Prague.

Specific dance language of Wim Vandekeybus'; unsettling each moment, bringing speed and change; intense physicality of each movement; harshness for the onlooker, physical endurance for the dancer...

The performance is called 'Spiegel' (Mirror); more than a mirror it reminded me of a methaphor of climbing to a 'Chair' which was also hanging above the dancers in the air upside down which they struggled to reach and sit on; while other dancers were changing their suits and aiming for... what?

Physicality, running around fast in circles. (One of typical Vanderkeybus' movements?) Each of the dancers struggling for something..; running somewhere.., searching for something or somebody (placement; position); getting positioned (the chair was later replaced by many hooks hanging in the air). Attempts at destruction and escape (the opening scene - a girl lying on the floor, sleeping..., a guy coming stumping on the ground nearing her and almost stumping on her; she making a single movement each time, to avoid being harmed).

It also seemed about trying to overcome others, a constant struggle and fight with the surrounding others; not much peace, purposely unsettling, doubting any possible nice movement or harmony, it was violent, unfriendly.

Moments of unison ('men' scene where the dancers in suits dance in unison - reminded me of DV8's 'Enter Achilles'; 'all dancers' scene where everyone dances to as if heart-beating-sound to aim for something in common... even though it cannot be found and the fight for difference must go on..).

It was very unbounding to see this freedom of movement. An open pool of possibilities of movement; though not so attractive to an eye that is not accustomed to that, but so natural and humane to do.

Usage of contact improvisation during choreography creation; I feel a lot of freedom to the dance vocabulary. Movements are not 'perfect' however very physical, mirroring how each dancer (person) moves. Questioning dance capabilities; what are the possible ambitions within movement.

...In Prague, Ultima Vez already showed: Mountains Made of Barking (1995); What the Body Does Not Remember (1997); In Spite of Wishing and Wanting (2000); Scratching the Inner Fields (2002); and Blush (2003).