Dance mediation as a realm of experimentation
A programm of MAPPING DANCE by Tanzbüro Berlin
I am involved in Mapping Dance Berlin as an expert on feedback formats in dance and performance-related arts. I oversee the development of the formats, documentation and compilation of the texts for publication. And I advices on the Symposium on 2018.
Mapping Dance Berlin is a program aimed at strengthening the field of dance communication. It offers a variety of events that create space for exchange and interaction between the dancer and their audience, and makes contemporary dance more accessible.
Download de PDF brochure ZUGang
For the second brochure ZuGang/MoveIn new dance mediation formats developed by artists, perpetuated at theatres I developed two formats. Let’s Talk About Dance - The Next Generation was one of them.
Hanna Hegenscheidt wrote an analysis of it:
Sonja Augart’s concept of Let’s Talk About Dance - The Next Generation can best be understood as research into mediation work. The idea that the organizers of the mediation formats are themselves artists and former festival participants makes exploring multiple perspectives on the mediation process possible. Thanks to the roles of the assistant and the “outside eye”, a degree of reflection is always included. This makes this approach unique and multi-layered, without sacrificing portability. The format is suitable as an independent mediation program within a festival, which negotiates the artistic performances and the act of mediation itself. The format has an impact on the artists involved as mediators: the relevance of reflecting perception and formulating it with others became clearer. They may now be inclined to view pieces with more and varied perspectives and also to inquire about possible (inter)connections. It would be interesting to ask these artists after some time has passed whether or not, and how, this experience influences their own artistic work. The noticeable diligence, time and efforts that go into the preparation of the formats is not proportional to the importance they are given in the festival, which also has an impact on the number of participants. This is partly for logistical reasons: if an evening is somewhat sluggish and thus already taxes the audience’s ability to focus, there tends to be less desire to attend a participatory event afterwards. If the artist whose choreography is being performed is also unable to attend the event, then even friends and acquaintances that come to the performance will also have little interest in staying on afterward. How might the curator of a dance festival find ways to place greater importance in featuring formats like this? What does a festival or theater even desire when it comes to mediation? And how would it be if the artist were to take an interest in the format that mediates between his or her own piece and the audience? A decision needs to be made to use mediation opportunities as both social and socio-political moments that can have an impact on all those involved.
Mapping dance by Tanzbüro Berlin
I am involved in Mapping Dance Berlin as an expert on feedback formats in dance and performance-related arts. I oversee the development of the formats, documentation and compilation of the texts for publication. And I advices on the Symposium on 2018.
Mapping Dance Berlin is a program aimed at strengthening the field of dance communication. It offers a variety of events that create space for exchange and interaction between the dancer and their audience, and makes contemporary dance more accessible.