PSR Choreographic Turn #1: Terminological problems

The programme was foreseen in the initial work programme but was due to the lock down (Covid-19 epidemic announced in October) postponed and executed in December instead of October. Also, the originally created and planned content presentation was slightly shifted and transformed due to the Covid-19 restrictions and cancellation of public events. Although invited choreographers rehears already their excerpts from their pieces, we have to suddenly transform their presentation into on-line, video formats that went along with their talks that unfolded similar practices and point their diverse methods and orientations. For this reason, one of the initially planned presentation was substituted with another one that curators (Rok Vevar and Jasmina Založnik) foreseen as more suitable and potent for a new format.

It is necessary to stress out that working in the new circumstances was way more challenging and adaptation were enforced to be created just a few days before the public event.

The project Choreographic Turn(s) were imagined as a series of events, in which studio work would be given its greater visibility and choreographers, dancers and dance experts would be challenge to present and communicate their work in various, planned and in advances communicated forms and formats that would not extend 15 min. With other words, the Choreographic Turn was imagined as and presented with a short manifestation that answers more thoroughly with what Choreographic Turn is:

Instead of full-length performances, which have become the rule in contemporary dance production since the early 1970s, the Choreographic Turn is a form of presenting short choreographic and other presentational forms of contemporary dance that take place in a single evening. Its function is to expand the range of choreographic forms, aesthetics and practices which exist side by side and can enrich each other, to allow choreographers to test ideas and concepts in front of an audience without risk, harmful consequences, or public pressure, to provide potential reflections to different formats, to generate a language for reflection (new forms of theorizing choreographic practices), and to inform the public in various ways about dance work in all its possible temporalities.    

The ’turn’ in the title implies a reversal in length, collage-presentations, and format, which brings together artistic, curatorial, theoretical-historical, as well as educational dance practices. At the same time in the Slovene language ‘turn’ (obrat) signifies the organization of production that allows compositional, constructional, performative, and discursive forms of dance to meet, that our various activities have a guaranteed presentation space, their legitimacy, and can be seen in one place in all their differences.     The Choreographic Turn strives to introduce a fluidity of functions among its producers: producers, curators, and artists switch their creative and productive functions from event to event. Each curatorial set of the Choreographic Turn will be numbered and documented. Its program units (individual works presented within each Choreographic Turn) can be developed and can appear again in their next phase at the next Choreographic Turn. They can also be developed into full-length performances, insofar as they prove to have the potential for this. They might be placed in the space of a gallery (several pieces or works simultaneously) or in a theatrical manner (with different spatial orientations between the auditorium and the stage).

The first edition was dedicated to Terminological problems that appear within dance practices, either in the process of making (finding right words on which further development could be planned and are potent to be sensed (through right wording) to continue with the process as well as terminology that could be used by theorist and publicist to reflect on dance practices and choreographies seen.

It consisted of those works and choreographers that the curators recognized as similar yet very different in their approach and with whom they spend time to discuss the possible formats and public presentation while giving them directions through to articulate the terminological problematics they were/are confronted in their practice and work.

THE CHOREOGRAPHIC TURN #1: TERMINOLOGICAL PROBLEMS

Program consisted of:

CHOREOGRAPHIC TURN: MANIFESTO   Nomad Dance Academy Slovenia, written and read by Rok Vevar  

OPEN PROCEDURES #1:  Andreja Rauch Podrzavnik: What We Carry With Us (2021) 

Performers: Maja Dekleva Lapajne, Alenka Marinič, Luka Piletič, Dejan Srhoj and Sara Šoukal

(IN)VISIBLE STUDIO #1:  Anja Bornšek, Tina Valentan in Barbara Kanc: Eyes that fly (2020) 

THOUGHT WITH/OUT WORDS #1: Maja Delak: Samo za danes (2018) Performers: Anja Bornšek, Maja Delak, Snježana Premuš, Kristýna Šajtošová/Barbara Kanc, Urška Vohar

MAPPING OF PRACTICE(S) #1 Maja Delak: Metodology of writing contemporary dance practices (2014 -)

ON-DUTY OBSERVER #1:  Jana Jevtović (textual response)

The Choreographic Turn #1 is yet in the process of translating and publication editing. When the two missing and planned activities will be created, Choreographic Turn #1, on-line video will be again publicly presented together with the publication.

Nomad Dance Academy Slovenia and especially curators of the first edition of Choreographic Turn #1 are delighted with the results and wish to continue researching the topic in the local context, while inspiring also the international dance field to seriously dedicate its time to the mentioned problematic.  

A few responses from choreographers that took part in the first edition:

“In the “Koreografski obrat” together with two other co-authors of the performance “Eyes that Flitter” Barbara Kanc and Tina Valentan, I discussed the specifics of certain concepts that we used as methodological tools in the making of the performance. The preparation and the conversation itself again revealed to us the importance of the definition and individual understanding of the words we use within the choreographic procedures. With its proposal, Koreografski obrat opens a verbal post-production space, where it is possible to look at the performance retrospectively as a relationship of agreements and understandings, the relations of which are often seen only after the performance has been staged. In this way, it is possible to look into and analyse the individual segments of the performance and see the difference between an intention and an actual manifestation that happened as a result of a reception and an experience of performing. Such conversations and spaces seem to me to be very important for a broader understanding of what the artistic process encompasses, as they allow the process to live on. Many times, when a production ends, the space, both physical and economic, closes for that creative segment. As we know, the ideas and analysis of the artistic process itself always spills over into the next work. That is why I experience such formats as extremely important support bridges after the creation of performances. I wish they could be longer and even more supported.” (Anja Bornšek, choreographer and dancer)

“It was a great privilege to get a chance to publicly speak, reflect, re-articulate, and re-evaluate our choreographic/research process and its principles. The preparation for Koreografski obrat made us articulate the ‘unwordable’ principles we discovered and researched on. That on its own was a considerable and necessary challenge for further development of our work. But besides that, it was also truly inspiring to hear other artists openly speak about their work and choreographic principles. I had a feeling Koreografski obrat created a communal space where different choreographic voices were heard alongside. For me, this created a temporary community, a sense of connection so missed in these strange times. And in my opinion, we would need more such initiatives like Koreografski obrat where we, as artists can articulate, connect, and autonomously speak about our dance practices in a wider public context.” (Barbara Kanc, choreographer and dancer)

“I was invited to write a reflection on Choreographic Turn #1. As a person who maintains a writing practice that is closely connected to her practice of choreography and dance, I was intrigued to be involved in this project in such a way. Though Choreographic Turn #1 was initially planned to be a live event, under the current situation in Slovenia and imposed lockdowns the work had to be executed in another manner. My impression is that the curators and organizers found compelling and productive solutions in completing what they had set out to do, leaving us with a video document that is as instructive and informative, as it is stimulating.” (Jana Jevtović, dancer and choreographer)

“For Choreographic Turn # 1, Jasmina and Rok invited me to contribute a piece from the process in which I am in my new project, along with co-workers. With the many changing parameters that we all experienced in 2020, Jasmina and Rok prepared an online version of the event, and I edited the materials myself differently than I would have presented them live. Above all, I included several diverse materials that, in my opinion, came closer to what would be, again — so I imagine, the experience of presenting a piece of my process live. So, I went with the nature and logic required by a video medium and a web presentation needs more materials as they are deprived of the echoes they have in physical space. In addition, none of us, neither the host Rok and Jasmina, nor we, the invited creators, have much control over the ambience and atmosphere in which the viewer watches the presented Choreographic Turn.” (Andreja Rauch Podrzavnik, choreographer and dancer)

“I was already watching Choreographic Turn # 1 yesterday and I find it very interesting which arose. I like the fact that maybe at first glance I would put our shows into one basket if you looked superficially. But when you hear about inputs, procedures, methods, however, you see that there are enough differences for the field of related practices to become diverse and rich. Thanks for this insight and for the invitation.” (Maja Delak, choreographer and dancer)

View the translation of the online session in the upper right column.