Dance criticism workshop in Slovenia: opportunity for Romanian participants

May 6–10, Cankarjev dom
Application deadline: 20 February 2025

Over the recent years, we have witnessed an erosion of critical and discursive spaces that resulted in a significant decrease in the number of writers, theorists, and other professionals in the field of contemporary dance. Despite the renewed interest in the practice of writing and learning in the field of criticism, writers have limited opportunities outside of the official academic system for systematic, in-depth training which can support them on their path to professionalisation. 

The Maska Institute and the Contemporary Dance Association of Slovenia invite you to a multi-day international workshop for critics, which will take place within the framework of the Gibanica Biennial in Ljubljana, Slovenia. The workshop aims to deepen the understanding of performance and writing and will focus on disparate topics, methodologies, problems, (political) contextualisation, and the history of contemporary dance. 

The workshop will be led by Bojana Cvejić, who has extensively collaborated, taught, and published in the field of contemporary dance and performance in Europe since 2000. It will include shorter interventions by guest theorists, editors and writers: Pia Brezavšček will provide an overview of contemporary dance in Slovenian space with an emphasis on feminist methodologies, and Rok Vevar will address different political contexts and their relationship to contemporary dance.

The full-day workshop programme will include attendance at the Biennial performances. The exact schedule will be sent to the selected participants upon confirmation. The workshop is aimed at individuals with experience in criticism, theory, or dramaturgy, gained in a variety of contexts, who have prior knowledge in the field of criticism. Residents from Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania, Kosovo*, Greece, Turkey, Romania, and Bulgaria are eligible for support covering travel expenses and accommodation. The support scheme is implemented as part of the Exchange programme of the European project Moving Balkans. Participation is limited – registration is mandatory at: info@maska.si by 20 February 2025. The application should include a CV, at least one sample of original writing by the applicant (article, review, critique, theoretical text), and a motivational letter. Selected participants will be notified by 3 March 2025. 

The workshop is free of charge. It will be held in English!

Production: the Maska Institute and the Contemporary Dance Association of Slovenia.
Partners: Cankarjev dom; Moving Balkans – Platform for Contemporary Dance.
Financial support: the European Commission; the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia; the Municipality of Ljubljana. 

Mai multe info AICI.

Auditions at CNDB for a new performance by Simona Deaconescu

Auditions at CNDB for a new performance by Simona Deaconescu

ABOUT THE PROJECT
Tangaj Collective
 invites artists from the field of performing arts (dance, acting, performance) to audition for the show The Choreography of Water.

Choreographer and filmmaker Simona Deaconescu (RO), visual artist Ioana Vreme Moser (DE), and composer and sound artist Simina Oprescu (DE) bring their creative universes together in The Choreography of Water. Tangaj Collective’s latest production critically examines the movement of water, from oceans to the human body. The performance explores our bodies as fluid territories where human and non-human worlds intersect, inviting the audience to reflect on the political implications of water flows.

The Choreography of Water is a speculative piece that artistically envisions the future, imagining alternative hydrological cycles. From the intracellular fluids of our bodies to the ports that connect us to the world, the shallow waters that sustain us, and the ocean depths as mysterious as a distant planet, the performance traces the flows that weave life on Earth.

Four performers will interact with a series of water-based sculptures to generate sound, exploring the relationship between choreography and fluid computing—a form of computation that emulates the planet’s natural rhythms through water streams. The sounds produced by the sculptures, amplified and enriched, transform into immersive soundscapes, becoming dynamic instruments for the performers to explore and manipulate.

PROJECT SCHEDULE
March 17 – April 6, 2025 | Creative laboratory with the three artists
August 18 – October 3, 2025 | Rehearsals
October 4 & 5, 2025 | Performances

Location: CNDB — The National Centre for Dance in Bucharest

The audition will take place at CNDB — The National Centre for Dance in Bucharest (80-82 Mărășești Blvd, Sector 4, Bucharest) on January 16 and 17, 2025, from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM. Participants will be divided into groups based on the number of applicants and may be asked to attend on both days.

More information about the project and audition application HERE.


OPEN CALL: Dance. Context. Showcase

OPEN CALL: Dance. Context. Showcase

If you have a performance piece that moves (us) and you want your work to be seen by dance professionals and representatives of the most important international and national dance networks, then apply!

The National Centre for Dance Bucharest is launching an open call within the Dance.Context.Showcase project and is addressed to artists working in the field of contemporary dance and graduates of specialized master studies. The project aims to present the choreographic creation of recent years, the Romanian dance scene, as well as to strengthen a national network of dance festivals and performing arts institutions in Romania that promote contemporary dance, in order to develop opportunities for the dissemination of dance performances.

We support brave ideas and innovative artistic approaches, we encourage the diversity of choreographic discourses, aesthetic forms and presentation formats (shows/performances created for black box or in alternative spaces, public spaces, galleries, one-on-one, performative installations, etc.).

Application deadline: January 20, 2025.

Selected works/performances will be announced on February 25, 2025.

To apply you need to send:

  • a link to a video recording of the full work (technical specifications: close-up, 16:9, HD and ideally minimally edited; trailers will not be considered);
  • a text of maximum one page, including a description of the performance, the date and place of the premiere, where and when the performance has been presented before, the duration, credits (artists, producers, partners, sponsors, etc.);
  • a video with the author/author or creative collective of maximum 5 minutes answering the question “Why do you think the performance is relevant in the current artistic and social context?”;
  • an artistic biography of the author/author or creative collective, including experience and creative portfolio.

All documents should be sent to the email address: centrul.dansului.bucuresti@gmail.com.

Eligibility criteria

  • applicant artists must be active in the field of contemporary dance/performance;
  • performances proposed by independent artists, artistic collectives, independent or producing public institutions, as well as master’s works are taken into consideration;
  • an artist can apply with only one work/artwork spectacol.

Technical selection criteria

  • the work entered must be produced between 2021 and 2024, with a minimum duration of 20 min;
  • the performances must be adaptable to the spaces and resources made available by the showcase organizers* (information on the technical characteristics of the two spaces can be found here). If the performances require alternative venues (museums, galleries, parks, industrial halls, etc.), the organizers can provide minimal technical support;
  • the artistic and technical teams of the performances to be available between April 24-27, 2025.

Qualitative selection criteria

  • relevance of the theme to contemporary realities;
  • consistency of compositional structure and writing;
  • clarity of artistic vision;
  • the innovative character of the choreographic work;
  • novelty of the choreographic language and appropriateness of the movement vocabulary to the artistic proposal

The selection of the performances will be made by a jury consisting of Cristina Lilienfeld, Sandra Mavhima, Mihai Mihalcea, Andreea Novac, Simona Paraschivu, Anna Maria Pop, Elena Zamfirescu.

Benefits:

  • the opportunity to have your work seen by international and national representatives of dance institutions, festivals and networks;
  • networking opportunities with other artists, but also with professionals in the field (dance producers, curators, directors of choreographic centers and festivals, etc.)
  • Remuneration of the members of the artistic and technical team performing in the showcase, depending on the available budget of the project (we cover honoraria, transportation and accommodation costs, but not the production costs of the performances)
  • promotion of the artistic team and the choreographic work on the social networks of the National Centre for Dance Bucharest, as well as in partner online and offline press publications.

About “Dance. Context. Showcase”

The project will take place in Bucharest, at the National Center for Dance in Bucharest and at Linotip – Independent Choreographic Center, between April 24 and 27, 2025 and will present a selection of 10-12 dance performances to a professional audience of theatre directors, choreographic centers, dance festivals, representatives of European dance networks (Aerowaves, Moving Balkans, EDN – European Dance Development Network), curators, cultural managers and dance producers, as well as to the general public. The aim of the project is to promote Romanian contemporary dance productions and co-productions (from Bucharest and other cities in the country) at both national and European level.

Organiser: The National Center for Dance Bucharest (CNDB)
Institutional partners: “Ion Luca Caragiale” National University of Theatrical and Cinematographic Art, Linotip- Independent Cinematographic Center, AREAL | space for choreographic development, “Floria Capsali” Choreography High School. Partners: Cinema Union, Cărturești
Main media partner: Radio Guerrilla
Media partners: Adevărul, Agerpress, Zile și nopți, Scena9, Elle, IQADS, Happening, Liternet, TVR Cultural, Radio Romania Cultural, Revista Arta, The Institute, Zeppelin, ISCOADA, Revista Golan, Feeder, Visit Bucharest, Ceașca de Cultură, Ziarul Metropolis, Modernism. ro, Haute Culture Magazine

“Dance. Context. Showcase” is a cultural project co-financed by the Administration of the National Cultural Fund – AFCN. The project does not necessarily represent the position of the Administration of the National Cultural Fund. AFCN is not responsible for the content of the project or how the results of the project may be used. These are entirely the responsibility of the grantee.

Discover the six artists selected for Moving Balkans Dance Scape 2025!

The Moving Balkans Contemporary Dance Platform is proud to announce the Dance Scape artists who will present their visionary projects at the Moving Balkans Showcase Festival. While from the open call for artists, 10 works were selected for the main showcase festival, six additional artists were chosen for the Moving Balkans Dance Scape, offering a dynamic and diverse representation of the region’s dance scene. The pitches will be held during the Moving Balkans Showcase Festival, taking place from 10–13 May 2025.

The Moving Balkans Dance Scape platform is designed to provide choreographers and dance artists the opportunity to pitch their current or future projects to an international audience of producers, presenters, and potential collaborators. This initiative is tailored to promote collaboration and co-production opportunities, offering professional guidance to help artists refine their pitches and maximize the potential of this exposure.

For the 2025 edition, the Artistic Board selected choreographers based on key principles: high-quality choreography and performance, innovation, relevance to contemporary social, environmental, and artistic issues, and the tourability of works. The program also emphasizes sustainability, representation across diverse cultural backgrounds, genders, and generations, and the inclusion of both emerging and established artists from the Balkan region.

The 2025 Moving Balkans Dance Scape Artists are:
Sofia Mavragani (GR), FINGERSIX
Magdalena Reiter (SI), Zavod Mirabelka
Aris Papadopoulos & Martha Pasakopoulou (GR), arisandmartha
Jan Rozman (SI)
Gentian Doda (AL/DE), was bleibt kollektiv | Gentian Doda
Ivana Balabanova (MK)

These artists will pitch their works on May 11–12, 2025, in Ljubljana and Rijeka, offering a diverse glimpse into the vibrant dance landscape of the Balkans. Join us in May 2025 to witness the transformative power of dance at the Moving Balkans Showcase Festival.

More information about the selected artists and their biographies is available HERE.

Open call Bucharest Dance Hack 2025!

Artists, coders, designers, musicians, dancers, new circus performers, choreographers, people working at the cutting edge of art and technology, a fabulous opportunity for transdisciplinary collaborative work is about to open up: Bucharest Dance Hack 2025!

Between April 7-11, 2025, we aim to bring together artists and new media enthusiasts committed to working towards ways of blending the moving human body and technology, into an innovative framework, supported by experienced mentors.

The call is open until the 31st of December 2024, at 23:59 (EET). All you need to do is fill in this application form available HERE and upload a CV and a letter of intent.

The selection process will last throughout the month of January, and results will be announced by email, by Mid-February 2025.
More info on dancehack.eu.

Apply for the 6-day choreography workshop in Bucharest in April 2025

Do you have at least two years of professional experience in contemporary dance and are you interested in perfecting your skills and meeting colleagues from abroad? We invite you to apply for a six-day choreography workshop in Bucharest, organized in the framework of the European project Moving Balkans.

Application deadline: December 29, 2024, 23:59 CET
Application form HERE.

The workshop will host 27 young dancers from Bulgaria, Serbia, Slovenia, Croatia, Albania, Greece, North Macedonia, Turkiye, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo* and Romania.
The National Dance Centre Bucharest (the host organization) will cover the workshop, travel and accommodation expenses.
More information on www.movingbalkans.eu

Project facilitated by
National Dance Center Bucharest
SKC Novi Sad
Kino Šiška
Interart Cultural Center – Dance Fest Skopje
En-Knap
ARC FOR DANCE FESTIVAL
Hrvatski kulturni dom na Sušaku
Derida Dance Center
Gibanica
Albania Dance Meeting-Festival
Hrvatski institut za pokret i ples – HIP

Meet the #Twenty25 artists!

We are delighted to announce the Aerowaves #Twenty25 artists! The 2025 line-up includes work from 17 countries and showcases an exciting and diverse selection of emerging dance makers working across Europe.

The Twenty25 artists will present their work at the Spring Forward Festival from 24 – 26 April 2025 in Gorizia and Nova Gorica (IT/SI) (European Capital of Culture) hosted by Artisti Associati.

Save the date!

Full details and list of selected artists HERE.

Aerowaves’ Podcast Academy: Open call for participants

The Podcast Academy is a new Aerowaves initiative designed to explore, enjoy and master a valuable tool for dance and performance promotion. It will consist of online sessions in February/March 2025 and in-person practice at Aerowaves’ Spring Forward festival, 24 – 26 April 2025, in Gorizia and Nova Gorica (IT/SI).

We are looking for 5 participants to be mentored in the fundamentals of podcasting in the action-packed environment of the annual Spring Forward festival.

Complete info HERE.

Raluca Turcan’s message, the Minister of Culture, for the opening of the Iridescent Festival

Raluca Turcan’s message, the Minister of Culture, for the opening of the Iridescent Festival:

Contemporary art is the voice of a generation and dance is an excellent means of expression and communication with others.

The Iridescent Festival, which starts on Friday, celebrates contemporary dance and connects artistic worlds from different geographical spaces, putting Bucharest on the map of international dance festivals.

I want this young festival – now in its third edition – to become in time a real tradition on the Romanian cultural scene and an international benchmark event, just like the Sibiu International Theater Festival, TIFF or the George Enescu International Festival for theater, film or classical music.

I invite the public to discover the more than 20 events that will take place over four weeks at the National Dance Centre, the organizer of the festival, as well as at the Bucharest National Theatre, Odeon Theatre or CINETic.

The Ministry of Culture remains a supporter of Iridescent and a promoter of development through culture for Bucharest and Romania in 2024.

– Raluca Turcan, the Minister of Culture

Les Films de Cannes à Bucarest Schedule

Les Films de Cannes à Bucarest Schedule
Edition 15 / October 25 – November 3, 2024

The most awaited film festival of the fall, Les Films de Cannes à Bucarest celebrates 15 years of movies, memories and movie-going experience. With a dense 10-day program featuring the best art films of the year, exclusive films, the most promising names of world cinema, world-class directors present for Q&As and masterclasses, the Romanian audience has the chance to experience the thrills of a high-caliber film festival in their own home.

The film festival caravan will also travel to Timisoara, Cluj-Napoca, Iasi and Arad.

Tickets
The screenings take place at Cinema Elvire Popesco, Cineplexx Băneasa, Cinema Muzeul Țăranului, Auditorium Hall of the National Museum of Romania.

Tickets can be purchased on Eventbook.ro, at the Eventbook office in Str. Ion Brezoianu 21, in the Eventbook network and at Cinema Elvire Popesco. Tickets for screenings at Cineplexx Băneasa can be purchased at Cinplexx.ro.

From October 25, tickets can also be purchased at the other festival venues (Cinema Muzeul Țăranului, Auditorium Hall of the National Museum of Romania), which will be open one hour before the first film in the program.

Ticket prices
Cinema Elvire Popesco, Cinema Muzeul Muzeul Țăranului, Auditorium Hall of the National Museum of Romania

The price of a ticket is 25 lei.

Students of UNATC and the Faculty of Arts of Hyperion University have free admission within the limit of available seats, upon presentation of their student card.

More details here.

Iridescent – International festival of contemporary dance and other reconfigurations of the sensitive (November 1-27)

Like every year, in November we make it possible for new worlds to emerge. In the context of celebrating 20 years of existence of the National Center for Dance, Iridescent – international festival of contemporary dance and other reconfigurations of the sensible insists on the transformative power of dance.

We create this festival with the idea that movement and the body are tools that can revolutionize, that have the capacity to build and imagine better futures. Through dance, we build bridges between spaces and worlds and provoke new ways of thinking and dialog, new paths of exploration and understanding, and discover new perspectives on the world.

More details HERE!

Springback Academy: emerging dance writers wanted!

Emerging dance writers wanted!

#SpringbackAcademy is looking for up to 10 people to be mentored in quality dance criticism in the action-packed environment of #SpringForward25. Celebrating its tenth Anniversary in 2025, the Academy will take place during Aerowaves’ festival 22–26 April 2025 (inclusive), in Nova Gorica/Gorizia (SI/IT).

The participants will be mentored in #criticalwriting by our lead critics including Sanjoy Roy (The Guardian), Kelly Apter (The Scotsman), Laura Cappelle (New York Times) and Emily May (Times Literary Supplement, Frieze et al), and directed by Oonagh Duckworth.

More information and application form available HERE.

Apply before 24:00 (UTC) 1 November 2024 .
Good luck!

We are looking for VOLUNTEERS for the IRIDESCENT 2024 festival!

We are putting out an open call for the opportunity to be part of the CNDB team at the second edition of the International Festival of contemporary dance and other reconfigurations of the sensible IRIDESCENT 2024, taking place throughout November.

Your role will be essential to the smooth running of the festival. You will have the opportunity to learn many interesting things and gain valuable knowledge about the organisation of an international festival. And of course about contemporary dance and performance.

We’re looking for someone who…

Will be in charge of the following activities:

  • Coordination of access and audience in the venues;
  • Welcoming guest artists, keeping in touch with them throughout their visit and informing them about programme, venues and other important details.
  • Constant communication with your new colleagues in the CNDB team.
  • Making sure things are going according to plan and being actively involved in managing unforeseen situations.
  • Distribution of promotional materials in partner venues and other artistic hubs in Bucharest.

Has the following skills:

  • Knowledge of English
  • Ability to work in a team
  • Communicates effectively and transparently
  • Is punctual and responsible
  • Has attention to detail

WE OFFER for our future volunteers…

  • Working experience in organising large cultural events;
  • Proof of practical experience;
  • Free access to festival performances, subject to availability;
  • Opportunity to get in contact with established artists;
  • Access to resources and information in the field of contemporary dance and performance;
  • Promotional items (festival tote bags).

What do you need to do?

  • Fill in the form available HERE, until October 11th, in which you write a few things about yourself (what you do, what field you work in and why you want to be part of the team behind an international contemporary dance festival).
  • Keep an eye on your email; if you are selected we will contact you by 20 October and send you details of our first meeting and info on what to do next.

We’re looking for people who are enthusiastic about the prospect of working in the cultural field, passionate about dance and performance, and no previous experience is necessary to participate.

We look forward to having you join us for a month full of dance at Iridescent – International festival of contemporary dance and other reconfigurations of the sensible!

The performances schedule for the National Theatre Festival 2024

The schedule of the National Theatre Festival (FNT) 2024 (www.fnt.ro)

The 34th edition of the National Theatre Festival will take place from October 18-28 in Bucharest, with performances and events being hosted by most of the theaters in Bucharest, as well as other well-known cultural spaces. An edition under the sign of the Playwrights of the Possible, which analyzes, researches and highlights the dynamics and trends of the Romanian theatrical phenomenon. The performances were chosen from the perspective of the variety of dramaturgical formulas, the three curators, Mihaela Michailov, Călin Ciobotari and Ionuț Sociu emphasizing approaches in which the dramatic structures and content arouse the interest of the audience. The attachment to one theme or another, the appetite for a certain type of aesthetics, the sensitivity for a certain creator, the availability for a certain type of dramaturgy, the chance to meet less developed performance typologies were at the center of the three curators’ choices.

We would like to inform you about the program of the performances of the National Theatre Festival 2024 edition. Follow also the National Theatre Festival Facebook page to keep up to date with all the details on the program of performances and related events.

Tickets for the performances of the 34th edition of the National Theatre Festival will go on sale on THURSDAY, October 3, at 12.00 noon, simultaneously, on all sales platforms of each host theater, as well as at the ticket offices. For easy access, we recommend that you go to the desired performances from the day-by-day program posted on www.fnt.ro and, by pressing the Buy Tickets button, you will be redirected exactly to the page where you can purchase tickets for the desired performance. We will come back soon with the program of all the events of the 34th edition of the FNT (performative and visual installations, reading performances on new texts from contemporary dramaturgy, independent theatre performances, modules dedicated to established artists, educational performances, debates, conferences, workshops, exhibitions, book launches, radio theatre performances, as well as the program of workshops, conferences and exhibitions organized within the Bucharest Scenography Biennale, a partner event of the FNT 34th edition).

Information is being updated on www.fnt.ro.

We invite you to access the program HERE and we look forward to seeing you at the Festival!

The 34th edition of the National Theatre Festival takes place in Bucharest between October 18 and 28, curated by Mihaela Michailov, Călin Ciobotari and Ionuț Sociu. Cultural project produced by UNITER – The Romanian Theatre Union. FNT is a cultural project funded by the Ministry of Culture. Co-producers: Bucharest City Hall through ARCUB – Cultural Center of Bucharest, Bucharest Directorate of Culture. Partners: Romanian Cultural Institute, National Theatre “I.L. Caragiale” in Bucharest, ITI – Romanian Center of the International Theatre Institute.

Corina Cimpoieru and Paula Dunker participated in the symposium “(in)visibilities – Moderner Tanz Re-Visited”

Corina Cimpoieru and Paula Dunker participated in the symposium “(in)visibilities – Moderner Tanz Re-Visited”, which took place in Essen and was organized by the Institute for Contemporary Dance of the Folkwang Universität der Künste. The two presented a lecture performance that brought back into the limelight two of the outstanding personalities of Romanian modern dance, Iris Barbura and Trixy Checais.

Abstract:
“Map To The Stars” is a moment of inverted history, a lecture performance in the footsteps of two forgotten legends of Romanian modern dance, Iris Barbura and Trixy Checais. The performance retraces and reimagines parts of their artistic lives, creating a moment of performative lucidity, a “what if”. Putting together dates, places and facts with dreams, hopes and gossip, Corina Cimpoieru (archivist at the National Dance Center in Bucharest) and Paula Dunker (choreographer and performer) not only map the period of modern dance in Romania, but propose, through an imaginative dialog, an alternative reinterpretation of cultural archives in new contemporary contexts.

Who were these splendid Romanian superheroes? And why so little has been said about them? What legacy did they leave us? Were they able to fulfill the projects they dreamed of at the time? And how can we bring their magical dance among us today in the absence of any video recordings?

Iris Barbura (1912-1969) belongs, together with Trixy Checais and Floria Capsali, to the first generation of Romanian modern dancers. She lived and worked internationally, with Bucharest, Berlin and later Ithaca (U.S.A.) as important landmarks in her artistic career. In the 1930’s she took dance classes under Mary Wigman and Harald Kreutzberg and danced with Gret Palucca and Rosalia Chladek. She later returned to Bucharest, where she opened a modern dance studio while creating sets and costumes for various performances at the Freien Volksbühne and Hebbel-Theater in Berlin.
In 1945, he befriended a group of surrealist artists in Berlin, with whom she formed the collective Die Badewanne, named after the show they performed together. In 1951 she emigrated to Ithaca, New York, as a displaced person, where she opened a modern dance studio. Her life came to a tragic end in 1969, when she committed suicide by jumping off the Triphammer Bridge at Ithaca Falls.

Trixy Checais (1914-1990) entered the world of dance relatively late, participating in modern dance classes taught by Floria Capsali and Iris Barbura around the age of 20. Between the two World Wars, he became an important artistic personality in Bucharest, noted for his queer recitals. In a 1943 chronicle: “Trixy loves and loves demonically. He cannot resist anything, he cannot resist!
He consumes himself with a rare, hallucinatory voluptuousness. From a refinement gone to oblivion it falls apart, vaporizes, so that it reaches the tail of a volute to descend and weave itself into an initial stage from which it started and from which it leaves in a cross.”
To create his unmistakable dance style, Trixy Checais drew inspiration from German Expressionism (following in the footsteps of Harald Kreutzberg and Gret Palucca) and the Oriental visual world. Between 1938 and 1952 (when he was sentenced to hard labor by the communist regime and sent to the Danube-Black Sea Canal), he worked at the Bucharest Opera. After his release from prison, he faced severe marginalization. In an interview published in 1984, at the age of 70, Trixy Checais was asked what he would choose if he were to start over. He replied, “I would still be passionate about dancing, although I suffered from it. I think I would also like archaeology.”

Corina Cimpoieru is researcher and coordinator of the Dance Archive at the National Center for Dance in Bucharest. Her interests cover the history of dance and performance in Romania, as well as archival practices and their potential for contemporary projects. In recent years, she has dedicated her time to researching lost or unknown dance archives, both private and institutional, in order to retrace dance paths for the future. Her activities also include curating dance history exhibitions and dance publishing projects.

Paula Dunker promises that their (artistic) work is based on analyzing systems of representation, production and creation. She works mainly with the body. Daughter of Romanian contemporary dance, sister of local political theater, mother of the queer clubbing scene in Bucharest, she is (together with Alex Bălă) the initiator of the techno-faggothique musical genre. Confronting existing patterns, Paula contributes to the construction of possible new worlds and the healing of this world.

We are looking for young voices from Bucharest who have important things to say to the world!

We are looking for young voices from Bucharest who have important things to tell the world!

This year is our 20th anniversary. It has been 20 years of struggle, of experimentation, of thinking in terms that have always put in tension the realities of the world in which we have lived and models to look at them critically, to question them and to transgress them through dance. I did it with the thought that movement and the body are tools that can revolutionize, that have the capacity to build, to imagine possible futures. At 20, we are not in a festive moment, but in a moment where we want to understand, more than ever, who we are and what are the histories to be written.

With this in mind, we set off again, with stubbornness and hope, towards the third edition of Iridescent – international festival of contemporary dance and other reconfigurations of the sensitive. We aim to bring to Bucharest, for the third year in a row, the most coherent and surprising people, performances, discourses and aesthetics, and to propose to the audience different ways of looking at the same things. Colors. Shades. Poetics and discourses.

One of the most cherished events Iridescent has proposed is the Ideas for Planet Earth ideas and statements marathon. Inspired by the book “140 Artists’ Ideas for Planet Earth”, we set out to invite people with relevant speeches into the public space to address their messages and ideas to a wide audience. In a context where dominant structures generate and sustain the conditions that today put us in a situation where we are simultaneously experiencing the climate crisis, health crises and current wars, we find it important to reflect on power relations in society, on the relationship between human beings and the environment, and to talk about the gap between privileged and defenseless bodies. We find it important not just to observe and criticize, but to challenge our thinking and push our imagination towards ideas, proposals and models that inspire us, give us courage and propose new visions for the future.

At the 2024 edition, 20 years of CNDB, we propose to invite people who are approaching the age of 20 to Ideas for Planet Earth, which will take place on November 16, at the National Dance Center Bucharest, in a special but not exclusive way. We’re looking for them because we’re curious about their stories, their hopes, the way young people as young as us with just as many dilemmas see and imagine the world. So help us to find them. Tell them about this call and we will give them attention, space to express themselves and financially reward their work.

If you are in our target audience and the message has reached you, don’t hesitate to contact us!

To apply, we are waiting for an e-mail with a 2-3 minute video containing a short presentation of yourself, from which we understand who you are and what your concerns are, and in which you tell us, in brief, what you would like to propose as an idea, a message for Ideas for Planet Earth. Please submit your video via a Google drive link or an unlisted YouTube link. It is important that you leave a phone number in the email. We will contact you to discuss the details of the collaboration.

Application deadline: October 15, 2024

Where you send your email: centrul.dansului.bucuresti@gmail.com (with the subject line Ideas for Planet Earth).
We look forward to meeting you!