Together with Danish Theatre 300 Years, Dansehallerne, Betty Nansen Teatret, and Bora Bora have organized a think tank about the meeting between dance and theatre – defined here as choreography and dramatic theatre. The think tank aims to inspire for additional, more equal, and reflected encounters between dance and theatre on the Danish stages.
From the choirs in the ancient theatre to the ballet in the court theatre to the dance performances of the revues and on to the form experiments of the historical avant-garde, dance and choreography have played a crucial role in theatre history. In fact, the development of new performing arts forms is unthinkable without the mutual inspiration between choreography and dramatic theatre. Just think of the dance theatre of the last century, of Grotowski’s and later the English group DV8’s physical theatre, of musicals, musical theatre, total theatre, and post-dramatic theatre. Genres that have contributed to the performing arts with new aesthetics and new forms of production and practice, where the integration of choreography and theatricality transcends the respective genres and weaves into each other. Nevertheless, dance and theatre exist in today’s Denmark as largely separate ecosystems.
To shed light on the potentials and challenges of the meeting between choreography and dramatic theatre, we have invited a panel of internationally renowned performing artists whose own work cuts across art forms. The panelists speak from their own practices: From their personal experiences with and reflections on the artistic, human, and structural aspects of the encounter. Thus, in dialogue with the attendees, the panel will delve into the following questions:
- What are the potentials of the overlap/interface between choreography and dramatic theatre in the year 2023?
- How can insight into the dramaturgical processes in choreography and dramatic theatre open up to new insights into the performing arts?
- What is it like as a choreographer to work with actors, and as a theatre director to work with dancers?
- Is there a hierarchy in the stage arts and if so, what are the structural implications for the meeting between choreography and dramatic theatre?
The think tank is free and conducted in English. Registration is required by May 10 at the latest.
Special offer on performances
The same evening at 20:00, the think tank’s participants can experience a performance at either Dansehallerne or Betty Nansen Teatret – this at a special price for the think tank’s participants. Dansehallerne presents the dance performance Bien y Mal by the Swedish-Chilean choreographer Ofelia Jarl Ortega. Tickets can be purchased here. Betty Nansen Teatret presents the dance story I AM GOLD by choreographer and director Signe Fabricius. Tickets can be purchased here.
The Panel and Moderator
The think tank’s panelists are choreographer and filmmaker Gunilla Heilborn (SE), choreographer, theatre director and playwright Jo Strømgren (NO), choreographer and artistic director Tina Tarpgaard (DK) as well as dramaturg, theatre-maker, and researcher Katalin Trencsényi (HU/UK).
The think tank is moderated by Karen Vedel (DK), associate professor at Theatre and Performance Studies at the University of Copenhagen.
