The 2017 Inclusive Dance Symposium at the Royal Conservatoire Antwerp. Different people communicating through dance, inspired and coached by international choreographers, dancers and performers, such as Adam Benjamin and Saïd Gharbi.
May I have this dance? (2017-10) by Fred MaeckRoyal Conservatoire Antwerp
May I have this dance?
Inclusive Dance is an internationally spread dance education form focusing on dance and expression for people with different abilities. At the Royal Conservatoire Antwerp, artistic coordinator of dance Nienke Reehorst and choreographer Goele Van Dijck organise a weekly dance lab for their students and invitees. In October 2017 the Inclusive Dance Symposium took place at our school of arts, a three-day event entailing workshops, performances and plenary spoken sessions. A celebration of and invitation to inclusive expression.
What you don't see, is what you get: the greater world of the sense of touch. It evokes, as you can imagine, one's intuition in a remarkable way.
Saïd Gharbi is a Moroccan-Belgian dancer and actor living in Brussels. Having lost sight at the age of 14, he is introducing his participants to the sensations of darkness.
A common context, no matter how limited, opens up room for intimate sharing and relying.
On a square meter, two individuals are improvising together: they generously take over the idea of their partner and build on that, as if it were unstoppable. The energy of a perpetuum mobile, if you will.
Collective expression (2017-10) by Fred MaeckRoyal Conservatoire Antwerp
The conservatoire resides in the AP University College where cross- and multidisciplinarity is greatly stimulated. The senior students of the Journalism department visited - and for the occasion, participated in - the symposium workshops, and created the videodocu 'Body in Space' including a glimpse of the Platform K guest performance.
Having yourself immersed, is what the symposium is about. In workshops, debate, difference, new sensations, unexpected encounters. Three exciting days.
The Inclusive Dance lab is one of the various research projects at the conservatoire in Antwerp and is part of the dance students' curriculum. It has grown since it was brought to life by choreographer Iris Bouche in 2014, and still hasn't found its boundaries yet. As it should be.
That was it, folks!
Are you excited to see what Dance is about at the Royal Conservatoire Antwerp, incl. Inclusive Dance?
Pay a visit to our dance education page, email us, follow Inclusive Dance on Facebook ... or drop by!
Sense you next time ...
Organisation: Nienke Reehorst
Coaches: Adam Benjamin, Lisi Estaras, Saïd Gharbi and Leif Firnhaber
Video: Amber Bastiaansen, Wisa Bomke, Ilse Schoenmakers, Nols Wens. Coached by Journalist lecturers Jo Van Doninck and Sandra Mermans.
Photography: Fred Maeck
