Big Pulse Dance Alliance launches a series of new commissions and activities to support artists, engage audiences and build the contemporary dance sector, including new work from Oona Doherty, Silvia Gribaudi, Marco da Silva Ferreira and Amala Dianor.
Big Pulse Dance Alliance, a new network of 12 European dance festivals and institutions brought together by a common vision, launches a diverse series of commissions and activities that will form part of the 4-year project aimed at developing and strengthening the contemporary dance sector across Europe.
Speaking at the launch event that took place on Thursday 8 April as part of the Sismògraf Dance Festival (Olot, Spain), members from the Artistic Director team shared how Big Pulse Dance Alliance aims to achieve its core goals of supporting artists and diversifying dance programming on the big stages of Europe; reaching diverse audiences and bringing dance to new spaces; and building a lively network of European dance festivals.
The Big Pulse Scaling Up programme will focus on supporting artists transition from producing work for small and medium-sized stages to large-scale productions through a series of co-commissions. Four exciting artists have already been selected for this programme and will create new works to be co-commissioned and toured at several partner festivals: Oona Doherty (UK), Silvia Gribaudi (IT), Marco da Silva Ferreira (PT), Amala Dianor (FR).
Ivan Blackstock and Siobhan-Davies. Photo Jevan Chowdhury for Moving Cities
A second series of commissions, Big Pulse Open Air, aims to bring artists and audiences together through bold, captivating choreography that celebrates the power of the body in motion. Applications from artists interested in developing portable, ecologically aware choreographic ideas for public outdoor spaces are currently invited to submit an Expression of Interest (Deadline: 16 April).
Le Patin Libre, Vertical. Photo Foteini Christofilopoulou
In addition to the co-commissions, Big Pulse Dance Alliance has a keen understanding of the pressures and challenges facing artists and the dance sector as a whole. The Visiting Artist Programme will offer the opportunity for artists to visit partner festivals, stimulating artistic development, creative exchange and valuable networking. In addition, the Winter Intensives and Mentoring Programme is focused on developing leadership and project management skills, as well as addressing ecological and other urgent challenges in creating a sustainable working environment.
With a wide network across Europe through the existing partners, and through this core programme of activities, Big Pulse Dance Alliance’s long-term aim is to establish a vibrant and enduring network of festivals, working with artists and audiences, to ensure the continued development and sustainability of the contemporary dance sector.
Big Pulse Dance Alliance is co-funded by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union.
Partner Festivals / Institutions of Big Pulse Dance Alliance:
Tanz im August/HAU Hebbel am Ufer (Germany), Dance Umbrella (UK), Dublin Dance Festival (Ireland), Julidans (Netherlands), New Baltic Dance (Lithuania), ONE Dance Week (Bulgaria), Torinodanza Festival (Italy), Zodiak – Side Step Festival (Finland), Sismògraf Dance Festival (Catalonia – Spain), International Dance Festival TANEC PRAHA (Czech Republic), CODA Oslo International Dance Festival (Norway) and Danscentrum Sverige (Sweden)
For further media information, please contact Eduardo Bonito (Big Pulse Project Manager) on [email protected]