Three new co-productions announced by Big Pulse Dance Alliance for free outdoor performances

Big Pulse Dance Alliance, of which Dance Umbrella is one of 12 partnering European dance festivals, is delighted to announce three projects that have been selected as part of the Big Pulse Open Air programme.

This series of Open Air co-productions aims to bring artists and audiences together through presenting bold, captivating choreography that celebrates our creative imaginations and the power of the body in motion.

Following an open call, more than 250 applications from over 30 countries were received from artists interested in developing portable, ecologically aware choreographic ideas. This is a clear indication of the dance sector’s interest in working locally and innovating with new artistic concepts.

Eight projects were then shortlisted and awarded development support to further develop their creative proposals before the final selection took place. With the calibre of work exceptionally high, Big Pulse is thrilled to announce the following three projects which will be co-produced by partners within the Big Pulse network:

Taneli Törmä – LOCATION X is an award-winning Finnish choreographer and performing artist based in Denmark. His works have been shown in more than 20 countries and have been selected for the Aerowaves – Dance Across Europe priority lists twice. With a focus on immersive works, Törmä is driven by an interest in creating situations and experiences that convey a specific feeling and movement for the public – always moved by the question of who is dancing and how and where we can dance today in our everyday lives.

Catarina Saraiva (PT), Clarice Lima (BR), Nina Fajdiga (SL) and Aline Bonamin (BR) are artists from different countries, with different backgrounds, who have come together to develop this project. Their practices move between performance, choreography, dramaturgy and curatorship, with strong creative forces and desires.

The Swedish Stockholm based duo Byström Källblad makes work for the stage, the gallery and the public space. Visual artist Helena Byström and choreographer Anna Källblad share a desire to tell stories from and based in collaboration and exchange with specific places and their people. Byström and Källblad have shown work in diverse places including a sports arena, a nuclear power plant, Dansens Hus in Stockholm, Shibuya Crossing Tokyo, Sakakini Art Centre Ramallah, Stockholm City Hall, Uppsala Cathedral, Kulturhuset, The Royal Dramatic Theatre and the Modern Museum in Stockholm.

All three projects will culminate in free outdoor performances for the people of Europe at partner festivals within the Big Pulse Dance Alliance. In addition to the co-production support, all artists selected as part of the Big Pulse Open Air programme will also benefit from mentoring and networking opportunities.

Further information and details of these performances will follow in the coming months, and a further open call for Big Pulse Open Air Commissions will take place in 2022/2023.