Scotland heads to the 2018 internationale tanzmesse
We’re excited to be working with Creative Scotland again this year to bring a delegation of Scottish dance artists and producers to this year’s internationale tanzmesse, Europe’s largest showcase for dance taking place from 29 August – 01 September 2018 in Düsseldorf, Germany.
The biennial, four-day event includes a stand promoting Scotland’s thriving dance scene at the bustling trade fair with a series of debates and open studio sessions which provide artists and choreographers the opportunity to share their new emerging creations with fellow dance professionals from around the world.
The 2018 programme features presentations from Scottish choreographers and Work Room members Janis Claxton Dance presenting the award-winning POP-UP Duets (fragments of love), Rob Heaslip presenting A Glimpse of Flesh and Blood | Endling, and Shaper/Caper presenting their critically acclaimed piece, Within This Dust.
Ten bursaries to attend have been awarded to a delegation of Scottish choreographers, performers and producers including Ian Johnston and Gary Gardiner (21Common), Daisy Douglas (independent producer), Davina Givan (White and Givan), Emma Jayne Park (Cultured Mongrel), Jade Adamson (independent producer), Jill Smith (Feral), LJ Findlay-Walsh (Tramway/ Take Me Somewhere), Rhea Lewis (Project X) and Tony Mills (Room 2 Manoeuvre). They will be joined by representatives from Dance Base, Dance North and Citymoves along with Creative Scotland and The Work Room.
The Work Room Member Rob Heaslip said: “I'm delighted to present Endling as part of the Tanzmesse Open Studio Programme. This work is the first in a trilogy exploring Gaelic cultures’ relationship to rituals around birth, life and death amongst its communities in Scotland and Ireland. I look forward to contributing to a positive artistic image of Scotland at Tanzmesse 2018; and see our work celebrated amongst our European contemporaries.”
The Work Room Member and Artistic Director of Shaper/Caper, Thomas Small, said: “Shaper/Caper is delighted to be supported by The Work Room and Creative Scotland to attend Tanzmesse 2018 as ambassadors of contemporary dance in Scotland. As first-time attendees, we are aware of the timely opportunity that exposure to international programmers, various cultural agencies and the latest debates can have to enhance our future work and the Scottish dance scene as a whole. We are looking forward to forging new partnerships and future collaborations that can inform our work and facilitate fruitful exchanges with the Scottish dance sector.”
On attending as part of the Scottish delegation Emma Jayne Park of Cultured Mongrel, said: “Without this kind of support it would not be possible for an independent artist like myself to attend Tanzmesse when now, in light of Brexit, it feels more important than ever to foster international collaborations which I believe are the route to ensuring my practice is challenged and continues to grow.”
Image Credit: Roy Campbell-Moore