UP2DANCE
Why does a dancer in Bulgaria not receive (social) benefits?
UP2DANCE (2019-2021) is a Creative Europe project aimed at harmonising knowledge, competences and skills in the dance profession and dance education at European level. The aim is to increase the mobility of dance professionals within Europe.
Update
The amazing journey within the UP2DANCE Project came to an end in 2021. The realisation of the project went through several stages.
18 round tables focused on the professional roles in contemporary dance, and namely Dancer, Dance teacher, Choreographer, Rehearsal director, were conducted in all the partnering organisations – Balletto di Roma (Italy), Derida Dance Center (Bulgaria), Polish Dance Theatre (Poland), Magenta Consultoria Projects (Spain), and Companhia de Danca de Almada (Portugal) with the aim to define the state of art in terms of updating the above mentioned professional profiles toward contemporary dance.
A vital part of the project activities were the Peer learning workshops conducted among all partners, which strengthened the partnerships by sharing experience and good practices specific for each partnering organisation.
Stakeholders were involved in national dissemination events in each Country, during which important discussions were brought up and took upon consideration in the creation of the Manual of Good Practices.
The last stop of this intense journey was the final international conference that brought together the five partnering organisations, and the stakeholders from around Europe at one place in order to present the project and its results as well as to connect all the interested parties towards discovering a common path to the future of professionals in contemporary dance.
The main project findings, collected during the round tables with stakeholders, the Peer Learning Workshops amongst partners, as well as the final dissemination events, were all collected in the “The Manual of Good Practices”, a handy and useful tool for dance professionals, organisations and stakeholders interested in knowing more about the professional dance sector and its challenges, with the aim at building up an EU framework for the better recognition of profiles, related competences and training paths. Not a full stop in partners’ research, but a starting point for future further development and exploitation.
The Manual of Good Practices is freely downloadable at www.up2danceproject.eu.
UP2DANCE: Diving into professional profiles
Following the successful development of a strategy in regards to organizing round tables on the topics of the professional dance profiles, namely Dancer, Dance Teacher, Choreographer, and Rehearsal Director, the realization of the UP2DANCE Project proceeded with their launch.
The first round table organized by Companhia de Dança de Almada, Portugal, was on the professional profile of the Dancer with the name: “Professionalization of the Dancer: The role of Schools of Artistic Training Specialized in Dance”. The table was moderated by Ana Macara and counted on the active participation of Susana Rodrigues (Ana Mangericão Dance School); Madalena Xavier (Escola Superior de Dança); Albino Moura (Lugar Presente - Escola de Dança); Cristina Pereira (Dance Art School of the National Conservatory); Carla Albuquerque (Ca.DA Escola). Representatives of professional associations who can contribute to this process were also invited: Iolanda Rodrigues (1st Position Association); Pedro Fidalgo Marques (Pro-association of dance professionals); Administration, teaching staff, and dancers of Ca.DA school, and selected dance professionals. The target group of this round table was administration, teaching staff, and dancers of Ca.DA school, and selected dance professionals. Everyone saluted the organization of the meeting which brought into contact several institutions that work for the same purpose but which are usually not very much connected, wishing it will start good possibilities of collaboration for the future.
Companhia de Dança de Almada organized their second round table on the profile of the Dance teacher. It was held under the name “Classical and Contemporary Dance: The role of the dance teacher”. The approached topics included: fundamental knowledge, techniques, and skills for practicing the profession of classical or contemporary dance teacher today; role and existing difficulties in the training of teachers in the dance area; training models for dance teachers; recognition of the profession of dance teacher and regulation on the necessary qualifications for teaching.
The 3rd round table lead by Companhia de Dança de Almada on the profile of Rehearsal Director / Repetiteur was held under the name “The role of the rehearsal director/repetiteur in the dance company: Relationship with choreographers and dancers”. The addressed topic included: basic knowledge, techniques, and skills for the exercise of the profession; role and difficulties in exercising the profession of rehearsal director/repetiteur in dance; recognition of the profession.
Next partner to implement the round tables in their activity was Polish Dance Theatre (Poland). They focused on the professional profile of the choreographer and set the name: "Choreographer vs. Polish Dance Institutional and Educational Environment." The aim was to present different points of view of professionals that have experience and knowledge in the field.
A choreographer profile is not described precisely in the Polish Qualification Framework. Many recognizable choreographers don’t have a title given by universities but they have great experience and portfolio.
Polish Dance Theatre invited to the round tables people from the public institutions as well as freelancers and those who have chosen different paths for their careers.
"Dancer-Teacher: role, competences, professional development opportunities" was the second round table that will be held by Polish Dance Theatre. According to them, Dancer Teacher is a very important profile but underrepresented at the higher education level. Still, there is a limited number of universities that teach dance and hiring dancer-teachers in Poland. What we can do to make this profile to be more appreciated and recognizable is the leading question of discussion.
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