Projects
European Project CO.DA.S.I. Erasmus+
CONTEMPORARY DANCE for SUSTAINABILITY and SOCIAL INCLUSION
The CO.DA.S.I. (Contemporary Dance for Sustainability and Inclusion) project marks a significant step forward in promoting social inclusion and sustainable development within the field of contemporary dance. The initiative aims to exchange knowledge and best practices to develop effective tools across European countries.
Core Concepts:
Inclusion: Practices that expand the dance community, encouraging broader access regardless of background or personal circumstances, while fostering audience diversification.
Sustainability: Encompassing human aspects (protection of dancers’ physical and mental resources), economic factors, and environmental respect (careful use of natural resources).
Main Goal:
To enhance the competencies of dance teachers and professionals through the implementation of an innovative methodology grounded in the choreographic philosophy promoted by the project partners. The project conducts research on social inclusion and sustainability in contemporary dance, based on data collected from all partner countries: Belgium, France, Italy, Poland, and Serbia.
PARTNERS:
- Dame de Pic – Karine Ponties Bruksels (Dame de Pic/Cie Karine Ponties)
- La Galerie Chorégraphique z Carcassonne (France)
- L’espace Zappulla DMN Company, Palermo (ltaly)
- Kultura Nova, Serbia
- Nowa Fala – HOTELOKO movement makers, Warszaw (Poland)
Achievements:
- Recommendations on making contemporary dance more sustainable and inclusive
- Collection of good practices from five European countries
- A joint report synthesizing focus group data on contemporary dance for sustainability and inclusion
- Diverse methodologies developed by CO.DA.S.I. partners
The project is funded by the European Commission (2023–2024).
PHOTO GALLERY:
The COVID-19 pandemic severely affected dance schools, forcing them to close and rapidly switch to online teaching. Many were unable to survive, which deepened the challenges related to dance education. In response, the Italian Ministry of Culture established a special support fund in 2021.
The IN.TO.DA.TE. project (Innovative Tools for Dance Teachers) was created to equip dance educators with new methods for working with students in both public and private schools. Its goal was to help attract and retain students while supporting their artistic expression.
The project was based on the collaboration of two organizations: l’espace from Palermo, working with dance and martial arts in schools, and the HOTELOKO collective, which creates interdisciplinary choreographies incorporating improvisation and multimedia. Both organizations promote respect for the body and openness to diversity. The project was carried out in Palermo and Warsaw between 2022 and 2023 under the Erasmus+ program.
The IN.TO.DA.TE. project achieved its objectives by:
- Providing dance teachers with a new curriculum and tools to support the development of their teaching competencies and skills;
- Contributing to the dissemination and practical application of new choreographic methods among the younger generation of dancers;
- Using creative and innovative tools that facilitate the learning process for professional dancers.
The project also delivered concrete results:
- Development of an innovative teaching program for dance teachers;
- Exchange of experiences and best practices between teachers from partner countries during two study visits—in Italy and Poland;
- Publication of a handbook for dance teachers on new choreographic methods developed by both partners;
- Production of two final performances (“SOLARPUNK” and “LOVE (H)U-MAN’S LOVE”) featuring dance school students testing the program developed within the project—premiered at international dance festivals.
Young dancers had the opportunity to perform before attentive audiences within the context of international events, alongside dance groups from across Europe. The project directly supported two cultural organizations that, thanks to its implementation, were able to organize their own festivals and train young dancers and professionals in dance using innovative choreographic research rooted in social engagement and the sustainable development of contemporary dance.
This project marks the beginning of a new, stronger cooperation between l’espace and HOTELOKO, who are already involved in other EU-funded projects. The partners plan to build on the experiences gained through IN.TO.DA.TE. in future initiatives. More Erasmus+ projects dedicated to dance and social inclusion can be expected soon.
The English-language handbook is available at the following link:.
“Viral Visions – deconstructing art immunity”
The project, implemented from 2021 to 2023, aimed to bring together European partners from Germany (leader), Poland, Croatia, France, Italy, and Austria, each operating within a specific cultural environment. The goal was to compile a collection of good practices demonstrating how art—especially dance and performance art—and creative activities offer tools and new perspectives that enhance resilience and innovation as forms of creative expression.
The project also sought to change perceptions of art and creativity, which during the pandemic took a backseat and sometimes seemed irrelevant. Audience development is a matter of participation and access to culture. The project partners carried out workshops, trainings, cultural events, meetings, and podcasts related to these activities.
Erasmus+ / Adult education / Partnerships for Creativity
The HOTELOKO movement makers collective produced several podcasts from the HER MOVE evening held as part of the second edition of the International Movement Festival U:NEW in Warsaw on September 30, 2022, at the Zbigniew Raszewski Theatre Institute:
Podcast – Viral Visions – Warsaw – NOT THE SAME / ZOE MARSTON / KARINA SZUTKO / VOL.1
The podcast features a conversation following the performance “NOT THE SAME” by Karina Szutko and Zoe Marston, presented during the second edition of the International Movement Festival U:NEW in Warsaw. The discussion took place on September 30, 2022, at the Zbigniew Raszewski Theatre Institute and was moderated by Agata Życzkowska, festival director.
DANCE HIGHWAYS
DANCE HIGHWAYS is a European project that brings together six partners working in the field of contemporary dance: L’espace ASDC and Zappulla DMN Company in Palermo, the Theatre Development Foundation ‘NOWA FALA’ and the collective HOTELOKO movement makers in Warsaw, THEATER DER KLÄNGE in Düsseldorf, Dansearena nord in Tromsø, La Fundicion in Bilbao, and La Galerie Chorégraphique in Carcassonne.
One of the key tasks of the project was to enhance the competencies of dance artists through regular dance workshops. The idea behind the project is to support and improve the quality and accessibility of art and culture by consolidating relationships between professionals based on the key themes: Art – Education – Health – Integration. It is a cultural education project for artists and managers of contemporary dance, aimed at strengthening synergy among partners in artistic, cultural, and social contexts. For the six partners of DANCE HIGHWAYS, the goal was to find answers to questions about the future of dance art in the context of the crisis caused by the pandemic, both for the choreographic sector and for vulnerable social groups, through a range of tools offered by contemporary dance practices.
This international project, supported by the European Union under the Erasmus+ program, was carried out over two years (2020–2022) in the form of a European calendar of meetings to exchange good practices among professionals in contemporary dance and related arts.
For the Polish partner, the idea of the DANCE HIGHWAYS project was the participation of the HOTELOKO movement makers collective in important dance events in Europe, such as workshops, meetings, discussions, conferences, and dance fairs held in France, Norway, Spain, and Germany. One such event was the workshop in Norway that took place between April and May 2022 in Tromsø as part of the Varscenefest Festival: https://www.varscenefest.no/om-programmet-1
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the Theatre Development Foundation ‘NOWA FALA’ and its collective HOTELOKO movement makers maintained cooperation and contact with European partners. In 2020, the HOTELOKO collective presented their performance “Absolutely Fabulous Dancers” at the Dancese-Cites Festival in Carcassonne, France, and in 2021 the performance “Axiom of Choice” was presented at the Festival Internazionale Dissidanza in Palermo (May 2021). Additionally, Agata Życzkowska participated live in three meetings of dance managers and producers: in France (Carcassonne – February 2021), Germany (Düsseldorf – July 2021), and Italy (Palermo – October 2021). DANCE HIGHWAYS is a European project supported by the European Union under the Erasmus+ program.
The project is co-financed by the European Union’s Erasmus+ program.
The HOTELOKO movement makers collective also received support within the DANCE HIGHWAYS project from the Warsaw City Culture Office program “Partnerships and Cooperation Networks”.
Dance Art Centre in Warsaw 2016–2019
The Dance Art Centre in Warsaw (CST) was a grassroots project initiated by the Warsaw dance community, carried out between 2016 and 2019. The project was run by two non-governmental organizations: the Theatre Development Foundation ‘NOWA FALA’ and the Artistic Foundation PERFORM. The directors of CST were Paulina Święcańska and Agata Życzkowska, supported by 18 NGOs operating in Warsaw. The Dance Art Centre in Warsaw united over 70 artists connected with Warsaw.
The pilot edition took place in 2016 at the Mazovian Institute of Culture. In 2017–2018, CST operated at the Kadr Cultural Centre due to renovations at the Mazovian Institute of Culture’s premises. During this period, over 170 artists and experts from Poland and abroad presented their work there. In 2019, CST returned to the Mazovian Institute of Culture.
The CST program consisted of the following components: presentations of performances by the Warsaw dance community, presentations of performances by Polish and international artists, co-productions and premieres of performances, dance cinema, dance workshops, dance criticism – publication of reviews, academic conferences, post-conference publications, and meetings with the audience.
Attempts to create a permanent dance venue in Warsaw date back to 1933, with initiatives by versatile choreographer Tacjanna Wysocka, prima ballerina of the Grand Theatre Halina Szmolcówna, and the outstanding expressionist dancer Pola Nirenska. However, such a place did not materialize for many decades. After the political transformation in 1989, the contemporary dance scene became more active. This led to the creation of festivals such as Ciało/Umysł Festival, the International Meetings of Action Art ROZDROŻE, the International Festival of Dance Theatre Zawirowania, Warsaw FLOW Festival, the International Dance Improvisation Festival SIC!, and WARSAW DANCE DAYS. Thanks to the initiative of both the Warsaw and national dance communities, the Institute of Music and Dance was established by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage (currently the National Institute of Music and Dance). Since 2001, many NGOs have been created attempting to establish a permanent place and regular presentations for dance artists. Among these were venues such as Centrum w Ruchu, Warsaw Dance Department, LUB/LAB, Komuna Warszawa. Projects showcasing Warsaw dance artists, like the Warsaw Dance Stage, Warsaw Dance Platform, and Dance Activism at the New Theatre, were also implemented. All these efforts culminated in the creation of the Dance Art Centre in Warsaw.
Here is the full list of organizations that initiated this project:
1. NEW WAVE Theatre Foundation / HOTELOKO movement makers
2. Artistic Foundation PERFORM / Warsaw Flow Festival
3. Centrum w Ruchu
4. Burdąg Foundation
5. Ciało/Umysł Foundation – Ciało/Umysł Festival
6. Ciało się Foundation
7. Movementum Foundation / Warsaw Dance Department
8. “Myśl w Ciele” Foundation / Warsaw Kinetographic Workshop
8. Dance Development Foundation “Eferte” / Mufmi Dance Theatre
10. Contemporary Scene Foundation / Zawirowania Dance Theatre
11. Art and Contemporary Foundation
12. Dance Art Foundation
13. Tradition and Transformation of Art Foundation / NTF Dance Theatre
14. Social Skills Academy Association / Limen Butoh Theatre
15. Format ZERO Artistic Collective and Association
16. Ja Ja Ja Ne Ne Ne Association / TukaWach
17. Open Zone Association / Warsaw Dance Theatre
18. New Art Association
Organizations that joined during the project:
19. B’cause Foundation
20. Grab Art Foundation / h.art company
21. Rezonanse Kultury Foundation
22. UM FOUNDATION
23. ArtsInn Culture Support Foundation
24. ZASP – Association of Polish Artists of Theatre, Film, Radio and Television, Dance and Ballet Section
Also independent artists: Liwia Bargieł, Tomasz Bazan, Anna Godowska and Sławek Krawczyński, Wojciech Grudziński, Mikołaj Mikołajczyk, Ilona Trybuła.
Media patrons: taniecPOLSKA.pl portal, e-teatr, TVP Kultura, RDC, teatrdlawas.pl, TEATR, warsawholic
The project was co-financed by the Capital City of Warsaw.
CST Conference 2018
CST Conference 2019
Other activities:
Since 2020, the project has been taken over by the Artistic Foundation PERFORM, changing its name to the Central Dance Stage while retaining the CST acronym. Activities continue to take place at the Mazovian Institute of Culture.
PHOTO GALLERY:
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