More than 50 events across three days are scheduled for the first Wales Dance Platform to be held in the first weekend of July.
A diverse range of arts venues and organisations across Wales are joining forces to provide the country’s first ever Dance Platform, giving artists, audiences and critics the chance to see all manner of events from embryonic ideas to fully-created works.
As well as dancers and choreographers, Wales Dance Platform will also engage with professionals who are part of the creative process. These include video artists, film makers, designers, musicians, and other visual artists. They will share their work and experience of dance in Wales in a weekend full of performances, talks and seminars.
The Festival will be hosted by Cardiff's leading theatres and organisations, led by National Dance Company Wales, including Chapter Arts Centre, Wales Millennium Centre and the Centre’s Dance House home of NDCWales.
It is also being supported by arts and media organisations including Welsh National Opera, Creu Cymru Dance Consortium, Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Sherman Theatre and Dawns i Bawb. Some of Wales’ leading professional dancers, choreographers, artists and writers are also signed up along with Cardiff art-house cafe, Milgis.
Artists are also being encouraged to think about the use of space in new ways and to devise work that maximises the resources and theatre environments that are available. These include NDCWales’ studio, the Blue Room at the Dance House; the
Weston Studio and Glanfa at Wales Millennium Centre and Chapter Arts Centre's theatre and studio space. Other venues are also putting on events around the Dance Platform weekend.
This Platform is scheduled but not curated. It has an open policy with all dance-artists working in Wales to take part. For choreographers it means they have had the chance to be “out there” and be seen on an equal basis with all the other work on the Platform.
In devising the concept for an open platform Roy Campbell-Moore, Artistic Associate at National Dance Company Wales, was influenced by the wealth of experimental work being carried across Europe and the need for dance artists in Wales to be able to showcase their work and discuss their ideas and art form.
"I am genuinely thrilled that so many dance professionals have put themselves forward for the first Wales Dance Platform. It will be an amazing weekend with so many different Wales-based choreographers presenting their creations over one weekend,” said Mr Campbell-Moore. “I hope we can now make this an annual event which should give it the chance to grow and develop into an established part of the Wales dance calendar and eventually begin to attract audiences from across Europe as well.”
Louise Miles Crust, Artistic Programme Manager, Wales Millennium Centre added: ‘One of the Centre’s objectives is to provide a platform for established and emerging artists. As co-producers, being part of Wales Dance Platform allows us to continue to nurture artists and support the creative industries in Wales.’
James Tyson, Chapter Theatre Programmer, said, “Chapter is delighted to be hosting such a wealth of dance artists from across Wales taking part in this first Wales Dance Platform. It promises to be a fascinating and dynamic weekend of new and vibrant performance. With investment and support it can enable wider recognition of the inspiring work of many dance artists working in Wales.”
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