In recent years there has been an increase in the number of publications on contemporary dance, indicating that the field of choreography is imbued with theory and lively discourse, and even more importantly, that it has the potential to cultivate new thought and discussion.
The reading group will focus on a joint reading of texts with the purpose of bringing to light various current theories. Immersion in current dance theory can be liberating and empowering for choreographers and dance creators. There are few frameworks in which choreographers can come together to discuss cutting-edge texts and ideas on contemporary dance and other related fields.
After a two-year break, the reading group is reconvening at Kelim Choreography Center. The reading group is open to artists, theorists and writers, who wish to engage in a joint reading of texts on contemporary dance to inform and enrich their creative processes. This year the group will read the following books: Moving Together: Making and Theorizing Contemporary Dance, by Rudi Laermans, and Ungoverning Dance: Contemporary European Theatre Dance and the Commons, by Ramsay Burt. The Hebrew translations of these books will be published by Asia Publishers in the coming year. Participants will be required to read the texts prior to the meeting series. Together we will try to create a fruitful discussion about how theory, writing and practice can all influence creative processes, whether be it an art/dance work/ production or research/writing project.
Ran Brown is an independent dance scholar based in Tel Aviv. Brown lectures on Israeli contemporary dance in various frameworks, including SEAD-Salzburg Experimental Academy of Contemporary Dance; JAMD – The Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance; and Thelma Yellin Arts High School. In 2010, Brown founded the online journal ‘Maakaf’ for performing arts and served as its co-editor until 2017. In 2012 he headed the research program at Kelim Choreography Center, which culminated in the 2014 publication of ‘Place for Action’, a collection of essays on contemporary dance which Brown edited. The essays examine the creative processes of students in the choreography program at Kelim. Currently, Brown is focuses on creative consulting, curating, and developing frameworks for theory and discourse.
The group will meet every other week on Monday evenings, between 19:00- 21:00
Dates:
First Semester: 15.10, 29.10, 12.11, 26.11, 10.12, 24.12
Second Semester: 18.2, 4.3, 18.3, 1.4, 15.4, 29.4
Spots are limited, registration required to secure a spot.
Tuition: 720 NIS for 12 meetings. We accept checks or bank transfers. Payments can be transferred in up to 3 payments.