Dancing Dialogues

With Dancing Dialogues, P.A.R.T.S. shines a light on the work and impact of our teachers. Most of them are freelancers, often working across many places and not always present at the school. Yet their inspiration, dedication and expertise are at the heart of everything we do. This series is a moment to acknowledge the people who shaped our students’ learning and artistic paths.

In each conversation, teachers are interviewed by alumni who will cover questions on pedagogy and transmission. We will look at how teaching has changed, and where it will go next, addressing their challenges of the past, present and future.

Most of the Dancing Dialogues are livestreamed, so you can also join the conversations remotely or watch them again later here.

>> Upcoming Dialogues

Tuesday November 3 | 20:00 | Composition
In contemporary dance, which focuses strongly on the different individual visions and strategies of each artist, 'composition' is rarely seen as something that can be taught, especially when compared to music or the visual arts. Yet at P.A.R.T.S., 'composition' is an important and recurring course. It often (but not exclusively) draws on the practices of specific artists, such as Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, Trisha Brown or William Forsythe. However, teaching compositional methods should not only serve to deepen our understanding of how specific artists work, but also to explore how such tools can be used by other generations, in other practices and contexts. How can we address the relationship between 'material' and 'composition'? How do composition and improvisation relate to each other? How can choreographic composition relate to composition in music or other art forms?
Guest speakers: Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, Thomas Hauert, Fabrice Mazliah
Interviewer: Júlia Rúbies Subirós

>> Past Dialogues

Tuesday May 19 | Body Studies
At P.A.R.T.S., 'body studies' is the umbrella term for physical approaches that are not dance themselves but support the dancing in different ways, a.o. through the prevention of injuries. Students at P.A.R.T.S. learn yoga, pilates, body conditioning and shiatsu. These different techniques have different backgrounds and differing views on how the body functions. Some are based on ancient Eastern techniques, others on more recent Western developments. What body images do they represent and how do they connect to dancing and to each other?
Guest speakers: Charlotte Cétaire, Palle Dyrvall, Tarek Halaby
Interviewer: Laura-Maria Poletti

Friday March 20 | Teaching contemporary dance technique
“Contemporary dance” is not a codified technique in the way several other dance techniques are, which makes it a relatively open field with many singular interpretations and diverse sources. How do teachers view the relationship between technique and artistic practice, or between technique and its pedagogy? What is the role of technique in dance education today, and what role does technique play in the professional field?
Guest speakers: David Hernandez, Salva Sanchis, Rakesh Sukesh, Laura Aris
Interviewer: Júlia Rúbies Subirós

Thursday February 19 | The transmission of repertoire
Learning from works from the past is an important element in dance education, which PARTS mostly does via the repertoire of Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker and Trisha Brown. How do teachers who pass on works from the past see this job, how do they connect the past with the present and the future, in the school and in other contexts where they do this work?
Guest speakers: Clinton Stringer, Diane Madden, Johanne Saunier
Interviewer: Tessa Hall

Thursday February 12 | Inclusion
Since 2022 P.A.R.T.S. hosts and collaborates with Platform K, who organise dance training and professional creation projects with dancers with disabilities. In this conversation, we’ll look into how this collaboration could become more intense in the future, and what other dimensions to broaden the inclusivity of the school are possible.
Guest speakers: Stephane Bourhis, Inge Lattré and Michaël Pomero
interviewer: Giulia Sugranyes

Sunday February 8 | Theory
Theory is an important element in the programme at P.A.R.T.S. In this conversation, we’ll go into the different possible relations between theory and practice, both in the teaching practices of the participants and in their professional practice at large.
Guest speakers: Bojana Cvejic, Rudi Laermans and Funmi Adewole
Interviewer: Stefa Govaart