Measuring one’s own creativity on the professional stage but at the same time offering experts, the curious and enthusiasts of the dance world the possibility of exploring their own knowledge or satisfy desires and interests; this is the intent of Open Doors, a programme of public demonstrations and lessons marking the entire range of offerings of the Arsenale della Danza’s annual session, planned from 18 January to 27 May and developed around the cycles of masterclasses held by leading protagonists of dance worldwide. Every cycle of masterclass will have a final result in the public demonstration of the work done with the 20 dancers of the Arsenale della Danza. The young dancers will be the protagonists on the stage of the Teatro Piccolo Arsenale, always at 6 p.m.

Dancers will be performing the work of Francesca Harper, a leading interpreter of many offerings by the Ballett Frankfurt and an expert in the Forsythe method (29 January); of Kenji Takagi, an exponent of German Theatredance and for a long time a dancer for Pina Bausch (13 February); of Geyvan McMillen, a pioneer of contemporary dance in Turkey, who has chosen Sufi meditation and the dances of the dervishes as the theme of his lessons, assisted by Tan Temel and Sernaz Demirel (26 February); of Josè Navas and Daniel Léveillé, protagonists of the most innovative Canadian and Quebecan dance (12 March); of Ryuzo Fukuhara, one of the protagonists of the butoh of Min Tanaka (20 March); of Inaki Azpillaga, the interpreter of many choreographies by Wim Vandekeybus for Ultima Vez (1 April).

 

It is worth making a separate mention of the presence of the Israeli choreographer, Yasmeen Godder, creator of a dance of a strongly theatrical nature, of whose work spectators of the Biennale Dance have already seen a significant example in A Study of Sudden Birds last summer. With Godder in Venice, there will be the dancers selected for the Young Art Dance Prize, who will share the same experience with the young dancers of the Arsenale della Danza, in un climate of an exchange of experiences and comparison. The presence of Godder at the Arsenale della Danza is the result of the renewed collaboration with the Young Art Dance Prize which, through a training development, aims to support original choreography by artists of the Veneto.

 

The theoretical lessons will this year too be an opportunity to work before the public, and will focus on two great artists who have recently left us: Pina Bausch, to whom is dedicated the tribute of Francesca Pedroni on 13 February (6 p.m.), with the presence also of Kenji Takagi, and Merce Cunningham, to whom Eugenia Casini Ropa dedicates a study on 27 March (2.30 - 6 p.m.).

 

A workshop held by Ismael Ivo, with the collaboration of Franca Pagliassotto and Karl Schreiner, will be held from 12 April and will lead to the realisation of Aria. The long preparatory phase will also include some public moments before the presentation in its definitive form on 26 and 27 May in Venice.