A World Tour of Urban Dance in Ten Cities
A dance lecture by Ana Pi, in collaboration with Cecilia Bengolea and François Chaignaud
Held on 31 May 2019
As part of a performing arts series, in collaboration with the Community of Madrid’s Teatros del Canal, the Museo Reina Sofía presents Le tour du monde des danses urbaines en dix villes (A World Tour of Urban Dance in Ten Cities), by choreographer and dancer Ana Pi.
This ten-city urban dance world tour, devised in 2014 by Ana Pi, along with Cecilia Bengolea and François Chaignaud, takes on the form of a dance lecture centred on different styles of urban dance in different cities around the world. As a performance and didactic project, it seeks to broaden the perception of street dance styles performed in non-theatre settings, dismantling, whenever possible, the general perception equating urban dance with hip-hop.
In a subjective journey around ten major world cities, the piece evokes the vast array of styles created, practiced and displayed on the streets. Thus, without seeking to lay out anything comprehensive, the dance lecture puts forward a general, panoramic view of a specific selection of urban dance styles: from krump in Los Angeles, dancehall from Kingston and pantsula from Johannesburg to voguing from New York. Through these dance forms there is a brief reflection on the geographical, social and cultural background to which they are tied, their inherent characteristics with respect to movement, body positions, and the way in which they are practiced (at war, in a club, with a group, alone…), in addition to the musical styles they go with or the attitudes and clothing with which they are associated.
A selection of videos and photographs, screened and commented upon, illustrate each style. Moreover, Ana Pi will change her clothing during the performance, explaining the background behind each dance style and momentarily embodying the different scenes and corporalities through movement, shedding light on the complex nature of these styles through her proximity to the audience. To conclude, each audience member will be given a booklet illustrated by designer Juan Sáenz Valiente, whereby each dance form becomes a drawing and is accompanied by a brief note condensing the most important information to consider.
This piece came into creation in 2014 in the teaching programme Mallettes Pédagogiques (Pedagogical Backpacks) and through an invitation by its founder, Annie Bozzini, director of the National Centre for Choreographic Development, Toulouse / Midi-Pyrénées (France). It is the third project to take shape inside this framework, following on from La danse en 10 dates (Dance in 10 Dates) and Une histoire de la danse contemporaine en 10 titres (A History of Contemporary Dance in Ten Tittles), both directed by Annie Bozinni.
Curatorship
Isabel de Naverán
In collaboration with
Organised by
Museo Reina Sofía
In collaboration with
Participants
Ana Pi is an artist who works in the field of choreography and image. She is also a researcher in urban dance, and a dancer and educator. At the heart of her artistic practice and teaching is research centred around the circulation of images and knowledge — and the disparities, displacements and differences — and the concept of belonging, superimposition, memory, colours, daily actions and gestures.
Cecilia Bengolea is from Buenos Aires, Argentina, and initially trained in urban dance. Her interests include the anthropological studies of dance, and she studied Philosophy and History at the University of Buenos Aires.
François Chaignaud is from Rennes and trained at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Danse de Paris (France). He has collaborated with a number of choreographers, including: Boris Charmatz, Emmanuelle Huynh, Alain Buffard and Gilles Jobin.
Performance credits
Research and texts: Ana Pi, Cecilia Bengolea and François Chaignaud
Editing and performance: Ana Pi
Project creation: Ana Pi, Cecilia Bengolea and François Chaignaud, by invitation from Annie Bozzini
Booklet illustrations: Juan Sáenz Valiente
Production: Association of Centres for the Development of Choreography, with the support of the Board of Artistic Creation:
Le Gymnase – CDC Roubaix Nord / Pas-de-Calais;
Le Cuvier – CDC d’Aquitaine; le Pacifique | CDC – Grenoble;
Uzès danse, CDC de l'Uzège, du Gard et du Languedoc-Roussillon;
Art Danse – CDC Dijon Bourgogne; La
Briqueterie – CDC du val de Marne; L’Echangeur – CDC Hauts-de-France;
CDC Paris – Atelier de Paris – Carolyn Carlson, sur une proposition du CDC Toulouse/Midi-Pyrénées et d’Annie Bozzini.
Executive production: Vlovajob Pru, with the support of DRAC Poitou-Charentes. Vlovajob Pru is a structure subsidised by France’s Ministry of Culture and Communication (DRAC Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes) and the Regional Council of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. Cecilia Bengolea and François Chaignaud are associate artists with the Bonlieu Scène nationale Annecy.
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