Amanda Piña
Socialmovements!: the venture

Socialmovements: the venture Social movements are a type of group action, generally political or social actions capable of producing movement in society. If we take the definition literally: when a beggar in a metro makes a flux of people slightly deviate their path, is s/he a possibly unaware agent of a social movement? In which way do we produce and participate in movement in society? We aim at testing choreographic thoughts and strategies outside the theatre. We want to actively find out how to deviate the already known and established paths of social choreographies in order to create new "DANCES". It is first a matter of becoming aware of the movements and conventions that are at play in the social space we are looking at, considering the world not as a stage but rather as a place we inhabit, influence and learn from. Then we can treat those conventions as choreographic material and use our knowledge and practices to slightly shift and challenge the way they function and are perceived. In our quest to establish other relationships with the world, we recognise extensive work on perception in dance practices as useful tools, which will accompany us as daily training during the whole time of the venture. "Perception is not something that happens to us, or in us," writes Alva Noë, "it is something we do." Become activists of perception, challenge the usual modes of social behaviour via choreographic action!!! Sociologist Rudi Laermans will join us for a two day intensive to help us framing our work from the perspective of sociology and art theory. This is an invitation to join Socialmovements!, to take group action, to become agents of movement in society and to disrupt the habitual - included what we take for granted in the way we understand and produce work. (Text by Amanda Piña & Valentina Desideri) Amanda Piña Amanda Piña was born in Chile and studied Physical Theatre in Santiago and Contemporary Dance in Barcelona, Salzburg and Montpellier (Ex.e.r.ce Centre Choregraphique National de Montpellier). She started creating performances for the theatre and the public space in Mexico. She is interested in the spectator and in shaping new ways of encountering both, the work in performance and the relationship with the audience. Her last work as choreographer conformed the tetralogy “Self”, “You”, “WE”, and “THEM”, shown in different venues and festivals in Europe and Latin America (Image Tanz Festival, Tanzquartier Wien, Southbank Centre London, Mousonturm Frankfurt, Kampnagel Hamburg, ImPulsTanz Fesival, Danzalborde Valparaiso, Sophiensäle Berlin and Brut Wien among others). Since 2005 she has been working in collaboration with the visual artist Daniel Zimmermann and with the creative association nadaproductions. Her new performance "Socialmovements" will premiere in October at Tanzquartier Wien.