Ulduz Ahmadzadeh
Transcending Traditions

© Peter Rauchecker

‘The colonial-modern aesthetic framework that disciplines and regulates the field of dance art, places the existence of contemporary dance in its opposition, its exclusion and its negation of ‘other’ dances. Dances that are placed ‘outside’ the genealogy of contemporaneity, as an object of classification and exhibition for the ethnographic or the folkloric, or as a commodity for tourist consumption.’ – Rolando Vázquez

In this Field Project, we engage in a process that examines the contradictory dynamics between contemporary dance and so-called ‘other’ dances labelled traditional and ‘folkloric’.

We familiarise ourselves with the varied worlds of movement and rituals from Central and Southwest Asia, which have so far been largely underrepresented, and explore the possibilities of creative exchange as well as the emergence of new perspectives, aesthetics and hybrid languages of movement.

Our research covers various choreographic approaches to explore new formations, experiment with repetitions, and open our minds to new rhythmic patterns and compositional ideas. In doing so, we discover the immense potential for fusing different qualities of movement both within the dance practices of the regions themselves and in the context of contemporary dance. The specificities of these dance practices not only offer interesting aspects but are also of great relevance to contemporary dance.

Over the course of the week, participants will learn about the world of original movement material from Southwest and Central Asia. Together we will explore the many possible ways of dealing with these original materials and pose the following questions:

• How do bodies interpret and adopt the original materials outside the autochthonous context?
• How can we create a dialogue between the original materials and the language of contemporary dance, and expand them?
• How can we transfer these regions’ wealth of knowledge about dance and the languages of movement to a theatrical, artistically coded space?

In addition, we will explore the fascinating world of typical, complex and odd rhythmic patterns and accents that are characteristic of these regions. We will analyse them, learn to understand and count them. In doing so, we will examine how odd rhythmic patterns can influence the dancing body, and the exciting possibilities they offer in terms of composition and choreography.