DANS International Festival of Contemporary Dance and Performance 03:  Laughing - Crying, October 10th-31st

The concept of the 3rd edition of iDANS which will take place between 10-31 October 2009 is determined as "Laughing ↔ Crying" in order to question the still lingering dualism of the mind versus body in contemporary culture. Both of these frontier experiences can drive us to tears. iDANS proposes an approach that understands social agency in terms of the sensory and affective foundations of embodiment and therefore of experience, indicating the interdependency of the social with biological functions. Persons experience themselves simultaneously in and as their bodies. The festival will present works that acknowledge the simultaneous individual and social ontology of emotions, as well as their inextricability from thought and belief. The good news is that the program will continue throughout the season after the October program with performances, talks and book launches.

iDANS Discount Program

Participants of the iDANS Discount Program will be honored a separate discount; proportional to the number of showings they attend in iDANS 03. To participate in this program, they should first purchase their tickets in their fare, and then register themselves at the entrance of the shows. At the end of the festival, they will receive a back-payment in proportion to the number of their registrations to the total number (14) of all shows in iDANS 03. For example, a participant who has registered at all the shows may get all his/her money back!

Nele Suisalu, Florent Hamon, Nicolas Gastard/Ball

Refiguring theatrical space through the metaphorical lens of a ball, Estonian choreographer Nele Suisalu and her French “dancing partner” Florent Hamon enquire into the dynamics of sociability and explore the dramaturgy of face-to-face interactions. Transforming the theatrical encounter to a cozy and intimate one through their improvised performance, they reveal not only the discursive but also the embodied dimensions of communication. They delve into the desires, expectations and wishes of the audience in order to investigate the collective “artifice” we invest in.

Detailed info: www.idans.info