Today marks the start of the CROWD 2023 residency programme which will support 10 dance artists to explore and develop their practice and understanding of community-engaged dance.
The artists are working in pairs and will take part in two residencies in each other’s home countries across Finland, Denmark, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands and the UK from July – October.
The first residency is taking place in TanzFaktur in Cologne, Germany from 10th – 21st July with dance artists Hubert Mielke and Chelsea Gordon. The two artists will also come together for their second residency at FABRIC in Birmingham, UK from 18th – 29th September.
We caught up with Hubert and Chelsea to find out more about their involvement with CROWD and what they hope to explore during their residencies:
Hubert Mielke
Hubert is a choreographer and dancer from both Poland and Germany. His approach to choreography involves using movement as a means to explore concepts related to time, collective emergence and discordance.
Images: Diamanto Hadjizacharia, Patrycja Płanik and Tomas Laranjo
What are you hoping to explore during the CROWD 2023 residencies?
I hope to broaden my perspectives and experience of dance in a different (unknown yet) context.
Why did you want to be a CROWD 2023 artist?
I believe that CROWD 2023 is a great opportunity to gain new insights, collaborate with international artists and share own knowledge.
What are you most looking forward to as a CROWD 2023 artist?
I am looking forward to meeting my CROWD partner and getting to know their artistic voice.
Why are you interested in creating art with the community?
I believe that working within the context of a community always enriches our perspectives as artists and human beings.
What was your introduction to community dance?
In 2014, I participated in a program that brought performance art and dance to small villages in Poland.
Who or what inspires your community practice?
My dear friend Mikołaj Mikołajczyk.
What have you discovered through working with communities?
There are many small discoveries, but I believe the most important one is recognising the power of a community.
What difficulties or limitations have emerged for you when working with a community?
Mostly the lack of time.
How do you describe community-engaged dance practice?
I see community-engaged practice as a way to create an environment where people feel relaxed, happy, and engaged, which in turn stimulates their artistry naturally, without any force or pressure to be creative.
Chelsea Gordon
Chelsea is a UK-based neurodivergent movement artist who is interested in people, the process of decision-making and the expression of identity through movement.
Images: Elly Wel and Exodus Crooks
What are you hoping to explore during the CROWD 2023 residencies?
I am hoping to build connections with other artists and creatives. It is so valuable to have a network of people to soundboard current ideas and inspire new ones.
Why did you want to be a CROWD 2023 artist?
It is always valuable for practitioners and artists to learn and create simultaneously. Having the opportunity and support to learn from each other allows for consistent training and professional growth. CROWD acknowledges the importance of exchange as a tool for development which is why I wanted to be a part of CROWD 2023.
What are you most looking forward to as a CROWD 2023 artist?
I’m looking forward to traveling and visiting TanzFaktur. I have always enjoyed an international exchange as there is so much to consume and learn from. Also, I am excited for the exchange of ideas and approaches, which will provide new and innovative ways to engage with different communities.
Why are you interested in creating art with the community?
I am interested in people, and how each story, journey, and approach is completely different. With the community, whatever is created is based on the people and what they bring to a space and time. Within my practice I focus on accentuating and celebrating these distinctive qualities, creating an experience almost inimitable. The atmosphere will always be unique as it is dictated by ever-changing factors and ever-evolving people.
What was your introduction to community dance?
I was fortunate to be a part of a project called Instinctive Neighbourhood as part of Yorkshire Dance’s Ageless Festival. Instinctive Neighbourhood, led by Choreographer Guilhermo Miotto and Composer Henk Bakker, invites different community groups to engage with each other through movement exploration. It was really wholesome to be a part of, each person had a different relationship to dance but everyone felt safe enough to surrender to the process and really rediscover themselves. This experience unlocked a new love for intergenerational community dance and I’m excited to take this internationally.
Who or what inspires your community practice?
Ultimately I am inspired by my parents, I want them to feel the same joy and self-expressions that I feel when I’m connected to movement. I want to make movement accessible to my community and sub-communities, bridging the gap between what they know of dance and what it can be.
What have you discovered through working with communities?
I have discovered how nervous we are as adults to trial and make mistakes. My aim is to restore the ease of play and exploration as a method of reconnection with the self and, most importantly, allow more grace to still learn without the pressure of perfection.
What difficulties or limitations have emerged for you when working with a community?
I have struggled to get people to initially trust the process and allow themselves to relax into the unknown. I respond to the people in the room and allow space for changes but I have learnt that sometimes people fear not having regular and restrictive instruction, which makes it easier for them to stay reserved.
How do you describe community-engaged dance practice?
Community-engaged dance means people-centered. The focus is on how we as practitioners can curate spaces that encourage all people to access, experience, and benefit from dance and movement.
Follow #CROWDdance 2023
Across the coming months, we’ll be inviting our ten artists and the host partners to capture elements of their residencies and share insight into their work and the areas they’re exploring within the realm of community-engaged dance. Follow our blog here and #CROWDdance on social media for further updates.
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