Teaching contemporary dance – a workbook for documenting methods and practices.

A research project lead by Anne-Linn Akselsen, Associate Professor, head of the Bachelor Program in Contemporary Dance – in the frame of Artistic Research conducted at Oslo National Academy of Dance.

About the project:

Contemporary dance is a collective term that is used broadly, and many different approaches and methodologies fall under this term. This project aims to both investigate, and document, a wide selection of the methodologies, practices, and different ways of teaching, in the contemporary dance field today. In collaboration with the artists and teachers who are the driving forces and authors of their respective practices, the project aims to contribute to a more open culture of sharing of methods and practices, as well as to give a broader understanding of the complexity of the art form and how it is taught. The discourse around issues such as “what is technique”, and how we relate to new and traditional forms, can through this research project potentially get a broader theoretical basis, as well as provide documentation on artists' experience with this work. It will also be able to document the development of contemporary dance thought the work of the artists, practitioners and teachers working today, and how they transmit this knowledge on to the younger generations of dancers.

This research aims both to document the process, the interviews and other forms sharing of information by the artists, for example through audio and video recordings and public talks, as well sharing their knowledge in practice with current students. The final aim of the project is to form a workbook for students of contemporary dance, as well as a source material for anyone interested in the development of contemporary dance practices and how they are transmitted.   

The first part of this project has allowed the idea of the project itself to develop, through deepening the understanding of the working methods needed. Information regarding methods and practices in teaching contemporary dance have been shared across programs, with both students and faculty alike. The students have been allowed to meet dance practitioners of the highest international standard in different teaching and performance contexts, the visiting dance artists have engaged in artistic and academic conversation with faculty across programs, taken part in pubic and internal presentations, and many of their thoughts on the heritage and invention of their teaching methods have been discussed in recorded interviews.

These are the following events that have taken part within the frame of this project:

• January 2022:

Talk with Janet Panetta during ARW 2022 – cancelled due to illness.

• May 2022:

Visit from dance artist Elizabeth Corbett at KHiO

Results: Forum dans #7, recorded interviews, workshop in Forsythe Improvisation Technologies for students in 2+3BASA and 2+3BAKL, repertoire “The Vile Parody of Address” performed by 3BAKL for their graduation performed at Hovedscenen in June 2022

• October-December 2022

Visit from dance artists Jakub Truszkowski and Ursula Robb at KHiO

Results: recorded interview, repertoire RAIN by Anne Teresa De Keersmaker, performed by 2+3BASA at Hovedscenen in December 2022

Collaboration with Proda for public workshop for professionals.

• November 2022:

Visit to NYC to interview Janet Panetta

• January/February 2023:

Visit by dance artists Christina Gouzelis and Paul Blackman at KHiO

Results: Forum dans #8, recorded interview, workshop of methods and repertoire for 2+3BASA, internal showing

• March 2023

Visit by dance artist Martin Kilvady at KHiO

Results: recorded interview, workshop in improvisation methods for 2+3BASA, internal showings, collaboration with Proda for public workshop for professionals.