Just before packing our things and wishing everyone a happy Christmas holiday we would like to look back into the activities that took place in 2016 – all in all a fruitful year, filled with exchanges – and thank everyone who has been with us in this journey: artists, students, curators, organizers, critics and audience members.
Korean Tour 2016
Our year started off energetically with the revival of INVOCATION – a dance-film production by Andrea K. Schlehwein + NETZWERK AKS. A working period on two different versions based on the original 2012 version took place at our home ground ART SPACE stift millstatt and was followed by two successful performances in Korea at the opening ceremony of ‘Busan International Short Film Festival 2016’ and at ‘spot on : AUSTRIA’ at Haneoulyeon Theatre Busan.
On the occasion of Invocation’s Korean tour, Andrea K. Schlehwein has offered workshops on improvisation, given lectures and participated in discussions at ‘Talk Talk SIMPRO!’, Korean National University of Arts, EDx2 Dance Academy a.o. in Seoul as well as in Tokyo, Japan. Moreover, Netzwerk AKS members Andrea Maria Handler and Arnulfo Pardo Ravagli have performed at ‘Seoul International Improvisation Dance Festival 2016’.
While part of the team was in Korea, Netzwerk AKS members Maria Mavridou & Roman Zotter continued on their new production redfishleg which was presented at ART SPACE Stift Millstatt.
New productions – Austria 2016
After returning from Korea, Netzwerk AKS under the artistic direction of Andrea K. Schlehwein, went on with its creative activities in Austria and realized the following new productions:
HERE AND NOW had its premiere at Lange Nacht des Tanzes in Millstatt and was followed by 3 more performances at ART SPACE stift millstatt
ex : cerpt | vol. 1 was presented at Active Art Millstatt.
ex : cerpt | vol. 2 was performed twice at Lange Nacht des Tanzes CCB in St. Kanzian.
ex : cerpt | vol. 3 was performed twice at theaterHALLE 11 in Klagenfurt.
Trainings, Workshops & other activities – ART SPACE stift millstatt 2016
As integral part of their shared creative process during production periods, Netzwerk AKS members Arnulfo Pardo Ravagli, Aurelius Rys, Unita Gay Galiluyo, Simona Piroddi and Maria Mavridou have lead O.P.E.N. morning trainings on contemporary dance, movement research, improvisation and yoga throughout the year.
In addition, Netzwerk AKS members and affiliated guest artists have offered workshops such as Contact Improvisation by Maayan Reiter (SEAD), ‘dancing me dancing us’ by Aureliusz Rys, ‘Catching The Impulse’ by Andrea K. Schlehwein as well as on-going courses such as ‘Creative Dance for Kids’ & ‘Creative Dance for Adults’ by Leonie Humitsch and ‘kids on the move’ an initiative of AKS.
Last but not least, Netzwerk AKS was present at Kultur muß wachsen / IG KIKK Symposion, at Landhaushof in Klagenfurt with the performance ‘on plane ground’ directed by Andrea K. Schlehwein.
Residencies & Guest Artist Performances – ART SPACE stift millstatt 2016
We had the pleasure to share our working space and function as hosts for the artists: Brigitte Busken, Maayan Reiter, Maria Mavridou & Roman Zotter, eva & eva (Leonie Humitsch & Stefanie Sternig), Daniel Petkovic & Urban Belina.
Brigitte Büsken has presented the outcome of her residency ‘Vibration von Klang und Bewegung im Raum’. Leonie Humitsch, did a workshop presentation after the ‘sommertanzwoche’ for children. Both took place at studio dependance.
As part of the series ‘in : formal’ (International Series for Young Contemporary Art) that take place at ART SPACE stift millstatt we have hosted the works Let me sleep! by Maayan Reiter (Austria-Israel) and ‘Terra Umbilicus’ by Daniel Petkovic & Urban Belina (Slovenia)
ART SPACE stift millstatt will be able to host more artists in the next year. Do not hesitate to contact us with proposals!
We are filled with fresh energy and keep our eyes, ears and skin open and curious for 2017’s unfolding!
Best wishes to everyone!
All
eight of us surround the wooden table resembling the scene from The
Last Supper.
Only this was not an act from the piece; rather, this was our lunch
ritual. A beautiful array of vegetables, bread, and hummus lie before
our muscle-aching bodies. I ask Arnulfo, the Colombian dancer based
in Vienna, what Christmas is like without snow. “Actually, in some
cities there are indoor ice rinks and areas with fake snow.”
Agitated from across the table, Aureliusz refutes with “Jesus’
birthplace was a desert!” He takes a big bite from his bread,
“Besides,” he chews, “snow has nothing to do with Christmas.”
Aureliusz knew American customs all too well. The theaters in Poland
played Hollywood films with one Polish voice actor dubbed over for
every character. He then asks if there are really newspaper boys
riding their bikes from house to house, and I affirm his belief with,
“Actually, throwing papers was my first job.” I was far from
America in the tiny village of Millstatt, Austria, but somehow its
influence surrounded me.
Though
at the beginning I was a bit intimidated by my colleagues, we soon
developed a bond. Playful banter was to be expected but, most
importantly, my opinions were valued which made for a very supportive
environment. I was the only native English speaker, and that was the
language in which we communicated. Oftentimes the other dancers would
look to me for reassurance that what they’d said made sense. As a
result, I became more conscious of my word choice as well as my
clarity of speech. The second common language was German and, since I
had only taken one semester of German, my ability to communicate was
limited to the present tense which was fitting because the piece was
entitled HERE AND NOW. Our third and most effective common language
was, of course, dance.
