Members of Lithuanian dance organizations and companies are getting ready for a trip to the biggest Europe’s international dance fair “Internationale Tanzmesse NRW” that will take place in three German cities: Dusseldorf, Krefeld and Leverkusen, from 29th of August till the 1st of September. Lithuanian dance representatives will be joined by Vilnius city dance theater “LowAir” – their performance “Game Over” will close the artistic program of the biennale this year.
Vilnius City Dance Theatrv Low Air,”Game Over” ©Laura Vansevičienė
According to Lithuanian Dance Information Centre’s project coordinator Anastasija Dichtiar, participation in an event of this level is extremely important because of one of the biggest concentrations of dance field representatives, opportunity to make new connections and present Lithuanian dance community to the widest circle of professionals. Traditionally starting on the last week of August since 1994, this international dance biennale will be organized for the thirteenth time. Over 100 booths will be installed and over 1000 companies and dance organizations presented. 50 performances will be shown in different cities and venues. The fair will welcome about 1900 guests in total.
Tanzmesse NRW @Dmitrijus Matvejevas
Will Present Lithuanian and Latvian Dance
Lithuanian Dance Information Center (LDIC) is organizing Lithuanian dance presentation at the fair for the eleventh time and will represent Lithuanian dance companies and organizations in one of a hundred booths. Moreover, LDIC is going to represent the colleagues, Latvian Dance Information Centre, and information about Latvian dance. Dance organizations from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are moving toward closer cooperation and have an idea of creating Baltic States Dance Platform.
Tanzmesse NRW, NRW-Forum @Dmitrijus Matvejevas
Together with LDIC team, „Internationale Tanzmesse NRW” will also be visited by Contemporary Dance Association members: creators, choreographers, performers Greta Grinevičiūtė and Agnietė Lisičkinaitė, Kaunas delegate Birutė Letukaitė (Kaunas dance theater AURA) and Klaipėda representative Agnija Šeiko (Dance theater PADI DAPI Fish). At the Lithuanian booth there will also be presented Lithuanian dance festivals, dance companies, organizations, individual dance artists and international residency programs. Reception of „Internationale Tanzmesse NRW” participants and guests will be held on the 31st of August.
Tanzmesse NRW, 2016 @Dmitrijus Matvejevas
“LowAir” dance theater – in the main artistic program
During all four days, the guests of „Internationale Tanzmesse NRW” will be invited to see the artistic program, where 50 companies from all over the world will perform. Among them – names as „Cloude Gate“ and „TAO Dance Theatre“. Vilnius city dance theater “LowAir” is also on the performing list with their newest piece “Game Over”, awarded with the Golden Stage Cross in 2016. “We are feeling uplifted and very happy to be noticed and selected from more than 700 participants. We got into the lucky 50, who will be able to present their work live. We really believe in successful future of our piece and hope to be great representatives of Lithuanian dance.” – says Airida Gudaitė, one of creators and performers of “Game Over”. It is the second time at the „Internationale Tanzmesse NRW” for Laurynas Žakevičius and Airida Gudaitė, the founders of “Low Air” – six years ago they presented their first urban dance performance “Feel link”, created at the Arts Printing House (Vilnius) before establishing the dance theater itself. “Game Over” will be shown on the 1st of September in the city of Dusseldorf.
Lithuanian dance company “PADI DAPI Fish” had also performed in this fair two years ago. Artistic director of this theater Agnija Šeiko believes that presentation of your production in the artistic program is crucial for the development of international relations: “After our performance we were invited to several festivals, we have already performed in one of them – performing arts festival Bozar in Prague. However, the most important thing is not the particular invitations, but the fact that performing in Tanzmesse marks your name very brightly on the dance maps of Europe and the whole world. It is a kind of quality index, which helps making connections in the whole dance field.”
PADI DAPI Fish at Tanzmesse NRW, 2016 @Dmitrijus Matvejevas
“Tanzmesse” dance biennale is organized by North Rhine-Westphalia dance department since 1994. It is the biggest and the most important world-wide meeting uniting dance community. Not only dancers, choreographers and their managers participate here but dance production organizations, agencies, information centers, schools, universities, dance clothing and equipment manufacturers and public authorities who take care of dance arts in various countries as well.
Lithuanian delegation participation in the fair is partly financed by Lithuanian Council for Culture.