Nafas نفس Dansfestival (2023)
Posing questions about who gets to be on and off the stage has been the theme of Skånes Dansteater's annual festivals since the first over ten years ago.
Each festival has a unique title that reflects the particular focus for that year. This year it is called Nafas نفس Dance Festival, as the focus is on the space between the global and the local, the traditional and the contemporary.
Nafas means breath (a necessity of life) in many languages such as Farsi and Arabic.
The festival's programme has been curated by multidisciplinary artist and producer Atoosa Farahmand, who through the festival wants to challenge the norms of contemporary dance, by asking questions about what does contemporary dance look like in Malmö today and what could contemporary dance be?
In its best form, dance is fluid, malleable and in constant relation to the surrounding society, but how well does dance, through the stories, works and performers that are shown on stage, really reflect society today?
In the European art world, contemporary dance has often been defined by a narrow set of criteria that can exclude artists and audiences from different cultural backgrounds, making it difficult for them to find space to showcase their work or to feel like it is for them.
For four days in November, Skånes Dansteater will present two international guest performances that explore, each from their unique perspective, cultural diversity, heritage and forbidden dancing and movements. Both works consider what is contemporary and what is traditional. For the final night of the festival, you are invited to celebrate the local, in a night of dancing, music, tea and food.
There will also be workshops and talks, live music, food, tea and baklava.
The festival is a place to meet new people and international and local artists on stage or in the dance studio, and to experience new perspectives to contemporary dance.
Each festival has a unique title that reflects the particular focus for that year. This year it is called Nafas نفس Dance Festival, as the focus is on the space between the global and the local, the traditional and the contemporary.
Nafas means breath (a necessity of life) in many languages such as Farsi and Arabic.
The festival's programme has been curated by multidisciplinary artist and producer Atoosa Farahmand, who through the festival wants to challenge the norms of contemporary dance, by asking questions about what does contemporary dance look like in Malmö today and what could contemporary dance be?
In its best form, dance is fluid, malleable and in constant relation to the surrounding society, but how well does dance, through the stories, works and performers that are shown on stage, really reflect society today?
In the European art world, contemporary dance has often been defined by a narrow set of criteria that can exclude artists and audiences from different cultural backgrounds, making it difficult for them to find space to showcase their work or to feel like it is for them.
For four days in November, Skånes Dansteater will present two international guest performances that explore, each from their unique perspective, cultural diversity, heritage and forbidden dancing and movements. Both works consider what is contemporary and what is traditional. For the final night of the festival, you are invited to celebrate the local, in a night of dancing, music, tea and food.
There will also be workshops and talks, live music, food, tea and baklava.
The festival is a place to meet new people and international and local artists on stage or in the dance studio, and to experience new perspectives to contemporary dance.