DANCE DIGITAL: Baden-Württemberg and South Wales connect 

Clwstwr and MFG Baden-Württemberg explored the opportunities that digital innovation presents to dance and heard from dancers about their experiences of making work during COVID-19. 

DANCE DIGITAL was the kickoff event of a new partnership between Clwstwr, a programme to stimulate R&D and innovation in the South Wales media sector, and MFG Baden-Württemberg, an institution to promote film culture, the film industry and cultural and creative industries in the South West of Germany.   

The focus of this international partnership is to bring together creative innovators, businesses and organisations from across South Wales and Baden-Württemberg to encourage collaboration, cross-border working and share knowledge and best practice.  

Sara Pepper OBE, Chief Operating Officer of Clwstwr, said: "DANCE DIGITAL will reflect the strengths of dance in both Wales and Germany – from the social and cultural value of this sector and its capacity for innovation to opportunities for future digital growth."

Dr. Angela Frank, Head of the cultural and creative industries unit at MFG Baden-Württemberg, said: "With this partnership and event, we are aiming to create digital bridges in a time when face-to-face meetings for cultural exchange are difficult. This crossover will showcase dance artists from both clusters and we look forward to hearing their perspectives on the digital / physical mixed model offers their practice."

At DANCE DIGITAL there were presentations from three projects from each media cluster sharing new perspectives on dance and media. 

SPEAKERS   

  • Paul Kaynes, CEO National Dance Company of Wales
  • Fearghus Ó Conchúir, choreographer, dance artist and former Artistic Director of National Dance Company Wales and Rob Eagle, interdisciplinary artist 
  • Krystal Lowe, dancer, choreographer, and writer  
  • Carina S. Clay, freelance choreographer, dancer and the artistic director of the eMotions project 
  • Eric Gauthier, founder of Gauthier Dance, the resident company at Theaterhaus Stuttgart and artistic director of COLOURS International Dance Festival 
  • Sophie Manuela Lindner and Jens Nonnenmann from HE4DS – Health Education for Dancers, an integrative therapy, training and lifestyle method for sustainable health care and performance enhancement of dancers.