The Body Word festival

of unusual forms of dance, related to the literature.

 

For a long time dance in Russia was a sort of gala show,

that, like other art forms, was expected to be the property of the people,

that means it was meant to please everybody. These strict guidelines caused artists

to avoid the risk of developing their own new work. Instead they followed

and imitated the example of previous masters. But for any progress in art

it is essential not only to reproduce the achievements of the past

but also to welcome research and experiment

in order to innovate and to express new ideas,

even if they are still far from being perfect, in need of further improvement,

even “anti-theatrical” and emancipating themselves from accepted stereotypes.

On one hand contemporary dance in Russia is young, wild, innovative,

curious and open to other cultures and mentalities. On the other hand it had to develop

differently to distinguish itself from contemporary dance in Europe or America.

Therefore there is a strong curiosity in Europe and America about

how people dance in Russia, not only concerning their technical skills,

but more about their specific view and perception.

Our projects are intended to be a platform

on which different cultures will meet, share and penetrate each other.

 

 

The history of Saint-Petersburg is strongly connected with the history of Russian literature.

And the Russian literature is taking a big and important place in the world writing.

The large number of the immortal ballet heritage is inspired by literature

–        we can remember the “Don Kichot” and “Sleeping Beauty”

or “The afternoon rest of the Faun” by Vaclav Nizinsky, created on motive of eclogue by the French poet Stefan Mallarme.

 

We expect that performances and workshops of our festival

will bring new inspiration to the art live of Saint-Petersburg and, from other hand, to guest artists.

We also expect a new contacts and new collaboration projects, which will enrich the cultural live in both countries.

 

We intended to hold a festival, which integrates so different field of art as literature and dance. 

In this festival we provide the performing art, where the spoken word is not the main tool of expression.

It includes modern dance, contemporary dance, physical theatre, movement theatre, improvisation.

 

In Russia we also have a rich classical tradition, but the contemporary free and maybe challenging interpretation

until the very last time was almost forbidden.

In our festival we will represent the performance of the Finnish choreographer Liisa Pentti made over the poems of the Russian poet Osip Mandelshtam,

the Italian performance “Something in between”, freely inspired by “In praise of Folly” by Erasmus of Rotterdam and others.

These works are addressed as to specialists, as to the wide amount of audience, who are interested in contemporary performing arts.

 

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