«Swiss Dance Days Research Trip» – South American Delegation
Switzerland, Brazil, Argentina, Chile — Research Trips
COINCIDENCIA invited five South American dance programmers to a research trip in the context of the event «Swiss Dance Days 2019» that took place in Lausanne from February 6 to 9, 2019.
For the visiting programmers, it was an occasion to get acquainted with the Swiss systems of promoting culture, exchange views on the challenges their international festivals face, and see a wide variety of forms of expression in Swiss dance. Besides the programme of the festival, the COINCIDENCIA team organized professional meetings and guided visits at local Institutions such as Fondation L’Abri, in Geneva; Théâtre de Vidy, in Lausanne and Cabaret Voltaire, in Zurich.
The «Swiss Dance Days», created in 1996, are held every two years in alternate cities in Switzerland. A jury composed of Swiss dance programmers (in 2019: Vincent Baudriller, Théâtre Vidy of Lausanne; Anneli Binder, Dampfzentrale of Bern; Patrick de Rahm, Arsénic of Lausanne; Catja Loepfe, Tanzhaus of Zurich; Philippe Saire, Théâtre Sévelin, of Lausanne; Stefano Tomassini, LIS/LAC of Lugano) selected, among 150 works assessed, 15 to be presented on stage. In addition to the presentations, there is a Salon des Artistes and other articulation events.
The delegation at the Swiss Dance Days was composed by
Graciela Casabé, Argentina: Founder and director of the «Buenos Aires Performance Biennale» since 2015, president of the Babilonia Foundation for Arts, Science and Culture, from which emerged, in 1997, the «Buenos Aires International Festival (FIBA), that she directed from 1999 to 2007.
Janaina Lobo Gonçalves, Brazil: Dancer and choreographer, coordinator of the Teresina’s Municipal Ballet, in the Northeast of Brazil, and teacher at the Lenir Argento Dance School. In 2005, she founded Junta – International Dance Festival of Teresina, which she directs along with Jacob Alves and Datan Izaká.
Rocío Rivera Marchevsky, Chile: Choreographer, dancer, performer, teacher and graphic designer. Founder and director of the Mundomoebio/escenalborde Dance Company, as well as co-founder and co-director of the platforms «Escenalborde – Contemporary Performing Arts» and «Danzalborde International Festival», in Valparaiso.
Fabrício Floro, Brazil: Curator of the SESC Dance Biennial in 2017 and 2019, dance sector assistant on the Department of Cultural Action of SESC (Social Service of Commerce) in São Paulo.
Diana Theocharidis, Argentina: International dancer and choreographer, member of the board of directors of the National Cultural Foundation of Argentina, responsible for the Teatro de la Ribera programme.