Right Now / Newsletter / Efva Lilja / May 2017
What is the Meaning – Actually?
In our time, we inevitably face existential questions in everyday life. At the same time, in a
welfare society like ours, commercialism spreads its messages for us to consume, in a way
that clearly affects art. When cultural politics regard art as just ”something extra”, this will
undercut our civilization and diminish our faith in the future. Instead we should talk about
art, both as the driving force behind society (for all of us) and as a means to activate our
minds and thoughts.
What art produces is an alternative historical narrative about our present time, in imagery,
music, story-telling – and dance, to make us look, experience and react. It stimulates
creativity and the power to innovate, because we are forced to think ”outside the box” –
over and over again. It stimulates our democratic dialogue.
Right Now / Newsletter / Efva Lilja / May 2017
‘Every Person Has a Voice’ – that was our billboard slogan during the past winter, but how
do we make these voices heard? How can we contribute not just by making room for
different voices, but also facilitate listening?
An institution like Dansehallerne must be organized in a way that promotes a multitude of
voices. We must work with activities that feel relevant both to the artists and their audience
– which is what we do. We know – because we have empirical data from a recently
conducted audience survey and from the 2016 visitor statistics. The strategic plan we
approved last year has been met with positive response, which motivates us to work hard,
both for the audience and our artists, to create more opportunities for interaction. But that
is not enough.
We must also make our politicians understand that choreographic performative art
(including dance!) is a fundamental part of the arts and that it needs input from cultural
politics to develop on the same terms as other fields of art. Dansehallerne must work also
for this. We will push forward, infiltrate the debate, do some dancing – and offer them a
meal or two.
The Paragraph 27 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, states that every child
should have the right to a standard of living that contributes to its physical, psychological,
spiritual, moral and social development. I contend that the same goes for any age group. Art
in all shapes and forms is a part of our well-being and a road to a better civilization. That is
why Dansehallerne give priority to a meeting between children and art on the same terms as
for grown-ups, with new interactive production processes and innovative forms of
presentation. To make this successful, we stimulate peer fora for artists, courses to enhance
competence and research that will give us art works our audience will perceive as
meaningful. When people are allowed to make their voices heard, they also become better
listeners.
‘Dansehallerne make change visible’, says Annika Kompart, one of two hundred artists that
use Dansehallerne as a platform for their work. She is one of these artists, who help develop
Right Now / Newsletter / Efva Lilja / May 2017
Dansehallerne into a significant hub for contemporary choreographic performing art and its
meeting with a keen and growing audience.
Besides the challenges of trying to be the best possible resource for artists and the public,
Dansehallerne is now in a position where we are forced to plan for at least one year without
our own premises. We’re in the process of setting up a number of exciting c/o projects in the
Copenhagen area in collaboration with art institutions, schools and work-places. We will
stage choreographic performative arts all over Copenhagen. Parallel to that we continue to
deliver touring programmes across the whole country. Keep a look out!
The calendar now contains the last events in our white house on the Carlsberg premises.
Don’t miss this chance to experience this place and its offerings of performances,
conferences on Dance in Schools 30 may, Taking Parts in Dance 31 May - and don’t miss the
last ‘Meet, Eat and Talk’ on 8 June! You mustn’t miss out on these unpredictable moments.
Maybe that’s where you’ll be able to form your own image of ‘meaning’.
One element that creates meaning for me is talking with a cow. More about that in my next
letter.
Efva
P.S. The Calendar, the Annual Report and the Strategic Plan are all available on the
Dansehallerne web site.
Photo: Håkan Larsson