This article discusses a youth dance project called Corridor and its pedagogic and choreographic process. It introduces the author’s approach to coordinating and choreographing the project and argues for the benefits of working with youngsters cross-culturally.
Corridor took place at Kuopio Dance Festival in June 2009, bringing nearly 50 young dancers from six different countries onto the Music Centre stage. The title of the event, corridor, was turned into the theme of the concrete artistic work. It expresses a kind of space and mobility between people and ideas. Spectators, as well as choreographers and dancers opened doors to different cultures – here culture refers to the live, social environment which touches us, and in which the public and the private, the collective and the individual meet.
The author’s choreographic and pedagogical approach proceeds from a general to a detailed one. The work evolves in a spiral form starting from action which opens channels for relating to the present moment through dancing. Then this experienced action is shared and reflected on, either physically or verbally. The author aims at shared power and genuine dialogue. Similarly, instead of taking difference and complex dynamics as a threat, they are considered as resources and possibilities.
Corridor was a part of Keðja Kuopio a project which focused on children and young people. Furthermore, Keðja Kuopio belongs to Keðja project (Dance Encounters 2008 – 2010), the vastest platform so far aimed at dance artists as well as educators, producers and scholars to meet and address important issues within the contemporary dance field in the Nordic/Baltic region.
