This year’s festival hosts participants from France, Germany, Switzerland, Greece, Slovenia, Israel and Albania
Tirana Times
TIRANA, Aug. 31 – The sixth edition of the International Festival of Modern and Contemporary Dance, initially postponed for lack of funds, will be held from September 11 to 17, organizers say. This year the International Festival of Modern Dance in Durres invites lovers of art to get acquainted with the world’s progressive modern dance culture.
This edition hosts participants from France, Germany, Switzerland, Greece, Slovenia, Israel and Albania. Each one of the dance companies will perform mainly at A. Moisiu Theatre in Durres but also at Tirana Arts Academy.
Organized by DanceAlbFest, and with support from the Albanian Ministry of Tourism Culture Youth and Sports, the Dance Meeting is intended to introduce modern and contemporary dance to Albanians, but the festival is a lot more than a primer on today’s dance. Dancers from all over the continent participate in performances, workshops, and community activities, not to mention their exchange of ideas and art. For young dance enthusiasts and performers, just the workshops offer superb experience and value.
The list of this year’s performers include Greece’s Aerites, Switzerland’s Prototype Status, an Albanian -German cooperation between the Tirana Arts Academy and the Katharina Maschenka Horn, Slovenia’s Plesna Teater Ljubljana, France’s Ballet Actuel, Israel’s Oded Ronen & Joel Bray Company and Albania’s Dance Theatre Company.
The performances will start around 8.00-8.30 pm, every day from September, 11 until September 17, the day of closure. Albania Dance Theatre Company will be performing for the public at the festival’s opening ceremony.
The International Festival of Modern and Contemporary Dance is intended to familiarize Albanian audience with various dance theatres and companies or independent dancers from abroad who develop professional modern and contemporary dance techniques and innovative forms of dance expression. This event is an opportunity for its participants to exchange ideas and experiences of dance, which have been developed worldwide, as well as get acquainted with the development of contemporary dance in Eastern Europe. It is a great event not only for the spectators and dance professionals but also for the arts lovers from the whole country to get acquainted with the progressive world culture.
One of the aims of this Festival is to present forms and different techniques of the modern and contemporaneous art in our country through performances and different workshops with students or dancers. Since there is a lack of information and activities in the fields this Festival serves as a contributor
The mission of “Albania Dance Meeting 2011” is to present some of the best contemporary dance within a festival environment by increasing access to the art form, reflecting its diversity through stimulating a range of performances and events. Except its mission to promote modern and contemporary dance it also helps in the development of tourism in Albania by attracting visitors who would be able not only to enjoy different performances during the festival but also enjoy the city and its many cultural and historic attractions.
This Festival is supported by the Durr쳠Municipality the American Embassy in Tirana, the Swiss Cultural Programme and the Arts Academy of Tirana.
